New Zealand's 'hidden' skifield

New Zealand's 'hidden' skifield

New Zealand's largest downhill skiable area is nowhere near Queenstown. It isn't even on the South Island. It's on the North Island. And most Australians don't seem to know it's there.

Turoa skifield on Mt Ruapehu

Mt Ruapehu on New Zealand's North Island

In the middle of New Zealand's North Island, in a national park called Tongariro, is the awesome spectacle of Mt Ruapehu, an occasionally active volcano that is the highest point in the North Island, reaching nearly 2800m above sea level. Ski areas are found on three sides of the same mountain. Whakapapa (pronounced with an "f" for the "wh") is the largest ski field in all of New Zealand and found on the north side of the mountain. Turoa, which holds a superb skiable area, is on the southern side. A little club area called Tukino is on the eastern side.

According to a ski-hire bloke in the village of National Park, the only reason Queenstown, on the South Island gets nearly all the Aussie skiers is because of marketing. And after I saw what was on offer earlier this season, I've realised he might be right. This is a superb mountain, and all the better for the fact that fewer people know of it.

Getting there

Tongariro National Park is a couple of hours drive from Rotorua (with direct flights now from Sydney). It takes four hours from either Wellington or Auckland, and there are plenty of flights in there.

Where to stay

Although my experience on this trip wasn't wide, I do have a brilliant recommendation: Parkview Apartments in the little, quiet village of National Park. These modern, cosy 2-bedroom apartments have a warming gas fire and huge windows overlooking the snowy peaks. There are only two in the complex, so they are quiet (and can link if you have a larger group), and only about 20 minutes' drive from Whakapapa and less than an hour from Turoa, giving you a great option every morning. It also wasn't hugely expensive, costing about $NZ125 a night for the four of us. 

Parkview Apartments

Other choices: 

Whakapapa Village has a variety of accommodation, but you can't walk to the chairlifts: it's still a drive up the mountain. The range is great though, from the Whakapapa Holiday Village to the absolutely divinely placed, historic Chateau Tongariro. (Hint: even if you're not staying in the Chateau, it's worth splurging on a high tea inside it, looking out through huge windows past the golf course to the distinctive volcano that most of us now know as Mt Doom.) 

Ohakune is much closer to Turoa, but still at the base of the mountain. It is more of a vibrant, skiers' party town than the sleepy National Park village.

Whakapapa

Happy Valley at Whakapapa

With the better reputation as a ski resort, Whakapapa promises a lot, but it didn't live up to its reputation early in the 2013 season. Staff were incompetent, surly and disorganised. Prices weren't up anywhere and it seemed to take ages to get gear sorted, even though the crowds were thin at best. Hopefully that improves during the season. The beginners area of Happy Valley is a great place to learn - wide enough and gentle enough to ski and snowboard safely around all the other learners. 

Glimpses of Mt Doom (Mt Ngaurahoe) from the chairlifts

Higher up the mountain, chairs give views over Mt Ngauruhoe (Mt Doom) and there are runs to suit every level of skier, up to double black diamonds. Teachers, as everywhere, can be a lottery, but generally are friendly, helpful and professional.

Turoa   

Halfway up the Turoa skifield

This was not only a beautiful-looking area in which to ski, but the staff were friendly, efficient and keen to see us make the most of the day. Because Turoa is on the southern slopes of Mt Ruapehu, it is colder and the snow is usually better than Whakapapa. (You can easily compare snow cover here.) The beginners area isn't great, being much smaller than Happy Valley, but for intermediate skiers it seems much, much better. Both Whakapapa and Turoa have 8 lifts, and the two right near the start of the resort quickly distribute skiers up the mountain. 

Turoa chairlift

Overall assessment

I have skied in several different countries, including many of the Australian resorts, and have skied and snowboarded in the resorts around Queenstown, New Zealand. 

I think North Island New Zealand should definitely be on any Aussie skier's list. It is relatively close and accessible, and relatively inexpensive. The skiing is excellent (even early in the season there were testing runs open at Turoa) and varied. And most of all, it is such a stunning environment that even if you are just there to have a few runs and then enjoy the views from the cafes, you will still love it. 

www.kensbigbackyard.com.au

Sydney's hidden nudist colony

Sydney's hidden nudist colony

A revealing look at the Kiata Country Club

On the north-west outskirts of Sydney in the unlikely bushy suburb of Maroota, down a potholed dirt road, a humble, locked fence stands across a road. Signs discourage prying from any passers by who happened to stumble down this quiet road.

