6 wonderful outdoor adventures around Matamata - summer 2021

If you’re visiting Matamata this summer, chances are that Hobbiton is already firmly on your list. Instead of telling you what you already know, here are the six best non-Hobbit adventures around Matamata!

Included in our list are some excellent hiking tracks, what to do during a trip to idyllic Cambridge, and day trips to Firth Tower and the Opal Hot Pools.

For those staying in a motorhome or tenting, there are a few options around Matamata, including tent options at Opal Hot Springs Holiday Park, which is a twenty five-minute drive from Hobbiton and six minutes from Matamata. You can also stay in your motorhome or tent at a range of private properties and farmlets.

Hiking tracks

Matamata is a great base if you love hiking. Here are three excellent day walks within twenty five minutes’ drive of Matamata…

Wairere Falls

Who doesn’t love a lush hike to a waterfall? The Wairere Falls track takes three to four hours, and brings you to the highest waterfall in the North Island (you can also walk for an additional thirty minutes to reach a different viewpoint). At 153m, the falls are truly spectacular. Wairere Falls is just fifteen minutes from Matamata, with the entrance to the track off Goodwin Road.

Te Panui Scenic Reserve loop

The Te Panui Scenic Reserve is a three to four hour loop track that climbs to the top of the Maungakawa summit. At the top there’s a lookout tower with gorgeous views of the Firth of Thames and the surrounding countryside, and the track takes you through native forest. To get there, drive to Piakonui Road - it’s about twenty five minutes from Matamata.

Rapurapu Kauri Track

This one and a half hour hike along the Kaimai Range has it all - multiple stream crossings, exotic forest, native bush, and the southernmost kauri trees in New Zealand. At twelve minutes’ drive from Matamata just off State Highway 29, the Rapurapu Kauri Track is an easy walk to say ‘yes’ to.

Firth Tower

Matamata’s Firth Tower is a museum complex and heritage centre that spans thirteen buildings. The tower itself was built by as a lookout by Josiah Clifton Firth in 1882, and the surrounding stables, sheds, cottages and other heritage buildings (the church, post office, school and jail) give you a glimpse into Matamata life during the 1880s to early 1900s.

As well as the museum buildings, the grounds and gardens around Firth Tower are a lovely place for a stroll and picnic. Self-contained motorhomes can also stay at Firth Tower overnight.

Opal Hot Springs

If you want to really relax for a few hours, you couldn’t do much better than a visit to Opal Hot Springs. There are five heated pools, including a twenty-five metre lap pool, two outdoor mineral pools, and a private indoor spa pool fed by fresh, thermally heated mineral water.

Outside by the river and surrounded by natives plants is the private Ramaroa Pool, which you can book for up to thirty people. As it’s open until 9pm, an evening soak while stargazing is on the cards…

You can also stay overnight at the Opal Hot Springs - there are motel, cabin, and camping options available.

Cambridge

Just thirty minutes’ drive from Matamata is the lovely town of Cambridge, famous for its English charm, excellent cafes, galleries and boutiques, and self-proclaimed status as ‘Cycling Central’. There’s plenty to do, including blueberry picking at Monavale Blueberries during December and January, the Cambridge Farmers’ Market on Saturday mornings, and visiting the local shops and art galleries.

For a more active adventure, check out the cycling options - for beginners there’s Kaipaki Mystery Creek, a 34km trail, or the expert Hobbiton Movie Set trail at 95km. There are plenty of bike rental shops around Cambridge, which also provide trail maps and can give you tips on which tracks to pick. The Mount Maungatautari bird sanctuary is also certainly worth a visit, with walking trails through the ancient forests and tours of a takahe and tuatara enclosure available.

If that sounds like too many great experiences to fit into a single day trip, you can book private motorhome accommodation in Cambridge and make it a multi-day adventure!

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