From left, Gino Calla Moret, Ruth Moret, Maite Calla Moret, Jaime Calla and campground owner Nick Blake at the Whangārei Top 10 Holiday Park. Photo / John Stone
From left, Gino Calla Moret, Ruth Moret, Maite Calla Moret, Jaime Calla and campground owner Nick Blake at the Whangārei Top 10 Holiday Park. Photo / John Stone
A last-minute venture or the trip if a lifetime – holidaymakers in Whangārei have chosen Northland for a range of reasons but one thing they have all in common; they love it here.
Anne and David Needham, a retired couple from England who decided to spend three months on theother side of the world, hand-picked Whangārei as a convenient spot to explore Northland's beauty.
"It's my fifth time in New Zealand, but I've mainly spent it in the South Island," David Needham said.
"Anne picked Northland where it's nice and warm. We're escaping the ice and snow back home in England."
With their rental campervan, the Needhams have booked into the Whangārei Top 10 Holiday Park in Kensington, and from there they have toured far and beyond across the region over the past month.
"We're enjoying the hospitality, warmth and friendliness of everyone here. The Top 10 park is a quiet and clean spot, and we feel we're part of the local culture and share some of the lore of the country."
Anne Needham added they were "absolutely happy" with the decision to come to Whangārei and that they met friendly people on "virtually every site" on the campground.
The pair said they enjoyed talking to their campground neighbour, who is a Northland farmer and truck driver, and even shared a lovely Christmas meal with the Holiday Park owner Nick Blake and his family.
Blake and his wife took over the business here three and a half years ago and coming from the South Island, he said they enjoyed the warm Northland weather.
"More people are now choosing Whangārei as a destination rather than just passing through. And there is so much more to do now everywhere," Blake said.
He has on average 200 people staying a night and said he noticed an uptake in pre-bookings as opposed to people turning up on the spot.
"We do pretty well all year round. Throughout the year, we have about 70 per cent domestic guests. In summer, it's 50 per cent internationals and then many Aucklanders."
He said the Holiday Park was catering towards families and while it was generally nice and quiet, they also offer kids' entertainment, including an app-based treasure hunt.
For the Auckland-based Calla/Moret family, who originally come from Argentina, Northland is a newly discovered treasure trove they just found on a whim.
"At first we thought my husband had no holidays so we hadn't planned anything," Ruth Moret, mother of two, said.
"We didn't have much time to book. Our friends in Matapouri recommended to come here, and it's so great. Every single beach is beautiful – Matapouri, Whale Bay, Tutukaka."
Partner Jaime Calla added that it was important for them to find a good spot for children to enjoy the holiday, too.
The family will only have four days before heading back to Auckland, but more trips to the beach are definitely on the schedule.
