Lake Ohia: Seasonal Lake and Kauri Forest History

Lake Ohia is shaped by seasonal change: the intermittent lake usually dries up in summer and fills with water in winter. Remains of a once-lush Kauri forest lie in the former lake bed. Lake Ohia thus brings together the lake’s seasonal changes and traces of an earlier forest landscape. These features give you a specific focus for planning your trip: when looking for holiday accommodation, you can consider whether you are most interested in the changing landscape or the history of the Kauri forest.

Landscapes in the wider Far North District

Another landscape attraction in the wider Far North District destination is the Te Paki Coastal Track. It offers views of the northern coast, regenerating bush, and large wind-sculpted sand dunes. Its coastal scenery differs from Lake Ohia’s seasonal lake landscape. You can walk the entire track or selected sections; there are four campsites along the route. This lets you choose between the full route and individual sections. For a specific trip, check the latest information, as operating conditions and closures may change.

Courthouses, stone buildings, and colonial history

Historic buildings in the wider Far North District offer different insights into architectural history. In Mangonui stands the former Mangonui Courthouse, a well-preserved late-19th-century courthouse built in 1892. It is an unusually intact example of a small courthouse of national significance. The Stone Store in Kerikeri was built from 1832 to 1836. It is New Zealand’s oldest intact stone building and also its oldest surviving warehouse. Pompallier in Russell was built in 1841–1842 and is among New Zealand’s earliest surviving French colonial buildings. Together, these examples showcase different building types and historical highlights.

Regional history at the Te Ahu Museum

The Te Ahu Museum at the Te Ahu Centre in Kaitāia presents the history of the Far North District. Topics include pre-European Māori artefacts, gold mining, Dalmatian heritage, Kauri gum and timber, early shipwrecks, and missionaries and pioneers. Films, interactive exhibits, virtual landscape tours, and informative displays appeal to visitors of all ages. The museum also has an extensive archive of documents, journals, newspapers, maps, and photographs; more than 500 records are available online. The offerings thus include both exhibition formats and materials on regional history.

Choose your travel focus

The destinations each highlight different interests: Lake Ohia is known for its seasonal lake and Kauri forest history, the Te Paki Coastal Track for coastal scenery and walking, and the places mentioned in the Far North District for historic buildings and regional collections. If you first decide which topics interest you, you can focus your search for holiday accommodation on the location you want to stay in.

Discover more destinations: Waipu, Ruakaka, Otaika, Awanui, Kaikohe, Cable Bay, Matapouri, Rawhiti

View the wider travel guide: Northland.