GNZTR - Great New Zealand Touring Route

A Category One Heritage NZ Site and one of the top 100 historic sites to visit in the country, Tolaga Bay Wharf is believed to be the longest wharf of its type in the Southern Hemisphere, standing where Captain Cook sailed to meet the Te Aitanga a Hauiti tribe when the Endeavour first reached New Zealand.

Today the wharf is world-famous and reaches out into the blue Pacific for 660 metres, itself dwarfed by the massive cliffs of the nearby headland. It’s a rite of passage to walk the length of this historic pier. Camping ground at the wharf site and a safe, sandy beach for swimming, surfing and walking, and is an excellent place to catch a fish.

Stand at the edge of the earth at the East Cape Lighthouse, a highlight of the State Highway 35 pilgrimage, as the most easterly point in New Zealand. The lighthouse was originally constructed in 1900 on nearby East Island but in 1922 the was relocated to the main land. It was manned by three lighthouse keepers, then became fully automated in 1985, and is now controlled from Maritime New Zealand headquarters in Wellington.
Accessed by 800 odd 'easy' steps it's a steep climb but really worth it once you get to the top for the spectacular views, and is stunning place to see the first light of the new day.

Eastwoodhill is an arboretum of national and international importance. It holds the most comprehensive collection of woody plants in New Zealand and the largest collection of Northern Hemisphere trees south of the equator, including 170 species currently on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (I.U.C.N.) world endangered list.
The arboretum displays over 4000 different taxa of trees, shrubs and climbers, gathered by the late Douglas Cook, the founder, and since augmented by the Eastwoodhill Trust Board.
Located 35 kilometres from Tairāwhiti Gisborne this unique forest and garden is set among 135 hectares of hills, valleys and ponds with a network of easy walking tracks.

Rere Falls is where the Wharekopae River transforms from a slow moving body of water to an incredible cascade more than 20 metres wide and 10 metres tall. Located 45 minutes from Tairāwhiti Gisborne, the falls is a perfect swimming and picnic spot or just sit and experience the natural beauty of this place.

Down the road natural forces have conspired to create an epic and truly unique experience in the Tairāwhiti Gisborne countryside at Rere that attracts thousands of local and visiting thrill-seekers each summer. The Rere Rock Slide is 60 metres of sheer exhilaration as the waters of the Wharekopae River race down a giant slab of moss-covered sandstone into a naturally-formed freshwater pool.

Tairāwhiti Gisborne has some of the most consistent surf in New Zealand. A strong swell passes our coast, moving from south-west to north-east, and there’s a steady sea breeze, creating many different types of breaks for new and expert surfers.

Popular surf breaks include Roberts Road/Waikanae, Gizzy Pipe/Midway, Sponge Bay,The Island, Wainui Beach, Pines/Okitu, and Makorori Beach.