This zebra is nude

Inside is a 65-acre adult playground, where nudists, naturists, skinny dippers and exhibitionists can roam freely, wearing as much or as little as they desire. It's called the Kiata Country Club and there they play tennis, swim in the pool or in the creek, sit in one of the two spas, bushwalk, cook, sunbake and take part in a variety of special social events.
That was why I was here: my band, Birdyard Big Band, had been invited to play for the club's monthly social, a princes and princesses ball. As one of the Kiata community told me:

"as nudists, it's a bit of a novelty dressing up, so we really like these opportunities".

Now, those who have bought or read my book Top Walks in NSW know that I'm not averse to a bit of skinny-dipping now and again. I quite like the feeling, actually, of being care-free and kit-free, on a remote beach somewhere. And thankfully I've never really struggled with body-image issues. But thinking of doing karaoke nude in front of a whole bunch of others? Hmmm. Talk about "stage fright". Let alone dancing in a crowd. Or tennis? "Keep your eye on the ball" takes on a whole new meaning. 
It was mid-July, and it was freezing, so us band members uninitiated into the ways of the Aussie nude community, asked the same questions that a lot of nudists get asked in the winter - do they really get around nude all day and night? But as one Kiata member laughed to me: "We're nudists. We're not insane". During the cold days (it was only about 13 degrees during the day), the community may or may not be wearing clothes. In summer, it's evidently a bit different.
When our band leader had set up the gig, he was met at the gate by a woman in a sarong, and a man wearing a hat. Yes, just a hat. Which really suited the song You can leave your hat on (which we did do later in the night, leading our singer to comment that it is the first time for this band that the lyrics have actually been acted out in front of us).
When we arrived, on that cold winter's night, the friendly crowd had a roaring log fire going in the corner, and a caterer had been hard at work setting up a roast dinner. Most of the crowd was very smartly dressed indeed, the one exception perhaps being one fairly attractive woman wearing a very short white tutu and nothing else.
Not surprisingly, the toilets are unisex, which is quite novel, but not unlike some of the Sydney nightclubs I've been to where gender doesn't seem to matter either.
The mix of people at Kiata is actually a slightly younger crowd than I expected. Yes, the bulk of the nudists appear to be older, but there seemed to be quite a few in their 40s, and a handful or so who were younger.
Some people buy into the community at Kiata, keeping their own caravan site and living on site. Others might just pop in for a week, a weekend, or rent one of the spaces for shorter periods. "A lot of grey nomads are nudists," one member told me. "They travel around Australia going from nudist camp to nudist camp." Evidently there are about 30 in all around Australia.
In the late 1960s, there was another nudist colony in the Sydney area, run by an officious German woman who had "a lot of rules", one long-term resident told me.

"No smoking, no drinking, no holding hands..". 

A group got jack of all the rules and set up Kiata in the 1970s, and it has been there ever since.
I have to say that having performed in a variety of bands for more than 25 years, the crowd was one of the most enthusiastic and friendly I have ever performed to. As soon as we started playing, we had dancers filling the small dance space, squished between the fireplace and the band, jiggling and joggling around us. It didn't matter if we played swing, Latin, rock or classics like Nutbush (yes, intentional pun), the floor was full of swinging dancers. Well, some bits of them were swinging more than others.
Throughout the night, more and more clothes came off, but not always what you expected. One bloke had a full dinner shirt and jacket on, but nothing on his lower half at all. Another just had his shirt off. Some remained clothed, others were starkers from early on in the evening. Women, men, all ages, all dancing together, and having a great time.
They were slightly more sexually mischievous than I imagined, and by the end were encouraging the band to strip. We obliged by taking off our suit jackets.
After three encores, and the clock passing midnight, some of the lovely friendly faces on the way to the spa invited us back for New Years. "It's a great night," they said. "A lot more nudity though."
Could be fun.

Photography is banned at Kiata expect by official photographers. BE WARNED: if you click on the Kiata website it does have images that may offend some people. 

 www.kensbigbackyard.com.au

Wonderful Winter Walks

Wonderful winter walks

Winter hiking, North Island New Zealand 2013.

I was recently asked by a Sydney radio station to name 10 great winter bush walks. This is the list I came up with, many of which are featured in my book Top Walks in NSW.

