Many of our guests ask us about “Babylon Coast Road”. Yes it is a somewhat unusual name.

Well the story goes back to the Kauri Timber Days. Towards the end of the 19th century the Kauri Timber felling was starting to come to an end. Much of the accessible Kauri had been felled. The devastation left behind must have looked tragic.

Gumdigging came next. In the ground where the Kauri had once proudly stood  was ‘currency’ in the form of Kauri Gum. Whenever a Kauri Tree is damaged it bleeds and once the resin meets the air it starts to consolidate into Kauri Gum.

A lot of gum was left behind in the ground after the timber had been taken out.The Kauri Gum Industry became quite large and lucrative for some middle men. The gum being shipped back to Europe for the production of polish, linolium and other such things. Immigrants from all over the world, particularly Austria, Yugoslavia and similar parts where there was Political upheaval, flocked to the gum fields to try and get a foothold in a new country. The work was hard, the conditions appalling and harsh.

 This bronze statue is located in Hokianga Road, Dargaville is a tribute to the Dalmation Gumdiggers. Erected by the local Dalmation Society.

One of the larger Gum Camps was located towards the South East end of what is now called the Babylon Coast Road. From Dargaville,  drive north on SH 12 for 8kms and keep a look out for Babylon Coast Road. Some tourists just stop and take a photo of the sign. 

Anyway to get back to the story: there were so many different nationalities working in this camp that it became known as Babylon – a reference to the Old Testament story of The Tower of Babel in Babylon, when the people started building a tower that would reach to heaven. This was contrary to God’s instructions, so he caused them to speak in many languages, creating chaos and –  the end of the building programme. The people then dispersed themselves throughout the earth.

Today the Babylon Coast Road winds it’s way from State Highway 12 at the South East End to Omamari, a small beach settlement by Ripiro Beach. From there the road continues another 6 kms. and meets the Kai Iwi Lakes Road.It’s a gravel road all the way but there are some splendid views. Kaurivale is just 3 kms. from the State Highway 12 turn off and a great way to appreciate the views and more is to take a trip with us in our comfortable Nissan Mistral Four Wheel Drive.