Whangarei Harbour
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Whangarei, 130 miles by rail north of Auckland, is the capital of Northland. The town proper is situated on the western bank of the lower reaches of the Hatea River, a tidal tributary at the head of Whangarei Harbour.
The approaches to the harbour afford some of the most spectacular scenery to be found in New Zealand. To the north, Bream Head at the harbour entrance forms high bush-clad peaks rising sheer from sea level to almost 1,400 ft. From a distance these peaks present a jagged toothlike outline etched in the sky and in many ways resemble the battle-scarred remnants of some mediaeval castle. Off shore, in Bream Bay, there are little clusters of islands known as the Hen and Chickens. To the south, the dunecovered shore line sweeps away to Waipu Cove and Bream Tail, some 12 to 15 miles distant.