NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Travel

Thames: Small town charms

By Libby Nicholson-Moon
NZ Herald·
9 Apr, 2011 05:30 PM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Cherie McGregor, owner of Coco Espresso, Thames. Photo / Bruce Nicholson

Cherie McGregor, owner of Coco Espresso, Thames. Photo / Bruce Nicholson

With so much to see and do in Thames Libby Nicholson-Moon vows to return soon to take it all in.

With the unpredictable autumn weather in full swing, my husband and I decided to plan a mostly indoor-orientated Saturday sojourn to historic Thames.

It was bucketing down in Auckland as we headed east, but a little over an hour and a half later, as we arrived at our destination,
the sun broke through the clouds, and shone brilliantly across the Firth of Thames.

We headed down Pollen St to the Grahamstown markets. These markets are held every Saturday from 8am till 12pm, and the main street is lined with stalls offering local produce, including home baking, crafts, plants, bread, seafood, olive oil, and various other artisan products and curios.

The mood is great, with locals and visitors mingling and enjoying the hospitality and small town charm. There are also stallholders from further afield, who have taken the opportunity to integrate into the small town atmosphere.

After ambling though the markets, sampling baklava, hummus, olive oil, organic apple juice, and cheese, chatting with the locals, and generally rummaging around, we decided it was time for coffee. Funnily enough, we bump into our neighbours who are also daytripping and we all head to Coco Espresso. Local artists exhibit here, the supreme coffee blend is superb, and the food, fresh and delicious.

Locals Cherie and Tony McGregor opened Coco's three years ago, and their warmth and friendliness is genuinely welcoming. In fact everyone we meet is friendly, helpful, and passionate about Thames and what it has to offer.

Coffee and sustenance done and dusted, we decide to check out the shops and first up is Bounty. This contemporary design store and gallery, which is housed in a 114-year-old building, is owned by Coromandel born and bred Fiona Cameron and her partner Steven Shakespeare. They opened the store two-and-a-half years ago to showcase local and NZ artists. The shop displays a vast selection of this artwork, including photography, jewellery, weaving, textiles, glass, and sculpture.

The lovely Rosalind Spratt, who works at Bounty, briefs us on what else we should check out while in Thames and first off we head two doors down to Antiques in Thames. This 30-year-old business is owned and operated by John Callaway, who imports most of his collection from Europe. When asked if he was a local, John laughs and reckons after 30 years, he might just about qualify.

Time is moving on, with many shops closing at noon or 1pm. So we visit The Little Book Store, the Organic Co-op, and Pete's Collectables Ltd, where among various 1950s-1970s knick-knacks, is a great selection of the iconic Crown Lynn dinnerware.

The photographer is feeling peckish, so we stop in at the long-established Sola vegetarian cafe to replenish ourselves with their yummy wholesome food, before heading off to the Thames School of Mines and Mineral Museum.

The school was inaugurated in 1885 for the study of mining and extraction techniques, although one of the buildings dates back to the 1860s. This is a must-do, and absolutely fascinating. We don't have time to visit The Museum of Technology this time, but we will most certainly be back to check it out.

The weather is closing in, so we race the rain clouds, and visit the War Memorial overlooking the township to pay our respects, and take in the view, then head five minutes up the road, to Tararu Bay, to New Zealand's first and only indoor tropical Butterfly and Orchid Garden.

This garden is full of stunning orchids, waterlillies and other exotic flowers, birds, and beautiful moths and butterflies. Apparently it's good luck if a butterfly lands on you, but no such luck for us today.

The afternoon has slipped away, and we decide on an early dinner back in Thames Township, at The Junction Hotel. Built in 1869 this recently renovated hotel offers affordable accommodation, great food and warm hospitality. My oven baked tarakihi with a herb and cashew nut crust, served on a creamy prawn and pea risotto, and complemented by a delicious sauvignon blanc, was the perfect end to a great day.

As we speed away into the sunset, we both agree we'd like to come back soon, as there is so much this charming town has to offer.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Things to do:

Grahamstown Markets: Pollen St, every Saturday, 8am-12pm.

Bounty: 644 Pollen St, Monday-Saturday, 9am-4pm, ph (07) 868 8988, email: info@bountystore.co.nz.

Antiques in Thames: 638 Pollen St, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, Saturday, 9am-1pm, ph (07) 868 7541, email: sales@antiquesinthames.co.nz.

Pete's Collectables: 756 Pollen St, Saturday, 8am-1pm, Monday- Friday, 9am-4.30pm, ph (07) 868 3066.

The Little Book Store: 720 Pollen St, Saturday 9am-1pm, Wed-Fri 1pm-4pm, (07) 868 7024.

The School of Mines and Mineral Museum: 101 Cochrane St, Wednesday-Sunday, 11am-3pm, adults $5, children $2, ph (07) 868 6227.

Butterfly and Orchid Garden: Within Dickson Holiday Park, Victoria St, Tararu Bay, open 7 days, ph (07) 868 8080.

Where to eat:

Coco Espresso: 661 Pollen St, Saturday 8am- 12pm, Monday 8am-12pm, Tuesday-Friday 8am-3pm, ph (07) 868 8616.

The Organic Co-op: 736 Pollen Street, Saturday, 9am-12pm, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, ph (07) 868 8797.

Sola Cafe & Restaurant: 720 Pollen St, Monday-Sunday, 8.30am-4pm, ph (07) 868 8781.

The Junction Hotel: 700 Pollen St, ph (07) 868 6008.

Discover more

Travel

Coromandel: Like taking a step back in time

15 Aug 05:30 PM
Travel

Coromandel: A trail of fun

04 Feb 04:30 PM
Travel

Coromandel: An affair of the art

19 Feb 04:30 PM
Lifestyle

My Auckland: Miranda

23 Apr 05:30 PM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from Travel

Premium
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake


Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

Premium
Premium
Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'
Travel

Kiwi self-made millionaire Simran Kaur on dreams and 'failing upwards'

What does it take to achieve a dream? The Air NZ Dream Seats ambassador explains.

17 Jul 02:00 AM
The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday
Travel

The top five treats to taste on your Disneyland holiday

16 Jul 03:29 AM
Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake
Travel

Why spending a night at the Rydges Gold Coast is a big mistake

16 Jul 12:53 AM


Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
Sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

25 May 12:00 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP