Coromandel

Where is it?

The town of Coromandel sits midway up the eponymous North Island peninsula on the west, Hauraki Gulf, side.

What’s it like?

Coromandel is a tiny place, whose heyday came and went with the discovery of gold in the 1850’s. The legacy of this short-lived prosperity is a number of pleasing wooden buildings but that is about all. These days it is little more than a village whose main purpose is to serve as a staging post for those exploring the peninsula.

What to see and what to do.

Coromandel Historical Museum is a small collection of artefacts many of which testify to the mining history of the town. For those who wish to further explore the gold mining past there is also the Goldfield Centre and Stamper Battery.
The highlight of the town is probably the Driving Creek Railway and Potteries. This is a narrow (very) gauge railway built by hand by a potter wanting to get at the clay in ‘them thar hills’. The train still winds its way into the hills, mainly taking tourists these days. The pottery is still producing and the end products are reasonably priced. Worth a look.
Many visitors to the town are in transit to the Coromandel Walkway, an easy, 3-hour jaunt, with spectacular views of the sea.
Further south on the peninsula is the Coromandel Range and Forest Park.

Eating, Drinking and Sleeping.

For a place so small it caters remarkably well for the visitor. There are numerous hotels and hostels with nothing too costly. The towns’ eating-houses again offer a good choice. Coromandel was once a centre for mussel fisheries so the seafood, especially shellfish, is always good. Evening entertainment is less in evidence, if you are looking for a wild time this probably isn’t the place. There are a few decent bars that offer occasional live music.