Tohu Whenua is your essential guide to the most significant heritage experiences in Aotearoa. Many Tohu Whenua places are linked to one of the 23 Ngā Haerenga Great Rides – making them ideal stops to explore history where it happened by bike. 

Māngungu Mission in Te Tai Tokerau Northland

The Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail Great Ride starts (or ends) at Māngungu Mission - the site of the largest signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Located on the shores of the Hokianga Harbour, Māngungu was established as a Methodist mission station in 1828, under the invitation and protection of emerging Māori leader Patuone (Ngāti Hao). Book a tour to make your visit come alive and enjoy a well-deserved post-ride rest with a picnic on the lawn overlooking beautiful Hokianga.

The Pou Herenga Tai also weaves past another special Tohu Whenua place – Kororipo Heritage Park, with easy detours to the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and Pompallier Mission and Printery.

Hokitika Port, Commercial and Government Centre in Te Tai Poutini West Coast 

A central location on the legendary West Coast Wilderness Trail Great Ride, Hokitika is also a great place for refuelling. Māori were first drawn to Hokitika by the rich deposits of pounamu, and the town later became the most valued port of the West Coast gold rush era. Hop off your bike and stroll through the streets of this small town packed with 1860s era buildings, many repurposed as excellent cafes and restaurants. Enjoy the vibrant interactive exhibitions at the recently glowed-up Hokitika Museum, and pick up the brochure of the town’s heritage walking trail.

Historic Ōamaru in Otago 

The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail Great Ride ends in Historic Ōamaru. The town is a great location for bike hire, day rides and shuttle transfers but make sure you also have time to enjoy the historic precinct. You will find remarkably intact Victorian streetscapes and ornate buildings that are now home to Steampunk HQ, quirky galleries, artisan shops, a world-class bakery, cafés, and a boutique brewery. Cheers!

Totara Estate in Otago

Just a few kilometres from the end of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail Great Ride is Totara Estate, the source of the first shipment of frozen meat sent to England in 1882. Take a day trip to visit this well-preserved heritage farm which offers excellent storytelling, family-friendly games and amazing scones.

Otago Central Rail Trail Great Ride in Otago

Both a Tohu Whenua and Aotearoa New Zealand's original Great Ride, the 152km-long Otago Central Rail Trail follows the railway line that once connected isolated communities in Central Otago with Ōtepoti Dunedin. Experience one of the world’s great rail trails – and the warm Central Otago welcome that makes it unforgettable. You can either start or end your journey with a ride on another Tohu Whenua experience, the Taieri Gorge Railway.

Historic Hayes in Otago

While cycling the Otago Central Rail Trail be sure to stop at Historic Hayes in Ōturehua – home of kiwi ingenuity, and the excellent Hannah’s Café—on your way. Hayes is the perfect place to enjoy a hot drink and hearty lunch, and was home to the fascinating Hayes family. Ernest and Hannah Hayes invented, developed and marketed clever labour-saving inventions for pastoral farming. The engineering workshops and 1920s homestead are a treasure trove of fascinating tools, manufacturing equipment and ingenious domestic devices.

TSS Earnslaw in Otago 

If you are cycling the Queenstown Trail Great Ride, hop off your saddle at the shores of Lake Whakatipu, and onto the 1912 steamship, the TSS Earnslaw. A 90-minute cruise offers seriously breathtaking views of The Remarkables, and engineering enthusiasts can even check out the engine room. The TSS Earnslaw also connects Queenstown with the start of another Great Ride, the Around the Mountains Cycle Trail, sailing to the trail start point at Walter Peak Station, a working high-country farm.

Arrowtown in Otago

Also on the Queenstown Trail Great Ride is the goldrush town of Arrowtown. Historic buildings on the main street are now home to a bustling array of cafes, boutiques, galleries and even a cinema. Just a short ride away is the historic Chinese miners’ village with restored huts you can explore, telling the story of thousands of Chinese migrants invited by the Otago Provincial Government to work nearby mining claims.