Listings

For affordable in-home childcare for newborns to school age children, PORSE offers simply good old-fashioned childcare with a modern spin. They offer four childcare options where children are looked after in a home setting and families can choose an educator that best suits their child. Check their website for other suburbs in the area.

A 20 minute gentle return walk from the carpark at the end of Kauraeranga Road. Follow the Kauri Trail for about five minutes before turning onto the Billygoat Landing Walk just after the swing bridge. At the Billygoat basin there are good views of the 180 metre high falls and the cliffs.

Greymouth KIWI Holiday Park and Motels is located at South Beach, Greymouth, adjacent to a wonderful West Coast beach. You can stroll along the beach and admire the snow-capped mountains and in the evening experience the beautiful sunset. We are situated in an ideal place, to use as a base, to experience all of the amazing scenery, activities and attractions throughout the area, or you can just come and relax. We have lots of space for the children, including plenty of room to run around and a playground to occupy their time.

Open from 8.30am to dusk during summer and 9am to 5pm during winter months, you may see birds, rabbits and other small animals on this walk. Boardwalks make the 30 minute walk easy and you'll view bubbling mud pools, steam holes and native bush. Small charge for the walk. Umbrellas available for extra hot or rainy days. There is also a café for refreshments after your walk.

The Blue Lake Reserve is an ideal place for a picnic and is very popular for water sports such as water-skiing, jet-skiing and power boat racing so there should be plenty to watch! The south side of the lake has good swimming beaches and there are toilets, a playground, BBQs, picnic tables and a boat ramp. A walk around the lake will take about one and a half hours. Please note dogs are not allowed in the playground and are only allowed around the walkway on a lead.

Our Pikopiko centre has children aged 3 months – 2 years. Qualified teachers work with parents to stimulate and develop children’s early learning. Teachers in our Takaro and Akonga rooms, support 2-5 year old children to engage with a range of stimulating educational activities within the environment.

This beach on the southern shores of Lake Tarawera is only accessible by boat and there is a ferry that can take you across from Boat Shed Bay. Hot Water Beach is administered by the Department of Conservation. There is a self-registration, user pays, camping area on site and you can bathe in the hot mineral waters that are around 38 degrees, so take your swimsuit. There are toilets on site.

If you’ve got this far, it’s a must to visit the southernmost point on NZ’s mainland – Stirling Point. It’s marked by a signpost telling you just how far you are from most of the world’s major cities. There are toilets and a restaurant/café at Stirling Point. Foveaux Walkway 50 minutes return. The coastal track from Stirling Point to Lookout Point has a gravelled and well-compacted surface, which can be used by buggies, although it is uneven in places. Glory Track a 50 minute round trip from Stirling Point, follows the track up the hill behind the restaurant. At the top of the hill you can see gunneries, and then continue walking from the Gunpit entrance around to Stirling Point.

The longest beach on the Whatuwhiwhi Peninsula at 18 km long. Good for surf casting and digging for shellfish.

Hop on board the Waiheke Island Ferry from Auckland for a beautiful 40 minute cruise (or a across the Tamaki Strait to arrive at Matiatia on Waiheke Island. Departing between 6am and 7pm with additional late departures thereafter, this comfortable, relaxing ferry transfer makes for not just a great way to get from point A to B, but also serves as a scenic tour across one of New Zealand's most beautiful waterways in itself! The ferry also boasts multiple modern on board services and facilities, including a cafe and full bar facilities serving a range of local NZ beers & wines along with hot and cold snack food for you to enjoy on the journey over.

13 spacious self-contained ground floor studio and 1-2-3brm family units in park-like setting with swimming pool, paddling pool, childrens' play area and BBQ. Babysitting service also available. Central to town centre, adjacent to family restaurant/tavern; 500m to Pollard Park and Taylor River Reserve.

Consists of sandy beach, warm shallows, lots of space and toilets. Great spot to picnic and relax on a sunny day - lots of shade. Pontoon and good swimming and kayaking.

