Having some time to spare, and feeling like a wander, I called in to the old farm buildings at Matanaka. Dating from around 1840, the Matanaka Farm is Otago’s earliest farm and includes some of New Zealand’s oldest surviving farm buildings. When the buildings were first constructed, owner Johnny Jones had the reddish-brown timber buildings built in Australia before they were shipped to his farm and where they were completed. While there were once many more buildings in the area, now, the buildings consist of stables, granary, schoolhouse, and a three-seater privy.
I made my way to the Vauxhall Yacht Club which is located on the shoreline of the Otago Peninsula. The previous two evenings I’d visited the same location, only to find the sun had already disappeared from sight. Being a tad late on the preceding days hadn’t been the end of the world, I was there to get a specific shot that had been monopolising my thoughts. Upon arriving at the Yacht Club, I was delighted to find the sun seemingly suspended just above the Dunedin skyline. It created a brilliant glow of light stretching out across the harbour. I stood and watched the sun slowly disappear from sight. Then, once it had gone, I returned to my car and headed for home.
If you ever find your way to Stewart Island and staying the night in Oban, then the following day you should put some time aside to do the following.
In the morning, from Oban, walk through the village and over the hill to Golden Bay. From there, take a water taxi across Paterson Inlet to Ulva Island, a predator free, wildlife sanctuary. Once you’re at Ulva Island, take the walking track to the West End Beach where you’ll find lots of Weka along with many other bird species and not much else. If you’re lucky, everyone who is walking the island will be off exploring other tracks so I’ll have the whole place to yourself.
When I was there, I was reminded of the Gaelic phrase quietness without loneliness. I knew I wanted to photograph the scene in front of me, I just couldn’t see the finished product. So, I decided to sit and watch until I could see the image I was looking for. 1 minute turned into 2, 2 minutes turned into 10 minutes, 10 minutes turned into 15 minutes when suddenly an idea started forming in my head. Today’s image is the finished result.
Allans Beach, Hoopers Inlet, Mt Charles and inland to Harbour Cone, – Buy
Once I was back in Dunedin, I went for an exploration on the Otago Peninsula. While wandering the tracks at Sandymount, I must admit to initially being a little disappointed to find that the viewing platforms for both Lover’s Leap and the Chasm had been closed and removed. However, after spending some time on the new section of track and viewing platform which looks northeast over Allans Beach, Hoopers Inlet, Mt Charles and inland to Harbour Cone, I hadto admit, the views are even better!
By the time I arrived in Wellington it was later than I had anticipated. On my way from Palmerston North I made a number of stops along the way and while none of them were long in duration, they had all added up to making me quite a bit later than scheduled. After navigating the motorway and the various one way systems that make up Wellington’s city centre I parked near Lambton Quay, one of the main streets that runs nearly the entire length of the CBD.
It was starting to get late, and the place was unusually quiet. I walked for a few blocks and enjoyed the sights and sounds of a city at night, occasionally accompanied by groups of inebriated youths who all spoke in a gibberish sort of slur. I walked a little longer, eventually arriving back at my car whereupon I made the decision to go insearch of my hotel and the hope that the restaurant would still be open, or at least the bar!
My journey to Palmerston North was undertaken in bright sunshine, something I hadn’t seen in some days. After leaving Waiōuru I drove through Taihape, Mangaweka, Cheltenham and Fielding, arriving in Palmerston North in the early afternoon.
Before finding my accommodation, I stopped in The Square and went for a walk around. Located in the very centre of the city, The Square is 17 hectares of land that features monuments, fountains, art work and picnic areas. At one end was a large Plaza while the other end featured the usual arrangements of shops that you might expect to find in a city centre. The Square was large with small pockets of people scattered around enjoying the warm, sunny day. For a long time, I couldn’t work out what it was, however something didn’t seem right. Then it struck me, that was exactly what was wrong. It was large and open but there simply wasn’t anyone there! In a larger city, it would be filled with people but here in Palmerston North it almost seemed too big. Almost as no one was really sure what to use it for.
For a short time I walked the streets surrounding the Square before deciding to find my accommodation and a bite to eat.
10 kilometres west of the town Waiōuru in the central North Island, I arrived at a place called Tangiwai. The location of New Zealand’s worst railway accident where 151 died.
