ABOUT BUTTERFLY BAY
Getting to Butterfly Bay
Air New Zealand operate 4 flights daily from Auckland to Kerikeri during the week and three times a day at weekends.
This is a 45 minute flight.
Butterfly Bay is approximately a 35 minute drive from Kerikeri airport.
Budget and Avis car rentals are available from Kerikeri airport. Prior reservations are necessary.
Driving to Butterfly Bay from Kerikeri airport
From Kerikeri airport drive 32.5 kms north on State Highway 10, until reaching the one way bridge past Kaeo township.
At the bridge take the road to Whangaroa for 4 kms until reaching a junction. Turn right and follow this road for 7.3 kms to the Tauranga Bay turnoff on the left hand side.
Approx. 2.7 kms on the left is the entrance to Butterfly Bay.
LOCAL COLOUR
Whangaroa - The land of legends
Whangaroa Harbour, 'Marlin capital of New Zealand', enjoying a rich bounty from the sea, a land of towering rocky bluffs, steeped in history, and a land of legends....
One legend tells of two Gods, Taratara and Maungataniwha. Taratara, who was tall and handsome, possessed great treasures, of these his two wives Okaha-hiria and Turou were his favorites.
Maungataniwha was a jealous God and very envious of Taratara's two wives, he decided that he would ask for one of them, but his request was refused and he was laughed at by Taratara. Maungataniwha asked again some months later, but was again refused and went away bitterly disappointed threatening violence and disfigurement to Taratara.
Maungataniwha decided to ask Taratara one last time for one of his wives. Once again Taratara said "no!" Maungataniwha became so enraged that he lashed out at Taratara with such force that his head was struck from his shoulders and flew across the Whangaroa Harbour and landed in it's present position, Ohakiri (St Paul's Rock). Pieces of Taratara were littered all over the valley of Pupuke and Otangaroa.
Maungamiemie became so upset at the sight of her warring neighbours that she wept and her tears can be seen today in the streams that flow into the waters of Whangaroa Harbour.
