New book celebrates Tutukaka Coast

True Tales of the Tutukaka Coast to be launched in December.

More than 4000 hours has been spent putting together a book highlighting the present and past on the Tutukaka Coast.

The most recent book in the stream of True Tales publications, True tales of the Tutukaka Coast will be launched at Oceans Hotel in Tutukaka on December 3 at 10am.

The focus of the book is to define the uniqueness of people's lives on the Tutukaka Coast and it serves up a smorgasbord of anecdotes and tales.

Don Goodall, who was on the True Tales committee, said the team who put the book together were a group of 10 inquisitive and enthusiastic researchers.

Goodall said there are now "True Tales" books of several districts in and around Whangārei including Kamo, Onerahi, Hikurangi, Whangārei Heads and Tītoki.

He said the latest edition would appeal to people outside the district it relates to.

"Tutukaka is one of the Top Tourist Destinations in New Zealand we reckon. So we had to do a great job with the book, if it is to match up with the area," Goodall said.

All the work was done voluntarily and there was extensive use of the Northern Advocate historic files.

Photos and diaries belonging to Walter Webb Pullman were discovered in a suitcase in the attic.

There is a brief history of the schools on the coast including Matapouri, Ngunguru, Kiripaka and Kaiatea.

Race days at Matapouri beach, diving at the Poor Knights Islands and the history of game fishing in the area are some of the interesting local yarns.

The book will retail for $50 and if there is any surplus it will go to the Tutukaka Lions Club who are selling the book.

Copies can also be obtained in December from Book Inn Kamo and Dive Tutukaka.