Having read a lot about the famous accident, it was a place I was very much looking forward to seeing. So, it was with intrigue and a touch of excitement that I parked my car and went for a look around. As I got out of the car, light rain began to fall and for the next half hour I wandered around the various information boards that detailed the events that took place on Christmas Eve, 1953. With the light rain that was falling and the grey, overcast sky, the place had a lonely, sombre feeling.
The tragedy was caused when part of a carter wall containing a lake on the volcano Mount Ruapehu collapsed and a torrent of water surged down the Whangaehu River. Moments before the Wellington to Auckland express train arrived at the Tangiwai bridge, it had been damaged by the fast moving lahar and the bridge collapsed when the train began to cross it. Of the 285 passengers aboard the train, 151 died. To this day it remains New Zealand’s worst Railway accident.
Leaving Parikino, I headed for the town of Raetihi which is close to the Tongariro National Park. That morning the rain had been heavy and while it was starting to ease it had left the nearby rivers high and fast flowing. I had been following the path of the Mangawhero River and I stopped near a bridge now to view it as it made its way through the valley.
Later on, I read that the name Mangawhero comes from the Maori word manga meaning “stream” and whero meaning “red”. Looking at the photos I had taken earlier in the day, that seemed to make sense.
Not far from Whanganui, I passed through the small settlement of Parikino where there was once a pā site. Dating back to the 1840’s and situated on the flat bank of the Whanganui River, the pā was used as fortification against rival war parties. I had a short look around before rejoining State Highway 4 and continuing on to the Parikino Lookout which had views across the surrounding valley’s.
Before arriving in Whanganui, I had read that the city is buzzing with creative energy and that it’s the absolute highlight of any trip. After spending 15 to 16 hours in the city, I would have to disagree.
Leaving Gore I drove through Mataura before continuing on to Edendale, Darce and Rakahouka. From there, I continued on State Highway 99 and travelled through Wallacetown and Wrights Bush, which eventually led me to my destination of Riverton. I parked my car near the town bridge, went for a short walk and realised two things. The first being that Riverton is a charming town, and the second being that it occurred to me, that I didn’t have any particular reason to be there.
In the morning I awoke with that feeling of dread that overcomes you the second you first open your eyes and realise the first few moments of the day are going to encompass dealing with your own stupidity. I’d forgotten to leave the heating on and as such my room was like a ice box. The only way to solve this problem was to either brave my way across to the heat pump and set it so the room temperature resembled a Caribbean Island as quickly as possible, or dash straight for the shower and the instant awakening from a blast of hot water.
I braced myself and got up, heading for the shower, stopping only momentarily to flick both the kettle and heat pump on. A short while later, having readied myself for the day which included packing, I headed out into a fine Central Otago morning. The streets were quiet with the only signs of life being parents desperately trying to get their children into the family car for Saturday morning sport. I headed across town and five minutes later I was crossing the Manuherikia River and driving up Little Valley Road into the hills above Alexandra where I would be able to enjoy seeing the Alexandra Clock up close. The clock was installed in 1968 and has been keeping regular time ever since, apart from a brief period in 2020 when someone swung on the arms of the clock during lockdown and it stopped, forcing repairs to be made. To get to the clock there’s a very steep track that can be navigated, something I wasn’t prepared to do on this trip, however you do get to glimpse the clock as you head to the observation deck and lookout in Little Valley. I headed there now and found myself with views that simply are outstanding. As I took in the view in the crisp morning air I noticed most of the activity seemed to be coming from runners heading out of town onto one of the many dirt roads that surround the town. The smoke from chimneys started to drift across the valley and in the distance the traffic heading further inland seemed to already be growing. I suspected most people forget about views such as the one in front me.
I spent the night in Alexandra, Central Otago, a small town with a population of 5,500 which is 195 km north-west of Dunedin at the junction of the Clutha and Manuherikia Rivers. Alexandra was founded during the Central Otago gold rush of the 1860s and has steadily grown to be a major junction point for people travelling to popular destinations further inland such as Cromwell, Wanaka and Queenstown. The town is a pleasant place that is always filled with both travellers and locals from the surrounding farms stopping off for refreshments and supplies on their way through which gives it a busy, bustling sort of feel. It also has a clock on the hillside that lights up at night which I rather like. However, since I had left Dunedin late in the day, it was already dark by the time I arrived at my motel. I’d have to wait to see the clock until morning.
