Braid Road
There’s a strange time of morning at the end of autumn and the beginning of winter when it’s not quite light, yet not completely dark. It’s a curious time of day, the depths of morning. This is a time where shadows creep and the night lingers on paths that seem twisted with form. The wind whispers, dark corners betray our thoughts yet light seems to have a friendly, welcoming glow.
Cemetery Bus Stop
Turning to the quiet hours after sundown as we go into the dark streets of the night.
Aramoana view.
To get to this vantage point its a bit of a hike. Not difficult, just awkward more than anything else. That’s because I had to slog my way uphill through dense sand dunes that were heavily overgrown. The problem that created was that I couldn’t always see where I was stepping. However, the uphill struggle was worth the effort because the views from the small rocky ledge were very rewarding.
Otago Harbour – Buy
How I like still, clear and undisturbed water on a tranquil morning. There’s something rather soothing about looking out across a lake, harbour or ocean that is as calm as a mill pond. It’s a very positive feeling. It makes me think that today everything is going to be ok, the sun will shine and it’ll only get better from this point.
Autumn in Chingford Park
As we head into the last few weeks of autumn here’s an image from one of my autumnal strolls. This one was taken at Chingford Park in North Dunedin on a gloriously fine, yet chill afternoon.
The Octagon
On one occasion, I ventured into the city centre early one morning before everything became ‘used’ for the day. My altera motive was to see the Octagon, the scene of a recent unexpected set of circumstances. An out-of-control truck and trailer had taken a scenic detour down Stuart Street and through the central Octagon several days earlier, narrowly avoiding the famed Robbie Burns statue before crashing through a covered walkway and decorating the whole area with a lovely assortment of wood chips. In celebration, a wide variety of orange road cones had been placed all around the unplanned route the truck had taken through the city centre, giving the whole place a scattered look.
Archibald Baxter Peace Garden
So each day, without much planning I did things I hadn’t done in a long time. I strolled through parks and public gardens. I explored alleyways and lanes that detoured off empty back streets. I went to museums, exhibitions, and art galleries that I saw advertised on flyers hanging to lamp posts. I sat in Maggie’s cafe drinking coffee while watching people walk past. I went on self-guided heritage walks and admired forgotten pieces of architecture. I ambled around looking approvingly at pieces of street-art on the side of buildings. I sat in the Archibald Baxter Peace Garden that honours all New Zealand’s conscientious and quietly watched the world go by. I took the time to read plaques on footpaths that mark spots of historical significance. I even read all the plaques in the upper Octagon that make up the Dunedin Writers’ Walk as part of the UNESCO City of Literature.
The Otago Peninsula
As I was standing looking out to the South Pacific Ocean, it occurred to me that autumn was most definitely taking hold. The warm evenings of summer had disappeared, only to be replaced by changeable weather patterns that not only brought with it cooler temperatures but also more frequent spells of wind and rain. I continued along the track, pausing for a moment to look out over a farm field that stretched down a slope and eventually stopped where the horizon met the ocean. I had the place all to myself and it was threatening to rain.
The Meridian’s glass dome.
To get this angle of the glass dome in the Meridian Mall in Dunedin I had to shoot while on the escalator. It took several attempts to get one I was happy with and by the third time I had been up and down the escalators the security guards were starting to show some interest in what I was doing. It was at that point that I decided it was best to leave. The thing I love about this angle is the way all the different shapes interplay with the circular domes; however to be under the dead centre you need to be in a certain spot on the escalator.
There are some very cool video’s floating around of yesterday’s Solar Eclipse. Check out this awesome video of the the crowd at Klyde Warren Park in Dallas, Taxas as they react to the moon passing between the earth and the sun.
South Dunedin
This is a shot I took on a helicopter ride over Dunedin a few years ago. It’s not a view of Dunedin I often see, so it’s nice to be reminded how different things can look if you can your perspective. It also reminds me how much the whole area of South Dunedin has changed in 200 years.
