Gisborne’s climate is characteristically dry and sunny – wonderful for wine production and massive tree gardens. Arboretums are big here, quite literally!

Tree gazing

I also like the sense of isolation and aloneness that comes with the region. It isn’t on the way to anywhere, so you have to make it a destination in its own right. The windswept coast, sandstone cliffs and bare hills give the landscape a raw, spiritual feeling.

Pohutukawa trek

	The native pohutukawa tree grows mainly in coastal areas around the North Island.
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The pohutukawa, often called the New Zealand Christmas Tree, is one of the most outstanding plants of the entire New Zealand flora. Its leaves are thick and tough - shiny dark green on top and silvery white on the soft underside. The leaves and bark of the pohutukawa were used for a variety of medicinal purposes by the Maori people, and many an early settler drank a decoction of inner bark of the pohutukawa tree to cure dysentery.

Along the East Cape coast, pohutukawa trees cling to the sides of cliffs and along the edges of the beach. You won’t find a hardier coastal tree.

Arboretums

The amazing vistas of Eastwoodhill Arboretum, Gisborne.
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At Eastwoodhill Arboretum you’ll find the largest collection of northern hemisphere trees in the southern hemisphere. The tracks wind around ponds and lakes, revealing amazing vistas at every corner. If you pack a picnic, you could make a whole day of it. The semi-formal gardens around the homestead are also worth studying.

The garden known as Highgate is another place to lose yourself. English trees, old roses and azaleas grow alongside tropical palms, bougainvilleas and hibiscus. Exotic fruit plantings include guavas, sapotes and loquats.

Orchard land

The Gisborne region is a major fruit producer. Citrus, avocado, persimmon and tamarillo trees love the climate. Around the orchards you’ll find roadside shops that let you indulge, or totally overindulge, your passion for fresh fruit.