This is the remarkable view from the top of Puketapu in Palmerston. Standing nearly 350 metres high, the summit offers stunning 360 degree views out to sea and inland to the Shag Valley. During World War II, local Palmerston town constable Bert Kelly ran up Puketapu every morning in full uniform to watch for enemy ships.
When I was staying at Mapua in Ruby Bay near Nelson, for some unknown reason I thought it would be a good idea to get up early and see the sunrise. It was one of those quiet, peaceful mornings in which the weather hadn’t quite decided what it was going to do. So, as the dawn broke I couldn’t help but admire how loud, silence can be.
I would like to suggest, and I’m talking from experience, that walking the hills above Clyde on a winter’s morning really is a unique experience. What made it all the more interesting was the fact that it was dark when I set out, there was a hard frost on the road, snow on the surrounding peaks and it was at least minus 4.
I knew there was a lookout somewhere nearby, a bartender had told me about it the previous night and I had set out in the predawn darkness with lofty ambitions to find it. That morning, when I reached a point that was more ice than road, I left my car parked in a spot where I hoped I would find it again and enjoyed walking the hills on a winter’s morning.
It was late in the day and I had set myself the task of making it up to Observation Rock above the Stewart Island town of Oban before sunset. When I first read the title of Observation Rock, I’d imagined it being the end point of a long, mountain hike in a remote part of the wilderness. Instead, I discovered it was a short 20 minute walk from the town that resulted in magnificent views over Thule and Golden Bay and out to Paterson Inlet. The only issue being the short but steep walk to get there!
In New Zealand, you don’t get many opportunities to go inside a working Windmill. To be clear, I’m not meaning a wind farm which produces power. I mean the traditional type of Windmill which grounds wheat into flour.
Fortunately, Foxton in the North Island has a Windmill, and a very fine Windmill at that. So, when I just happened to be passing through the small North Island town, I couldn’t turn down the chance to see the De Molen Windmill. Still in complete working order, the De Molen is a full size 17th century replica of a Dutch flour mill. A must do if you’re passing through Foxton.
It was a quarter to 7 in the morning and my head was throbbing. The previous evening I’d decided it would be a good idea to get up early and capture the sunrise at the beach. The idea had been sound in theory, however now in the early morning dawn I was starting to have my doubts. My temples had a pulsating sensation which told me I either had an intense hangover or a head cold was coming on. Since I hadn’t been drinking the night before, I deduced it must be a cold.
After ten to fifteen minutes of taking photos of the sunrise as the dawn broke, I made the decision to go in search of another coffee, hoping it would help.
While staying at the haunted Vulcan Hotel in St Bathans, I took the time to wander around the Blue Lake. Situated directly across the road from the pub, the lake is 800 metres long, 50 metres deep and completely man made. During the Otago gold rush, around the time of 1887, Saint Bathans transformed into a bustling town with nearly 2,000 miners living in the immediate vicinity. When the town was flooded with miners during the gold rush, the nearby Kildare Hill was transformed into a pit due to extensive sluicing operations. The pit was later filled with water and man into a lake.
The lake really is amazing and it was while walking along one of the tracks that I started to ponder what St Bathans would be like without the lake. Would the town still hold the attractive quality it does if it didn’t have the lake? I think it would!
All around the Wellington Waterfront there are these pieces of poetry, made in concert. I really like them, it’s like finding a wee bit of creative surprise when you’re least expect it. One morning as the sea mist was rising over the harbour, I was photographing some buildings as they emerged from their covered veil. During my wanderings I found amongst a group of plants a quotation from New Zealand Playwrite. I can’t remember what it was or who had written it, but after that I started noticing them everywhere! I later discovered they are part of the Wellington Writers Walk which was started in March, 2002.
‘Blue rain from a clear sky. Our world a cube of sunlight – but to the south the violet admonition of thunder.’