Over two hundred years ago the area wasn’t solid land. There were lots of tidal inlets with wide spread marshy swamp land covered with tussock, rushes and flax. It was also home to a wide variety of bird life. Out towards the coast near the suburbs of St Clair and St Kilda, there were low lying sand dunes and a large lagoon that stretched towards Lawyer Head. From that point the land was covered in a much higher series of sand dunes.
In the mid-1800’s when Dunedin began to be settled as a city, dry level land was in high demand. So, much of the wet, low areas were filled with any material available including a section near the beach being used as a tip. A tip right next to a beach, what could possibly go wrong!
Ross Creek Waterfall
I’d completely forgotten about the Ross Creek Waterfall (also known as School Creek Waterfall). It really is a hidden surprise! Found along the trail that runs beside School Creek, it’s a delightful tranquil spot and completely man made. Although it appears a natural creation as the water cascades down from the reservoir, in fact the falls were created as a diversion channel when the reservoir was first created.
Maggies Tearoom, Bar & Arcade
What’s not to love about Maggies (aka the former Morning Magpie) with its hip, urban vibe and relaxed atmosphere. I hear the Hotcakes are wonderful, the Leek and Potato Stew is great, the Full English breakfast is terrific and the coffee is always delicious. Not a bad place to pass a few minutes during the day if you’re close to lower Stuart Street in Dunedin.
Early Morning on a Bluebridge Ferry
If there’s one thing New Zealand has a long history with, it’s boats. From the early migrations of the Polynesians who reached the south-west corner of the Pacific between 1250 to 1300 AD, to famous people like Able Tasman and James Cook, New Zealanders do seem to enjoy boats. In fact, boating is New Zealand’s largest recreational activity with 1.9 million people participating in boating activities each year and it being a $2.9 billion dollar industry. According to 2023 statistics, there are more than 1,540,000 boats in New Zealand with an annual growth of an estimated 45,000 vessels per year. That’s not bad for a tiny nation in the south-west corner of the Pacific.
Love is in the air.
If you go to Central Otago at the right time of year, one of the strange sights you’ll see are a numerous number of brides and grooms. Usually, they’re posing for photos in very public places with lots of people holding lighting gear and taking photos. However, I never know if they’re from an actual wedding party or if it’s a promotional shoot. This is a couple I found on the shores of Lake Wanaka.
Here’s short video I forgot about!
Ross Creek Track Waterfall
The other week I went wandering along some of the bush tracks in Leith Valley, in North Dunedin. I started at the entrance to the tracks that start off Rockside Road and head into the bush from there. The stream that runs down from Ross Creek Reservoir and links up with the Water of Leith was on the low side meaning a few of the small waterfalls were easily accessible. While I was there I made a short view which I then forgot about until yesterday. I hope you enjoy it.
Careys Creek
This is another mystery location that I’m not 100% sure of. I’m thinking it’s Carey’s Creek which is north of Dunedin and runs near the Silver Peaks area through to Evandale Glen and out to the coast, I believe. I recall while detouring slightly off the track and coming across a sign that warned of hunters operating in the area. It got me wondering if I should be more worried about being attacked by wild animals or shot by the hunters who were hunting them. Either way, it was a lovely afternoon.
The Octagon, Dunedin – Buy
If there’s one text you should read at Christmas time it’s the letter eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the editor of New York’s Sun newspaper in September, 1897. The response by Francis Church has since become one of the most reprinted newspaper editorials in history. Here it is in full: “Yes, Virgina, there is a Santa Claus”
Have a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Of Light and Lines – Buy
Eventually I made my way to a nearby car parking building. Which, I must admit, are really interesting places if you’re looking for some creative inspiration or mental stimulation. They provide all sorts of views across the tops of buildings, from all kinds of angles. You can also find some fun textures and lines if that’s what you’re looking for.
Escalator in centre Dunedin – Buy
I went wandering through centre Dunedin not looking for anything in particular. While I was in the process of looking for some mental stimulation I came across an escalator close to the central Library. I spent the next few minutes riding it in both directions trying to decide where to go next when the escalator itself became of interest.
