Visiting on a Stopwatch

If you’re visiting Devonport for a good time, not a long time, the best way to start your adventure is with a coffee on the main street, Victoria Rd. Once fortified, make the short but steep stroll up Takarunga/Mt Victoria and take in its 360-degree views over Auckland, When you’ve finished wandering the maunga’s tihi/summit, head back to the village for a spot of shopping and a leisurely lunch, or venture seaward for a stunning vista and a quick toe-dip at Cheltenham Beach, with its pictureperfect view of Rangitoto Island’s dormant volcanic cone.

HALF-DAY HIGHLIGHTS

Head along the waterfront (right on exiting the ferry terminal) and enjoy the walk down King Edward Parade towards Torpedo Bay wharf. Pause along the way to admire spectacular views over the harbour. Once you get to Torpedo Bay, make sure you walk right out to the end of the wharf for a closer look at passing watercraft and people fishing. If you’ve got your swimsuit, and are a confident swimmer, you can jump off the end of the wharf for a quck dip. The Navy Museum is located here and entry is free, with its cafe and playground at hand.

A FULL DAY TO ENJOY

If you’re lucky enough to have a whole day to spend in Devonport, you won’t be disappointed. Every good day starts with coffee, and you won’t find better than Chiasso roastery on Wynyard St. Its cold brew, which has been lovingly slow-dripped, is not to be missed on a hot day. On your way up to Takarunga stop in for some retail therapy along the main street. After gazing from the top of the maunga, head for Church St and Cambria Reserve. A scenic stroll through the reserve will reveal one of Devonport’s hidden gems – the Devonport Museum. Volunteer-run, it is filled with historic treasures and loads of hands-on activities such as an old Mangauika/North Head is the site of Devonport’s historic coastal defences and just five minutes' walk away. Take the looping track from the base to the tihi. Along the way you will find gun emplacements and tunnels to explore (bring a torch or use your phone light if you’re not confident in the dark). Follow steps down the side of the maunga/ mountain onto Cheltenham Beach. By now you’ve surely walked up an appetite – so head through gracious residential streets to treat yourself at Vauxhall Rd shops. A gelato from the Milk Bar for the walk back to the village will do the trick. See page 29 for our top licks

piano, a typewriter, skittles and even a small cinema. If, by this point, your stomach is starting to grumble, the answer lies back towards the water at popular Five Loaves cafe, or just north to Chateaubriant, a small French cafe located in Cheltenham. Grab a selection of goodies and head to Cheltenham Beach or further around to Narrow Neck to enjoy swimming and the outlook to Rangitoto Island. Before the sun goes down, make your way back to the village to enjoy some local hospitality hotspots (see following pages), then take in an evening movie at The Vic heritage theatre and cinema.