The other day, I found myself carefully and conscientiously navigating the Dunedin one way system. It was raining, and having left the Otago University area and heading south in my car, it was as I passed the Dunedin Railway Station that I began to ponder. You see, the Dunedin Railway Station is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade and has been surrounded by scaffolding and covered in white plastic wrap to allow workmen to complete the restoration without being impeded by the weather. So, as I drove past the railway station, I took a moment to look at the covered building and tried to figure out what it used to look like without all the white wrapping paper. Not being able to remember, I went in search of a photo to remind myself.
City streets seem so empty when it’s dark and there’s no-one around. I guess that’s what makes them interesting. Street lights like these are great just after it’s rained because the all the surfaces have a shine to them and the light reflect really well. When the streets are empty at night you get all sorts of options for where to shoot from without having to worry to much about being in the way. Then, if you can get something large like a bus streaking through the image the effect is awesome.
I arrived at St Clair Beach just in time to see the morning light change into a brilliant orange glow that filled the sky. I parked my car and headed along the Esplanade, past the Pier 24 Hotel, The Longdog Cafe and The Saltwater Pool heading for a high bank of ground that looked out to sea and the point of Lawyers Head in the distance. It seemed strange to have the place to myself. Usually, at this time in the morning there were people running and walking before work, but today the only other person I had seen was a dog taking his owner for a walk. I watched them for a few minutes with interest. The dog owner, a man with an extreme lack of enthusiasm, was only matched by the dog’s extreme overexcitement. It was a battle of wills which the dog was winning and impossible to imagine any scenario that would result in the dog calmly returning to the man’s car anytime soon.
The light continued to change and the day was creeping in. It was that time in the morning when the earth seemed to wake and the streets became busy. It was also time for me to leave.
With a bit of unexpected time on my hands, I went for a walk in the Lan Yuan Dunedin Chinese Gardens. The garden was quiet and tranquil with the only other people there being two gentlemen who were deep in concentration over a chessboard.
I had spent the morning visiting spots on the North Coast of Dunedin. Having explored places like Long Beach, Aramoana and Deborah Bay, I briefly called in at Port Chalmers before starting my journey home. On the way back towards the city, I decided to take a few of the roads I usually pass by without giving a second thought. Most of the roads were overgrown with trees and bushes that occasionally gave way and offered views across the harbour.
It had been raining since early the previous morning. I had hoped it would clear but with every passing minute, it was becoming obvious that the weather had settled in for a long stay. The rain seemed to be passing over in patches that varied between light drizzle and heavy rain. Summing up the situation, I decided that I was going to get wet no matter what I did and with that, I went for a walk on the beach.
There are many amazing and magnificent features about Central Otago. My favourite being that it feels like another world. It really does have its own characteristics and qualities that make it such a special place. I hope it remains the unspoiled beauty it is now.
I found my way to Kaka Point in the Catlins and parked near the beach. It was one of those days where the wind seemed to swirl across the top of the water and washed waves ashore onto the beach at strange angles.
The drive from Dunedin had taken over an hour. After passing through Balclutha I turned off State Highway 1 and headed towards the coast. As I passed houses and farms I noticed the weather seemed to be turning a dark shade of grey. Once the coastline came into view, I followed it for some time before arriving in the small village of Kaka Point. Leaving my car parked near a sign advising visitors like myself of the local wildlife, I went for a stroll.
Happy Birthday June
June is a lovely lady who comments every day on my blog posts. She’s been doing it for several years now and it’s always great to hear from her. You can read her comments by scrolling to the bottom of each post. So, since today is her birthday I wanted to take a moment and say June, I hope you have a lovely day.
Let’s take a moment to summarise the current situation at the Gore District Council shall we. In October 2022, Ben Bell became mayor of Gore when he defeated incumbent Tracy Hicks by 8 votes. When that happened, he became the youngest mayor in New Zealand at 23 years of age and ended Hick’s six terms as mayor of the town.
Following his election win, the relationship between Bell and chief executive Stephen Parry broke down to the point where they no longer talk. Then, the city council brought forward a motion of no confidence in the mayor. However, at the time of the council meeting, no one would move the motion against the mayor and thus the motion of no confidence was not passed. A clear case of the wheels of local body politics working smoothly as always.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
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Matanaka In Waikouaiti – Buy 
The Ida Burn – 