St Paul’s Cathedral in central Dunedin – Buy
I called in to St Paul’s Cathedral in central Dunedin for a bit of a look around and a little creative inspiration. It so happened that the next day they were holding a concert in the Cathedral and while I was there they were holding an open practice. One lady who was playing the piano was very good while the man that followed her seemed to need a little more practice. Having said that, if you consider the fact that I can’t play the piano at all, they were both actually very delightful to listen to.
St Clair Sunrise – Buy
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.
Well, this is my final post for 2021, it’s hard to believe another year has flown on by. 2021 was a bit of a blur, it really was. Thank you to everyone that reads my rambles and enjoys the images that have been posted this year. It means so much and I’m very grateful to those that keep returning. This year, it’s been a lot of fun, even if the year was disrupted with another Covid 19 Lockdown. It’s time to take a break for three weeks, soak up some sun, put the camera down and head to the beach.
2022.
There are some big plans instore for 2022 – you’ll see in the coming New Year in mid January.
See you all then,
John
If there’s one text you should read at Christmas time it’s the letter eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon wrote to the editor of New York’s Sun in September, 1897. The response by Francis Church has since become one of the most reprinted newspaper editorials in history. Here it is in full: “Yes, Virgina, there is a Santa Claus”
Have a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Catalyst on Princes Street
The days all get longer from this point onwards! Monday was the winter solstice here in NZ with Dunedin having only 8 hours 39 minutes and 11 seconds of daylight on the shortest day as the sun was at it’s lowest point in the sky for the whole year. This is the popular Catalyst Restaurant here in Dunedin which is open for breakfast. If you get the chance, try the waffles!
#lovindunners #majesticdunedin #johncaswellnz
The Graduation Procession
What’s more Dunedin than the students and their families walking along George Street. The Otago University Students Association organised procession along George Street happens before every Graduation ceremony that is held at the Town Hall in May, August and December.
See full post & more photographs
The other day, I was happily taking a virtual walk through my lightroom catalogue when a sudden buzzing of my phone alerted my attention to something important. These alerts are fantastic. So fantastic I have my own vocabulary of four letter words that I used to describe them. I know I can turn these alerts off, and before you ask, yes, I do know how. it’s just, I always forget!
On this occasion my phone had drawn my attention away from the mist covered Otago Peninsula that I was currently enthralled in to tell me that I had a podcast from the Guardian that was now two/three days old. With my phone desperate for me to listen to the content, I took a look. The title read:
‘US election 2020: will Donald Trump accept the result?
I couldn’t help myself. Before I knew what was happening I was in. You see, I have recently become a lot more acquainted with CNN than I ever wanted to be. Like the rest of the world, I’ve become fascinated with the US numbers game.
See full post & more photographsIf I had to describe New Zealand to any overseas visitor, in 400 words or less, this would be it.
See full post & more photographsTwice a year, there are times when photography and writing have to take a back seat. One is late June, early July and the other is early December. It’s no coincidence that these times are when school reports have to be written and assessment data analyzed. Unfortunately, these tasks have been occupying my time and mental capacity of late. However, last week I managed to put these tasks to bed and turned my attention back to my newly created ‘Jacinda’s Law’ and exploring Dunedin.
Jacinda’s law states; where possible, we are to get out and see our own backyard. With this in mind, I recently found myself walking up a misty and muddy track on one of Dunedin’s surrounding hills. The beautiful thing about Dunedin is that it’s relatively easy to escape onto a bush track or path. From the city center, you can be on a bush track in 10 minutes if you wish.
Engulfed in mist, the track I was now on twisted and stretched up into the forest. Initially looking like a vehicle access track, it quickly narrowed. Continuing, gently falling rain collected in the autumn leaves which had created a blanket on the narrow bridge. Wet and muddy, with rain running into a stream, the track continued until deep grooves started crisscrossing the trail before me.
