The view from the top of Driving Creek and Barry Brickell's railway.
KAIPARA
Heading west on State Highway 16, whether to avoid the traffic further east or just for a day trip, takes you past the gate of the Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens. The gardens display a range of more than 50 outdoor artworks, with a new selection on show since October this year, along a 1km loop that wends its way through native and exotic planting.
There's also an extra detour along Don's Conservation Track, which takes visitors through regenerating bush on the lower property. The artworks are for sale and there's also a family-friendly cafe and large plant centre on site.
On the northern side of the massive harbour, the Dargaville Arts Association showcases local creators at the Muddy Waters Gallery in Hokianga Rd. On the way to Dargaville it's also worth checking out the White Rock Gallery at Paparoa, displaying and selling art and craft works by more than 30 artists from the Kaipara district.
EAST COAST
Turning off the main road north of Wellsford, there is a cluster of galleries worth a look in Mangawhai. The Mangawhai Artists Collective has a gallery opposite the Bennetts of Mangawhai chocolate shop and cafe (another must-visit), featuring a range of artworks and sculptures by local artisans. Showcased over the holiday period are Form and Flow by Elena Nikolaeva, and This is my Rock, a collection of mixed-media works by Sarah C, who also has her own gallery of indoor and outdoor artworks at Mangawhai Heads.
Taking the back road (Cove Rd) north from here will get you to Waipu, where the Black Shed gallery and cafe sells a range of local artwork, ceramics, jewellery, glassware and sculptures. During the summer months the gallery is hosting an exhibition called Flightpath by printmaker Celia Walker, who lives in Devonport but is involved with a private conservation block on the slopes of the nearby Brynderwyns. Oh, and there are cronuts and Kokako coffee, too.
WHANGAREI
Whangarei's Reyburn House, on the shores of the Hatea River just downstream of the Town Basin, is the city's oldest house and is home to the Northland Society of Arts. As well as a permanent collection of more than 200 artworks by Northland artists, over the summer it has its annual members' exhibition, with works in a range of media.
Nearby is the Whangarei Art Museum Te Manawa Toi, the home of the city's art collection. Summer exhibitions include Lee Brogan's Elemental and a selection of paintings by Euan Macleod.
In the Town Basin itself is the studio and shop of glass artist Keith Grinter, who also offers glassblowing workshops. The glass studio is part of the Burning Issues Gallery, which features the work of more than 100 leading New Zealand glass, ceramic, sculpture and jewellery artists.
For a more hands-on experience, the Quarry Arts Centre off Western Hills Drive offers workshops in a range of disciplines over summer, as well as the chance to see a range of resident artist at work, and enjoy a snack in the cafe.
Heading north up the coast road, stop in at the Tutukaka Gallery by the marina, run by local artist Steve Moase. The gallery pops up every summer to showcase local artists and is open seven days over the holiday period.
A bit further north, and a bit harder to find - but well worth the effort - is The Gallery and Cafe at Helena Bay Hill (yes, that's it's name). To find it, head north from Whangarei on SH1, then on to the old Russell road north of Hikurangi. (This scenic back road to the Bay of Islands is worth a journey in itself.) The gallery and cafe, set in lush tropical gardens and with stunning views over the coast, is tucked away down a nondescript driveway, but on the day we visited it was packed with those in the know.
The gallery has a wide-ranging collection of art by established and emerging New Zealand artists, many of whom are Northland-based. There's also furniture and other woodwork pieces, art glass and jewellery, plus a super cafe and noisy frogs to spot in the pond.
KAIAUA COAST
Miranda Farm Gallery - between the Kaiaua Coast and Thames - has an exhibition of new work by Fatu Feu'u. Originally from Samoa, Feu'u became a full-time artist in the late 1980s, some 22 years after immigrating to New Zealand. He incorporates Polynesian art forms and colour to create (often) multimedia work that is bold, contemporary and distinctly Pacific. New Paintings by Fatu Feu'u is on until Sunday, January 7, followed by a summer group show of the gallery's artists, including Michael Smither, Warren Viscoe, Clovis Viscoe, Neil Miller, Keith Woodley, Samantha Lissette, James Wright and Christine Hellyar.