Feel the full force and sound of fresh mountain water falling 131 m down one of New Zealand’s most stunning waterfalls. It's one of our best short walks. 2 km return via same track- 1 hr return. The track starts at the northern end of Arthur's Pass village, just off SH73 at the Punchbowl car park (signposted off the highway). From the start of the walk, follow the footbridge across the Bealey River. The next bridge, over Devils Punchbowl Creek, has a good view of the waterfall. From here, wander through lush beech forest with friendly fantails/pīwakawaka and tomtits before climbing 150 m up a series of steps to a viewing platform at the base of this spectacular waterfall. Return on the same track.

When visiting the Bay of Islands, taking to the waters and touring the islands is a must-do. Explore the beautiful natural landscape in a unique way by sailing the area aboard an authentic tall ship! Choose between a full day sail and a late afternoon sail and take to the seas! For some excited, get involved—help the crew by setting the sails, riding the bowsprit and climbing the rigging; or just relax and let the crew control it all while you listen to their interesting and informative commentary and enjoy the spectacular views.

Join the 6 hour full day, which includes a sail through the islands, stopping at one of them for a swim and for lunch. All profits from these day sails go toward youth sail training programmes. Alternatively, you can enjoy the 1.5-hour late afternoon sail on which you explore the inner harbour’s sheltered waters while admiring the sun set and also indulging in an antipasto platter and a glass of wine. Sail on Northland’s iconic tall ship for a memorable tour of the Bay of Islands!

On Oriental Bay, this beach has a play area with rope climbing equipment for older children and a climbing frame for toddlers. There are also picnic tables and toilets.

Whites Bay has walks for a range of abilities, including kids - there are rocky areas for scrambling and exploring and a near-flat sandy beach that's excellent for swimming too. Pukatea Walk (10 min) meanders down to the cable station alongside Pukatea Stream passing through regenerating forest. Black Jack Track (1 hr return or 1 hr 30 min to complete the loop) climbs to a superb viewpoint on the edge of a bluff where Te Whanganui/Port Underwood, Cook Strait and Cape Campbell can be seen. Children need to be closely supervised here. Return the same way or complete a longer, loop option by winding slowly down through regenerating forest. Rarangi Bay–Whites Bay Track (1 hr one way) zig-zags up from Whites Bay to the Port Underwood Road through a pine plantation, then follows the road for about 500m before descending to Rarangi, near the Monkey Bay track. Monkey Bay Walk (20 min return) leads around a rocky point and into Monkey Bay, with its small beach. A lookout point near the beginning of the track offers good views and has signs explaining the way that sea currents have formed Rarangi Beach over thousands of years.

This 2.6 hectare park has plenty of room for picnics and there are ducks for the children to feed. The playground has lots to keep the children amused with a see-saw, swings, rockers, roundabout and much more. The Hawkes Bay Model Engineering Society runs miniature train rides from Anderson Park Railway Station from 11am on a Sunday along with a sausage sizzle (weather permitting) An easy stroll around the park takes about 30 minutes and there are toilets in the park.

The track crosses the peninsula’s clifftop, with excellent views of the Seaward Kaikoura Range, ocean and coastline, to South Bay. It returns to the township via South Bay and Toms Track. Potential to observe wildlife including seals and sea birds.

This family friendly walk can be done in parts or if you want to explore the entire walk allow 3 hours.

Our centres provide full day and part time care and education for babies, toddlers and young children and is licensed by the Ministry of Education. Renwick preschool also participates in the education review process administered by the Education Review Office (ERO).

This 330 hectare native forest overlooks Waikanae and is one of the largest remaining areas of protected kohekohe forest. The main entrance to Hemi Matenga Scenic Reserve is at Tui Crescent, where there is a small parking area by a reservoir.

Standing in Picton and facing out to sea, the tip of the headland that stretches out to your right is called The Snout. This whole area is known as Victoria Domain and is well stocked with swimming beaches, walking and bike tracks and picnic areas. The whole track, past the Queen Charlotte View and right out to Snout Head takes around 1 ½ hours. There’s a toilet and picnic area at the lookout, and a picnic area right at the end of the headland. Track tends to be slippery when wet, but otherwise an easy walk.