Suspecting the trail I was on was a mountain bike track, I now feared that I might get struck down at any moment without having the faintest idea of what hit me. Proceeding, but with a greater awareness of my surroundings, I continued on through the mist. I passed exit signs that read ‘No Entry, Rockin Roller Exit’ and ‘No Entry, Three Little Pigs Exit’. As I walked, it became clear that on this day, I had the area to myself. Feeling confident, and no longer worried about being bowled over by an adrenaline filled speed rocket, I continued. My concerns of having to arrive home with tyre makes across my back abated further when a sign appeared that read ‘No Chicken Lines, Don’t Ride Wet.’ Relieved, I spent the next hour exploring the surrounding tracks, jumps and paths that wound their way through the forest.
Feeling wet, I made my way back to the car as the mist lifted and the rain got heavier. Once again reaching the small bridge, I couldn’t help but get distracted by a casually ambling stream. It appeared from the thick bush, ran under the bridge and continued on down the hillside. I stood listening to the sound of the stream bubbling over rocks and branches. For a moment I forgot about the Dunedin traffic noise. That’s the beauty of nature, even silence has a voice.
When Wellingtonian William McLean imported the first two cars into New Zealand in 1898 he can’t of been aware of the chaotic madness he was about to unleash on the country.
Just what the 53 year old Scotsman and former politician was doing in Wellington in the first place is an interesting tale. Born in Grantown (a district of North Edinburgh), Scotland and the son of a shoemaker, William was first adopted by a parish priest before he moved to Rochdale in England to work as a cotton spinner at the age of 13. When the American Civil War caused a cotton famine, at the age of 18, William decided to head for New Zealand and the Otago Gold Rush.
Unlike many others who ventured into the Otago gold fields with the hopes of finding a fortune, William it seems, had some success. After making enough money to open a small shop, when the West Coast Gold Rush in Hokitika sprung up, William packed up and headed for the coast. The West Coast must have suited him because during his time there he not only prospected for gold, he was a schoolmaster, an auctioneer and a mining and commission agent. At this point, in April 1877, William married Mary Elizabeth Crumpton where they continued to live happily on the coast until they moved to Wellington in 1884. Once again, William held several positions of employment which included an auctioneer, secretary for the Wellington Loan Company before becoming secretary to the Empire Loan and Discount Company and standing for parliament.
After coming last in the 1881 Inangahua election, he was also unsuccessful in the 1887 Thorndon election and the 1890 Wellington election before successfully winning the 1892 City of Wellington by-election. William’s time in office lasted until he lost his seat in the general election of 1893. What all this means is that William McLean’s contribution to life in New Zealand wasn’t as a great businessman, he wasn’t known for heroic deeds on the gold fields and he clearly wasn’t a politician with a long and lasting career. Yet, his contribution to New Zealand’s identity is long reaching and forever lasting. William McLean’s gift to New Zealand, was the 1898 McLean Motor-car act.
The act of 1898 which was passed in government legalised the operation of motor vehicles and set out the rules under which McLean’s two Benz cars imported from Pairs could operate. Among the rules and regulations that William McLean (and other motorists in years to come) had to follow was that they must be lit after dark and did not go faster than 12 miles ( 20 kilometers) per hour.’ Just think, if we could have somehow brought William McLean forward in time with one of his Parisian Benz cars to the year 2020, even he would have had to slow down on George Street in Dunedin to make the recently enforced 10 kilometers an hour speed limit. Although he would have found the assortment of blue and red dots covering the street quite bewildering.
And so it was that in 1898, thanks to William McLean, New Zealand’s love affair with cars was born.
This is part three of three. The full text which I’m calling ‘The Long and Winding Road – Prologue’ is too long to publish in a single post, so it has been broken into three parts. Last week I published part two: This Calls For A Spotify Playlist. Today is part three: A Tourist in NZ.
