Hawera

If you love milk and cheese, schedule a stop in Hawera – home of the southern hemisphere’s largest single site dairy factory.

Hawera’s heart is in dairying, a fact reinforced by the giant cow icon that welcomes visitors arriving from the south. Around 13 million litres of milk are processed here every day, at the southern hemisphere’s largest dairy processing unit (a co-operative owned by the farmers). The dairy factory experience is Hawera’s leading attraction, but many visitors also come to see the town’s acclaimed museum. It features life size figures created from moulds cast from real people, to capture the past in an engaging way. The Hawera water tower is one of Taranaki’s best-known heritage landmarks – climb up for huge views of the green countryside.

Functional facts: Approx. population 8400, i-SITE Visitor Centre, good range of shops and services.