THAMES AND COROMANDEL
Resisting the temptation to head to Kaiaua Fisheries for fish 'n' chips, it's a 30-minute drive along State Highway 25 to Thames. Formed from two towns (Grahamstown and Shortland), Thames is the gateway to the Coromandel and one of the country's most historic goldmining centres.
There are plenty of chances to take in some of that history and dine at local cafes but if it's art you're after, make for the Thames Society of Arts housed in the Old North School on Tararu Rd. Residents are rightly proud of the society (founded in 1974) and gallery, which holds "from brush to chisel" eclectic exhibitions, mainly of members' work.
There's a summer exhibition on throughout January. Further up the Coromandel, The Waterworks features some 70 "installations" to admire, play and interact with.
All demonstrate the power of creativity given that they're made from recycled materials and powered by - you guessed it - water. This would probably necessitate a change into dry clothes - an overnight stay somewhere close by may well be called for - before continuing north up the peninsula to Driving Creek, founded by acclaimed New Zealand potter Barry Brickell.
In 1975, he started building a rail line to transport clay and wood to his kiln; now that railway is NZ's steepest and only narrow-gauge mountain railway and gets about 30,000 visitors a year. It's a one-hour and 2.7km trip from Base Station to EyeFull Tower through forest, past outdoor installations and pottery sculptures and through tunnels and across viaducts while you hear Brickell's story. The views demonstrate just why Coromandel has so many fine artists working in every medium - there is inspiration everywhere.
WHITIANGA AND EASTERN COROMANDEL
Back on SH25 to travel across the peninsula to Whitianga, attractions include the Lost Spring and Cathedral Cove. But if galleries are the main focus, start with Bread and Butter Gallery, where there's an ever-changing calendar of exhibitions as well as work by a range of New Zealand artists for sale. Like many communities on the Coromandel Peninsula, Whitianga is home to many fine artists, so it's worth finding out whose studios are open during summer and popping in.
Head south, via Hot Water Beach, and, two hours either side of low tide, it's a Kiwi "must-do" to dig your own spa pool in the sand and relax in your own natural spring. But the beach has another must-see attraction: Moko Artspace. The gallery opened about 15 years ago and it's grown to include New Zealand-made arts, crafts, gifts and kiwiana from about 150, many local, makers. Just looking at the website is enough to make you want to abandon whatever you're doing, drive to Hot Water Beach and go to Moko
Other places to visit include The Little Art Gallery, with branches in Tairua and Whangamata. Once again, the range of work on display and for sale is phenomenal; handily, the gallery offers a guide to how you might like to go about commissioning a bespoke artwork.
BAY OF PLENTY
If you visit Tauranga, go via Waihi's Artmarket for great ceramics. Tauranga Art Gallery, which opened a decade ago, is one of the more recent editions to New Zealand's network of first-rate regional galleries. Spending a few days kicking back in the Bay of Plenty would certainly involve checking out the exhibitions at the gallery especially Future Machine, inspired by Fritz Lang's film Metropolis.
WAIKATO
If you cut across the North Island to Hamilton, check out a fine work by John Pule Aesthete Gallery. But Waikato Museum and its neighbouring gallery shop, Artspost, are well worth seeing. Founded to nurture and promote Waikato artists, it includes three exhibition spaces.
If you're travelling to Raglan on Auckland Anniversary Weekend (January 27, 28 and 29), you're in for a very arty treat. Some 33 artists open their studios to visitors while venues such as the Raglan Old School Arts Centre, cafes and ceramic makers The Monster Studio are also packed full of art and information. Then again, the self-drive Clevedon Art Trail is on the same weekend - worth remembering if you want to check out some artists closer to home.