III
A few days later I found myself discussing all things Covid 19. The conversation traversed the topics of hand sanitation, hygiene standards, social distancing, contact tracing and how wonderful life in Aotearoa was under Alert 2. The hysteria of being able to line up for hours in our vehicle to get McDonalds and KFC had died down and it was generally accepted that while we were all sick of our own cooking, Alert Level 2 was far better than Level’s 3 and 4. After all, we now had takeaway shops back, we could stock-up on alcohol, extend our bubbles, use QR codes and send kids back to school. With the number of new Covid 19 cases dropping by the day and local travel opening up, it seemed New Zealand was the place to be. I must admit, I was more than ready to spend a few hours wandering along a beach, swimming in the ocean or roaming through the wilderness. There were towns, forests, mountains, lakes and beaches to see and I was just a little bit excited.
Later that same day, sometime after 6pm in the evening, I found myself listing potential ideas for upcoming blog posts while the evening news droned on in the background. I try if at all possible to avoid the 6pm news on TV. I find it repetitive, onerous and completely exhausting to sit through. Despite my misgivings about the nightly bulletin, I watched as they cut to New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. In an effort to stimulate the local economy she was telling everyone to take a local holiday. She had received a letter from a lady called Judith who was looking forward to getting a haircut and seeing Aotearoa once out of lockdown.
“my message to everyone is to go and get that haircut and see your own backyard” she said.
I assumed she meant this figuratively and not literally. Following the Covid 19 lockdown I’d seen quite enough of my own backyard over the last few months and I didn’t have any desire to stay put if I could help it. The possibilities started to spark in my mind. I could improve my knowledge of my own country’s identity by taking a look at it through fresh eyes. My mind whirled, I could write and photoblog about my own backyard. After all, the Prime Minister was telling me to do so and it didn’t seem right to argue with her. I would call it, Jacinda’s Law.
For the briefest of periods I carefully considered what this would mean. Clearly I couldn’t just take off on an endless grand adventure, that would be ludicrous and totally impracticable. For one thing my job prevented this. But, I could use Jacinda’s Law as a sort of guide when time allowed. Where possible I would headout into my own backyard and take stock of this great country called Aotearoa, reconnecting with its identity. Are we still a nation obsessed with Fresh Up, Fush & Chups, Buzzy Bees, The Pavlova, Paua Shells, The Edmonds Cookbook, L & P, The All Blacks, Gumboots, Jandels, Hokey Pokey Ice Cream with a No 8 Wire mentality? Are these items redolent of New Zealand life or just of an urban myth sold off to tourists who drive on the wrong side of the road and decorate bushes with loo paper.
There were of course some obvious obstacles that would make this more challenging than it first appeared. In the South Island for example, The Southern Alps would clearly limit my travel options. It isn’t possible to continuously zigzag across the country at will as it is in Britain. There are only four points where you can cross the Alps via road and often they are closed in winter. To drive from Dunedin on the East Coast to Hokitkia on the West Coast is a distance of 548 kilometers with a driving time of nearly 7 hours. An alternative option is to travel through Haast. This is somewhat closer at a distance of only 400 kilometres and 5 hours driving time. Another potential obstacle is the small matter of Aotearoa being split into three main islands. The North and South Islands and Stewart Island. These geographical challenges meant I would have to keep my travels local, stopping at all the small incidental places around Dunedin that I usually drive past without giving a second thought too. Then, I would venture further afield out into the vast beyond of Aeoteroa during school holidays, long weekends and when time permitted and regularly blog about my travels.
The Prime Minister had clearly given me a sign and who am I to argue with someone who has successfully led a country through a mass shooting, a volcanic eruption and a global pandemic all in 12 months.
I particularly liked the idea of rediscovering all the nooks and crannies of Dunedin and Otago that I had forgotten about. I also liked the thought of being able to answer people when they asked me why I was doing this. I would look them in the eye and then adjust my gaze over their shoulder to the horizon, tilt my head back slightly and say with a look of thoughtful confusion and a touch of daring, ‘because Jacinda told me too’.
There was also a long weekend coming up, Queens Birthday, and a chance to rebook a scheduled autumn trip to Arrowtown. The timing seemed almost perfect.
But before that late autumn adventure, I had an ipod to re-find, a Spotify playlist to adjust, hundreds of kilometres ahead of me in my weekly commute and a chance visit to the small nook of Evansdale Glen.
