Whenever I visit New Zealand, that most friendly and mild-mannered of countries, I’m reminded that Australia’s way of doing things is far from universal.This was borne in upon me while Davey and I unwisely tried to fit a visit to the Coromandel Peninsula into a single day.
We had foolishly assumed that two hours would suffice to reach the Coromandel Peninsula, that we would then do a spot of leisurely sight-seeing, and that afterwards we’d drive back to Auckland in our hire car by 6pm. As it turned out, we made it back to our hotel by 11pm, drained by our efforts, thrilled by the beautiful landscapes that we had witnessed in regrettably fast motion, and fascinated by the endearing foibles of our Kiwi neighbours.
One aspect of New Zealand that continually strikes me is the laid-back approach to safety concerns that prevails here. Australian authorities seem to be far more anxious, not to say finicky, in this regard. In many Australian national parks, for instance, walks are carefully graded for difficulty, you are reminded of how many people have died in the vicinity, and you may be refused entrance if even a potential future danger looms.
The Kiwi style is far more nonchalant. The authorities here warn you lightly of the dangers, but then let you go ahead and endanger yourself if you feel like it. So it was that, after a long and challenging walk to Cathedral Cove that required more fitness and flexibility than I had anticipated, we noticed a sign: “No stopping in the archway. Rocks fall from the ceiling.” The message was that walking through the archway was fine, but you shouldn’t linger unduly.
The landscape feature in question was a stunning natural stone vault of surpassing beauty; despite the warning, everyone walked through the arch with the utmost unconcern and without haste. In fact, the area was teeming with happy swimmers, people with spades, mothers carrying their babies, and a family carrying three dogs. It all seemed well worth the possible risks, but nevertheless, I could imagine that the Australian authorities would have fenced it off to protect people from their death-defying happiness.
David did all the driving through landscapes that were rather like the mountain stages of the Tour de France: hairpin bends, steep cliffs, wide valleys and sweeping panoramas over rolling hills. The area was formed through volcanic activity (which I could of course assert for the whole country); you get the feeling that the grassy knolls were once ancient volcanic bubbles, now clothed with velvety grass.
At one point there was a sign on one of the cliff faces: “Caution: Falling debris for the next 7 kilometres” —yet another example of the insouciance of the authorities.
I also find the one-lane bridges strangely appealing, because they point to a similar way of thinking: people can be trusted to act sensibly, take turns, give way, and be considerate to others. There were dozens of these little one-lane bridges along our route. Sometimes you have to give way; sometimes the signs give you right of way. You would think that this could be a recipe for disaster, but it works — and imagine the money that it has saved. It’s a model lesson for living in a society, for people have to slow down and let others go first.
All in all, we discovered the startling beauty and variety of the Coromandel Peninsula in record time, adding it half unconsciously to all the other impossibly beautiful places that we have seen on these islands. More sensible travellers would devote at least three days to this region. No one should let themselves be put off by those gentle warnings of debris falling on their cars or rocks dropping on their heads. The wild and carefree beauty justifies the risks.
Roslyn 🖤🤍
Links
- Coromandel Peninsula
- YouTube Video from Auckland Museum: This video reveals the volcanic origins of New Zealand, including the Coromandel. You can watch 26 million years unfold in 2.5 minutes.
- Cathedral Cove
- One-Lane Bridges
- Hot Water Beach
