Queen's Birthday Weekend

We had a long weekend this weekend because of a public holiday on Monday. We decided to go an explore a part of the north island island we had never been to - Taranaki. The region gets its name from a large ~2500m (8200ft) volcano, Mount Taranaki. The volcano is nearly perfectly circular and has a parasitic cone, which makes it look like a smaller Mount Shasta.


Mount Taranaki

We drove around the mount which forms the southwest corner of the north island. At the west-most point is Cape Egmont and a lighthouse.


Cape Egmont lighthouse

Dawson Falls are on the southeast flank of Mount Taranaki. Just upstream from the falls is a small hydro power station - one of the first operating in New Zealand. It is the oldest continually running power stations in NZ and one of oldest in the world!


Dawson Falls