World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) is a network that allows young travellers to help out at farms and organisations in return for food and board. As we had planned lots of jobs over the winter months, using „Wwoofers“ was an ideal solution for us. We had helpers from Germany, France, Hungary, Australia, Austria, USA and Switzerland who gave their all to help us and were able to achieve unbelievable results. Thanks again guys and girls! Apart from their active help, the Wwoofers also brought new insights and inspiration into Wairua which we really enjoyed and appreciated.

An exciting collaboration came about from a chance meeting at the local market in Whitianga between Debbie & Ernst and the local soap maker Lisa Peehikuru. Since that meeting, Lisa has been creating 100% natural soaps for our guests made from Kawakawa and Manuka (both native to NZ) which are totally hand made, piece for piece, and covered in a «jacket»of felted wool. The plants and bushes that Lisa uses for her lovely smelling soaps have natural healing properties and come from the forests of the Coromandel Peninsula. We are proud of our partnership with Lisa and her Soap+Native collection!

Emma Darragh is a freelance journalist for „GO TRAVEL New Zealand“ – one of the country’s leading travel magazines – who visited Wairua Lodge at the beginning of September.

Ernst and I set off from Wairua to discover the 309 Road and, after visiting the Kauri grove, Waiau Falls and the Waterworks, we kept on going past Coromandel in search of the end of the road. What a drive it turned out to be – we were blown away