Gisbourne

October 11, 2026 10:13pm

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Arrived at Gisborne today. This is a brief stopping point around the east cost: I’ll only be spending the night here. I hear Gisborne is known for its wine, and I gather visiting vineyards or going to wine tasting are what people generally do when they visit. That’s not really my scene (more of a beer drinker myself). And, honestly, the reason I was attracted to Gisborne is because I know a town outside of Melbourne that shares the name, and I wanted to checkout its namesake (there’s also a Taradale outside of Napier which shares the name to a town in regional Victoria. Back home, you pass both Gisborne and Taradale on your way to Castlemaine, which is why I’m familiar with them).

But to get there, I had to drive. And what a drive: I knew I would be in for a treat when I saw that “Last Petrol 130 km” sign. Up mountains, down valleys, through pine forests, cresting ridges with nothing below you other than mountain peaks, and the ocean in the distance. It was a spectacular drive, one that New Zealand is truly famous for. It’s just a shame that I didn’t get much of an opportunity to take photos. I didn’t stop, and throughout the journey, there really wasn’t anywhere I could stop. I did get a couple, which are below:

Auto-generated description: A road passes under a tall railway bridge with graffiti, while a red traffic light signals to stop, and a sign below reads STOP ON RED.

Auto-generated description: A scenic view of rolling green hills and distant mountains beneath a partly cloudy sky, framed by various trees and shrubs in the foreground.

I got in shortly after 2:00, and had just enough of an afternoon to sample some of the nearby walks. The first was Okitu Scenic Reserve, which is a small reserve divided by the highway into two parts. The first was a bit of bush which led to an outlook. It was a little hilly, but easy enough. And quite lush: I don’t know if this was just the humidity but it reminded me a lot of the Pacific Islands I got to visit a good 12 years ago.

Auto-generated description: A dirt path winds through a dense forest filled with tall trees and abundant green foliage.

The second part was a little more scrubby, more of what you’d expect for a coastline. This led you up to a ridge with another outlook looking over what is essentially the Pacific Ocean. The view was grand, and it wasn’t as windy as I was expecting it to be.

Auto-generated description: A coastline with gentle waves rolling onto a sandy beach is bordered by green hills under a cloudy sky.

The second walk I did was Titirangi Reserve, which was just across the Turanganui River. There was a lot to see there that I just didn’t get the chance to. Evening was settling in, and the weather turned and I didn’t have a umbrella. Despite getting a little rained on, it turns out I was lucky: as soon as I returned to the hotel, the heavens opened up.

Auto-generated description: A winding dirt path runs through a lush green park surrounded by dense trees and bushes under a cloudy sky.

When it cleared I went to dinner and walked the Turanganui River a bit. I did get lucky with a native bird sightings by spotting a poaka.

Auto-generated description: A black and white bird is standing in shallow water, surrounded by reflections of trees and the sky.

I also tried to make sure to be aware of the native flora too, taking note of a Pohutukawa, also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree.

Auto-generated description: A large, sprawling tree stands beside a paved path near a body of water in a park during dusk.

While not native, there was also a delightfully large Moreton Bay fig by the river, along with a sampling of Norfolk pines, and yes even some eucalyptus tree.

Auto-generated description: A large tree with sprawling branches and dense green leaves stands beside a paved walkway along a body of water.

Anyway, that’s probably most of Gisborne I’ll get to see. We’ll see what tomorrow brings, but I’ll be back on the road, heading north-west to the Bay of Plenty.