Fenceline In Tussock – Buy
A landscape from one of my trips into Central Otago. Visits to areas like this seem to be becoming more frequent for me. I’m not sure why, maybe it has something to do with capturing the sparse beauty that seems like it comes from another world.
Blackstone Hill Cemetery – Buy
There’s something quite wonderful about the entrance to Blackstone (Hills Creek) Cemetery. It sits on the side of a hill, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. Separated from the surrounding farmland by a fence line, the best thing about it is the large concrete gate that is also a War Memorial. In a place that was once a bustling town, it’s a poignant reminder of human existence in a barren and harsh landscape.
Schoolhouse at Blackstone Hill – Buy
I was on my way to Oturehua in the Ida Valley. Having spent the afternoon exploring back-country roads, trying to get lost and generally avoiding inconvenient accidents like getting a flat-tyre, I stopped at Blackstone Hill Cemetery. While I was there admiring a rather large storm cloud approaching in the distance, I spotted an isolated building on the hill side. Investigating, I discovered it was the former Blackstone Hill (Hills Creek) school house, built around 1890. At one time, Blackstone Hill was a busy place that included 13 hotels in the town. Today, all that remains are a stone cottage, a cemetery and this school building.