My activity-request to celebrate my 25th birthday was to travel to Taranaki to visit Dawson’s Falls. From Whanganui it was the perfect day trip, with views the entire way of the beautiful Maunga (mountain) Taranaki (or Mt, Egmont, depending on which name you prefer), Mt Ruapehu and even the tip of the South Island as you drive along the coast. On the way there we stopped at Hawera for Gelato (top tip: marry the guy who orders your gelato with a sprinkle cone), recommended by good friends, and on the way back we went to Windermere Berry Farm, just north of Whanganui and a must-do if you are in the area during berry-season!
Dawson’s Falls, or Te Rere o Noke, is located at the base of Mt Taranaki. They are nearby the “Dawson’s Falls Visitor Center” (the most southern of Mt Taranaki’s two visitor centers) and there are walk options for all levels of fitness! You can chose to do the 1 hour loop from the visitors center, or a ten minute walk from the road. There are also other walk options, like to Wilkies Pools (which we ouldnt do as the track was closed, boo!) or and to an old Powerhouse. We were a bit short on time so only did a quick trip to the falls, but promised each other we would return some day soon for more exploring!
Also at the visitors center is “Dawson’s Falls Lodge” which would be an amazing place to stay (maybe for birthday 26??). They served great coffee and toastie sandwiches, at regular cafe prices, and had an incredible and distinctive “middle-earth” vibe going on.
To get to Dawson’s Falls, travel to Manaia, a small town 30 mins West of Hawera (and if you travel through Hawera, make sure to stop of at Gelato Cafe!). Then drive inland on Manaia Road (towards the hard to miss mountain, you all know the one). This road will lead you directly to Dawson’s Falls. When you get close the road goes through the forest, splinting in places around protected native New Zealand trees, which in itself was well worth the drive.
Now, here’s a history lesson for you. Both the Maori (Te Rere o Noke) and English (Dawson’s Falls) namesakes are in honor of locals.
The name “Dawson’s Falls” (as the waterfall is most commonly known as) refers to Thomas Dawson, a postmaster, who “discovered” the falls in 1883 after he settled in the area. The falls soon became a popular tourist attraction, and there are photos lying around which show groups of people posing in front of the falls as early as 1910. (I guess some things never change!)
The name “Te Rere o Noke” literally translates from Te Reo Maori to “the falls of Noke.” Noke (which translates to earthworm) is said to have been a fugitive who had a large crowd of people chasing and intent on killing him. He hid behind the falls and the crowd ran past him, allowing him to safely escape.
The falls are also sometimes referred to as “Te Rere o Kapuni” (the falls of Kapuni) however I have heard that this is a misconception and only a select few people know the true location of Te Rere o Kapuni. Te Rere o Kapuni is a sacred waterfall, especially to the Ratana Church, and is believed to be the location where the prophet Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana (the founder of the Ratana religion) received his healing powers.
No matter what you want to call these falls, its beauty is undeniable and remarkable. My favorite thing about these falls is that they appear to be constantly changing, like a living being. If you google image “Dawson’s Falls” you’ll find photos of a “dual waterfall” with two steams of water falling either side of a large rock. This large rock came tumbling down in 2006, and since then the falls become one large body of water. More interesting than that, is that where the water falls from, and where it falls to, has also changed over time. But I’ll leave that for you to look in to. =D
The track itself is an easy-yet steep set of stairs (which i did in jandals) as well as short walk to a viewing platform. There is space at the bottom of the falls for a picnic, a picturesque photo shot, and even some swimming if you’re feeling brave enough to bare the cold mountain water!
To finish, here’s a picture of a giant strawberry from Windermere (we also got some strawberry wine which we are super excited about)
Let us know what you get up to in the Dawson’s Falls / Mt Taranaki area!
We will definitely be heading back there some time for more exploring, so keep an eye out for future posts!
Happy adventuring
Moo-Chelle
