Berry View Cottage Waikato

SkyCity Hamilton is situated inside the former Chief Post Office, in a building designed to maximise a superb riverside location on the banks of the Waikato River. With a range of dining and entertainment outlets, including EATBurger - voted the Waikato's best burger and The Local Taphouse - the first Good George bar in the CBD, there is something for everyone at SkyCity Hamilton! Enjoy the excitement and atmosphere of the Main Gaming Floor with over 300 gaming machines and 23 table games (R20 to enter the casino) or strike up a little competition on level two with Hamilton's only bowling alley, Bowl and Social, a world-class venue offering non-stop fun and state of the art technology!

Haere mai! Welcome to Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery. Perched above the mighty Waikato River, this world-class museum and art gallery is the artistic and cultural heart of the Waikato. Visit us to experience visual stories and guided activities that bring our art, history, culture and science to life through an inspirational programme that aims to challenge and inspire you.

From ancient Egypt to a 21-century Concept Garden. Admission to the enclosed gardens requires a paid entry fee for visitors who live outside of Hamilton, with children under 16 years of age free. Unlike any botanical garden, our unique attraction is rated among the top 3 things to do in New Zealand and is in the top 1% of attractions globally on TripAdvisor. Discover the magic of Hamilton Gardens with one of our tours. Whether you're a first-time explorer or a returning visitor, this immersive journey unveils fascinating tales, discovering the cultural significance woven into every petal and pathway.  Or opt for an Audio Guide to enjoy a narrated journey through the ages and across the continents, exploring at your own pace. 

Step through the pest-proof gate into another world, where an ancient forest tower majestically above well-maintained walking tracks and the air is filled with birdsong. Explore the Sanctuary at your own pace or with an experienced guide who will help you spot the wildlife, including kākā, takahē, tuatara, kiwi, tīeke and more. Relax in the clearing or take an optional walk up the 16-metre observation tower, offering a unique perspective from within the forest canopy. Sanctuary Mountain is located in the heart of the Waikato, and as a not-for-profit, every visit helps make our conservation efforts possible. So come and share the mauri and mana of Maungatautari. You will come away enriched and enlightened by this spectacular environment.

The winter light in the South Island offers superb conditions and we will be photographing an incredible variety of landscapes including Aoraki/Mt Cook and the Southern Alps, Moeraki Boulders, Fiordland National Park, Milford Sound, Fox Glacier, Lake Matheson and the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki. We will also photograph at hidden backcountry locations which few others know of. One of the highlights of our journey is the private helicopter flight into the untouched wilds of the Fiordland National Park, where we capture compelling images of the glacier-carved landscape.

Carve your own traditional Māori pendant - the roimata: a teardrop. This workshop is designed for entry-level carvers with next to no carving experience, and will take up to 4 - 6 hrs. In this workshop, we will cover the cultural history of the form, the tools and skills necessary for stone-carving and will guide participants through the process of creating a pounamu roimata. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a fully completed and bound roimata to take home.