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New Zealand > Waikato
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Otorohanga
By Jessica Lloyd
With the self-imposed title of ‘Kiwiana Captial of New Zealand’ you have to
wonder what they have up their sleeves. With buzzy bees, gumboots and black
singlets, sheep, and good ol’ pavlova on every café shelf, this little town
is trying its best to make something of itself. One would hope they included
jandals and socks in that lot. Otorohanga is the home of Kiwi House, our
largest and best Kiwi enclosure. Waitomo Caves are close by, and Otorohanga
is normally a popular and competing destination (with Te Kuiti) for resting
weary muscles after a hard days adventuring in the caves. If you have to
choose, Otorohanga is probably a more interesting option.
Things to do in Otorohanga
The Kiwiana Festival is on in March every year, and has music,
entertainment, games, animals, arts and crafts and a lot else Kiwi. Mostly
you just walk around and look at stuff and learn about New Zealand, from
things like the origins of our national flag to Edmunds baking powder. Kiwi
Iconsville – Otorohanga. They have made the mundane seem interesting…sort
of. If learning about sheep and singlets doesn’t appeal, Kiwi House is still
worth looking at, to see what our national bird actually looks like in the
flesh – because if you are like most other New Zealanders, the nearest you
have ever been to a kiwi is here, in Otorohanga.
Getting There
Rail - Bus - Self Drive - Tour
Twenty minutes drive south of Hamilton, three
hours north from New Plymouth, and an
hour and a quarter from Taumaranui.
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