Daily Photo – Abandoned Farm House at Maheno

I pushed on through the East Otago countryside until I crossed over into the North Otago region. Here, the road continued to follow the coastline for a while before veering inland slightly, as the pastures gave way to a series of forestry plantations. Soon, the farm fields appeared once more, this time with a patchwork, checkerboard feel. On one side of the road, the paddocks would yield to classic coastline features like beaches and headlands; on the other, rolling hills connected with higher peaks that formed a natural barrier to the inland plains of Central Otago.

I passed through small settlements like Waianakarua and Herbert – both with their own unique, small-town New Zealand character. Waianakarua is particularly famous for the “Chook Tree,” or “The Big Chicken.” It is exactly what it sounds like: a chicken-shaped macrocarpa tree standing an impressive 6.6 metres high, complete with a head, body, and a Moeraki boulder for an egg. It has been a local icon since 1978 and was even awarded the 2025 New Zealand Tree of the Year – I didn’t even know such an award existed!

At one point, while passing through the community of Maheno, I stopped at Clarks Mill for a look around. It had been closed the last time I passed by, and I hoped that on this occasion it might be open, but it wasn’t. Instead, I turned my attention to an old dwelling in a nearby paddock. I imagined two old men in checked shirts sitting on the front porch, swapping tall tales and sipping whiskey long into the evening while the mill slowly went about its work.