1 1. The one closest to you

No, this is not an excuse for being vague. The fact is that like many reptiles, mammals and amphibians, many Homo sapiens tend to hibernate in winter, reducing exercise and interaction with the Great Outdoors. But it’s one of the best times to be out and about. The cooler air is refreshing in which to exercise and there are usually less people about. Rather than thinking that we need to “go away” somewhere to bushwalk, it’s great to remember that a bushwalk is probably almost on your doorstep (if you live in Sydney). Plus, if you walk in the same area over a year, you’ll see the seasons come and go, and begin tapping into the close connection with “country” ­– the natural world that sustains us – that so many of us have lost. The little patch of bushland near me isn’t spectacular by any means, but over the seasons I see the flowers come and go (currently wattles, spider flowers and peas) and myriad wildlife, including eastern rosellas, turtles, eels, ducks, owls, tawny frogmouths and herons. 

2. Spit to Manly walk

Sydney Harbour is such a delight to walk around at any time of year, and this classic track along part of its shoreline includes Aboriginal carvings, hanging swamps, rainforest pockets and stunning views. It’s a ripper outing on a sunny winter’s day.

3. Blue Gum Forest, via Perry’s Lookdown

Blue Gum Forest

The hallowed Blue Gum Forest, site of one of Australia’s first conservation campaigns, is a joy to behold at any time of year, but the walk in and out is a real heart-thumper, with hundreds of steep stairs. This walk is a great way to get the blood moving and burn a few of those winter calories (although stopping for cappuccinos and hot chips at Blackheath on the way back will put them back on again).

4. Mt Solitary, via Ruined Castle

View from Mt Solitary, on a clear winter's day

Best done as an overnight walk, this exciting adventure takes you up the steep Mt Solitary, the mountain jutting up out of the Jamison Valley in the Blue Mountains, to camp in one of the caves near the summit. There are extraordinary views for much of the walk. It could be done as a long day walk, but after spending the effort getting up there, it’s nice to stay a while and watch the sun set. Water can be scant on the summit, and it can even snow at times, so be prepared.

5. National Pass, Blue Mountains

When people ask me “what walk do you recommend for international tourists,” I nearly always recommend this century-old classic. Plunging cliffs, waterfalls tumbling off the escarpment, rainforest, rare animals and a well maintained track all help to make this 6km round trip well worth it at any time of year. On cold and misty winter mornings you may initially miss some of the sensational views, but usually before you’ve finished the walk, the weather will clear enough to realise the track sometimes teeters over the edge of the towering cliffs.

6. Uloola Falls Circuit

I start the review in my book about this walk with: “Why sit indoors on a rainy Sydney day, when this cracker of a wild walk is awaiting you on the southern outskirts. If the rain is heavy or constant, you’ll be wading across gushing creeks and seeing Uloola Falls at its best… best of all you can even grab a decent coffee, or a full sit-down meal, half way through the walk at the Weir Café at Audley.” That says it all really, apart from the fact that this 15km trek is in Royal National Park, the second-oldest national park in the world.

7. Old Great North Road and Finches Line

As well as the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area on Sydney’s doorstep, we have the fascinating World Heritage-listed convict sites near Wiseman’s Ferry to explore. This 11km circuit takes you on an exploration of the well-maintained sites, and offers glorious views over the Hawkesbury River.

8.     The Castle, Budawang Wilderness Area

The view from The Castle

Increasingly, as I reflect on all the walks I have done throughout NSW, this remains a highlight. It was the toughest walk in the guidebook, and not for the faint-hearted, with scary fixed ropes to scale the ramparts of The Castle near the summit, but it is such a great day out that it will keep making nearly every “best of” list that I compile.

9.  Pigeon House Mountain (Didthul)

Far less of a commitment than The Castle, but in the same area and with similar views, this 6km return walk has a steepish start, and finishes with a series of stairs and ladders to get you up to the summit. On a clear winter’s day, the view is almost unbeatable.

10. Light to Light Walk, Ben Boyd National Park

Pretty coastline on the Light to Light walk

My final choice is about as far down the NSW coast as you can get, in Ben Boyd National Park. It’s one of the most stunning sections of coastline I’ve seen in the state, with myriad colours in the rocks, beaches and water, prolific wildlife, and some great campsites (where you can have a fire) along the way. Plus, there’s a chance to stay in a Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage at the end. It’s 32km one-way, but relatively flat and easy walking.

Feel free to let me know your favourite winter walks. Get out there and get into it: I’ll see you on the track.

www.kensbigbackyard.com.au