A-Z of NZ Locations, New Zealand, The Motorhoming Years

A-Z of NZ Locations – Kawakawa

Suzanne

Most people passing through Kawakawa know it for its famous toilets or its equally famous lav-a-tree. However, for some visitors and locals, their memories linger more on the vintage railway track, which runs right down the middle of the main street, than the artwork.

The steam train is soon spotted, and Les jokingly makes out he’s searching for Hogwarts platform 9, from the Harry Potter books, indelibly linking steam trains with a certain boy wizard for at least one generation, though not ours.

Kawakawa’s main street with “Gabriel”, the steam train. Named after Mt Gabriel in Southwest Ireland and a nod to the region’s Irish heritage.
Les – pointing out the male domain at the famous Kawakawa Toilets

Another attraction, which was just up the road from the late Austrian artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s colourful toilets, was his old boat, “Regentag”, situated behind the station building. Hundertwasser somehow managed to do much of his artwork in the tiny cabin on the boat, which he used as his studio.

Not the same boat mentioned, though, it’s one built by the artist and a fun place to visit.

However, around 2016, it was moved to the late artist’s property on an inlet near Kawakawa.

Famously famous.

This time in Kawakawa, we didn’t manage a train ride as we were short of time back then, and to be honest, exploring and taking a walk after hours of travelling were more tempting on the day.

The Lava Tree

What we did manage to spend time viewing was all the eccentric, vibrant artwork, such as the “lava tree”, a pole covered in painted toilet bowls. Funnily enough, it’s not even an original idea as the Australians have a lav-a-tree, which also grows in Dorrigo, in northern New South Wales, and has a steam railway.

The Royal Flush

So there you have it, Kawakawa is not the only place that has two of the greatest drawcards – toilets and trains.

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Published by Suzanne

I'm a lover of creativity and movement, expressed through photography, words, travel and sports. . . . . . .

24 thoughts on “A-Z of NZ Locations – Kawakawa”

      1. The Far North is beautiful, but it is a long way to get to any other part of New Zealand. I live in Wellington and that is bad enough, you can only go North – maybe I should move to Taupo

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        1. I pressed onto my icon photo and I saw headings – Posts – List – Recommended and the rest is history. See if it works for you as I’m sure it will. You’re welcome by the way, as I enjoy your reading your blog 🙂

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  9. I don’t remember this place Suzanne and had to look up its location. So many interesting places in NZ. Thanks for showing this one. Love the quirky art

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