#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Rakaia, South Island, Wild Horses

The Rakaia Graffiti Barn

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Daily Photo – The Famous Rakaia Graffiti Barn

One of the great New Zealand traditions is that of the shed. It’s something that is deeply rooted in the culture of the country and is a place where some of the greatest technological advancements have taken place. It’s a space for innovation, relaxation, hobbies, projects, and tinkering and links directly to our “number eight wire” mentality. Generally speaking, the rule with a shed is that every property must have one and if you’re in a rural area, at some point you must abandon it and let the elements deal with it as it may. Then, after an appropriate timeframe, taggers will come along and use it as their personal canvas to write unintelligible things on it in bright neon-colours. 

On the way to Akaroa I passed a particularly popular shed on the main stretch of State Highway 1, a place where the graffiti changes so often it’s difficult to know whether you are looking at vandalism or a very aggressive exhibition schedule. It functions as an unofficial gallery for street artists, a sort of living canvas with no opening hours and no curator. The thing about graffiti, of course, is that it’s illegal and surprisingly difficult to deny responsibility once your work has been identified. In late 2025, a 23-year-old North Canterbury man was arrested in connection with more than 500 tags across Canterbury and Otago, a body of work that included public bridges, toilets, walls, rubbish bins, walkways, light posts, former gun emplacements, train tracks, water tanks, and drainage pipes. Proving himself to be, if nothing else, committed to his art.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, New Zealand, Pareora, South Island, Wild Horses

The Amazing Colours of Pareora Beach

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Daily Photo – The Amazing Colours of Pareora Beach

There is a specific kind of magic in the “in-between” places on New Zealand’s State Highway 1. Before reaching Oamaru, I decided not to join the busloads of people at the Moeraki Boulders and in Oamaru I detoured away from the white stone streets of the town. Just before Timaru, though, I saw a sign that read ‘Pareora’, a place about which I knew nothing and had never even heard of. No wonder. It is a tiny community tucked beside the Pacific Ocean, with a coastal landscape stripped back to its purest elements: a vast sky, a turquoise sea, and a shore of smooth, charcoal-grey stones.

What struck me first was the palette. I often think of beaches as golden, but here there was something deeply healing and magical about the cool tones of the stony shore. The dark pebbles made the Pacific Ocean look almost neon, a glacial blue that felt as though it belonged in a painting.

There are no cafés, no crowds, and no noise other than the rhythmic crunch, crunch, crunch of stones being dragged by the tide. I stood for a while, feeling the sun-warmed stones in my hand and breathing in the salt air.

New Zealand is famous for its grand mountains and deep fjords, but sometimes it is the minimal horizons that linger longest in the mind, and this was one of them. It was quite marvelous. It felt like standing at the edge of the world, where the only thing left to do is breathe.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Shag Point, South Island, Wild Horses

Shag Point

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Daily Photo – Shag Point Reserve

Shortly after leaving Palmerston, having only just rejoined State Highway 1, I left it again and detoured through the small coastal settlement of Shag Point, a name that conjures up all sorts of wonderings about how it came to be, which I would guess is not nearly as salacious as one might think or hope. It’s a stunning coastline. In fact, at the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to suggest that the Shag Point coastline and the adjoining Katiki Beach Cove form one of the most underrated stretches of scenic coastline in the country.

Beyond the rocky promontory of Shag Point, a long sandy beach stretches for at least six kilometres, dotted with scattered volcanic boulders and with the sea sparkling in the sunlight. At the northernmost point stands a lighthouse dating back to 1878, while the southern end was occupied by Māori as far back as the fifteenth century. In the wider region, evidence from some of the earliest Polynesian settlements is thought to date back at least one thousand years. This was because the area was a popular food-gathering site for iwi, thanks to its plentiful marine life. This was where I now found myself, among an abundance of wildlife, so much so that if you are not careful you can quite literally trip over sea lions as you walk the paths that cover the headland. Something that is not quite as fun as it might sound, particularly if you have neglected to bring a spare change of underwear.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Palmerston, South Island, Wild Horses

Palmerston

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Daily Photo – Puketapu and the Sir John McKenzie Memorial

I was heading for Palmerston and the Sir John McKenzie Memorial, which sits on top of a prominent hill overlooking the town, near where he spent many years of his life. Given the fact that the memorial is a cairn on top of a hill that is over 300 metres high, Sir John must have been a person of some importance, which he was.

Hailing from the Ross-shire region of Scotland, he emigrated to Otago in 1860, eventually settling on a farm he named in the Shag Valley, near Palmerston. At the time, much of the land was owned by wealthy landlords who hoarded the best properties. Over time, he grew tired of this and spent years working his way up through local councils, proving that he actually knew his stuff about soil and sheep, before eventually moving to the “big leagues” in Parliament. There, he teamed up with a group called the Liberals and, when they won a massive election in 1890, he became Minister of Lands. He introduced the 999-year lease, allowing settlers with very little capital to get onto the land without having to buy it outright. He also passed the Land for Settlements Act 1894, which gave the government the power to compulsorily acquire large, under-utilised pastoral estates and subdivide them for small-scale family farming, and he established the Department of Agriculture to provide farmers with scientific advice, export grading standards, and pest control. What all this meant was that by the time soldiers returned from World War 1 they were able to purchase small parcels of land around the country and essentially start to rebuild their lives, which in turn gave birth to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association (RSA), a fixture in every small-town across the country. Like I say, an important figure in the grand scheme of agricultural New Zealand.

When I set out, my plan had been to swing-by the monument (and tackle the arduous climb to the stop) and take in the great views that expand out in all directions and before leaving adjust my gaze over the horizon, let the wind blow through my hair and embrace the serenity. Alas, it was not to be. By the time I arrived in Palmerston, I had already spent a large portion of the morning walking boardwalks, strolling near streams, and detouring along dirt roads, leaving no time at all for my planned amble up the side of a steep hill. So, instead I settled for a view of the Sir John McKenzie Memorial from street level before returning to my vehicle and rejoining State Highway 1

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, South Island, Waikouaiti, Wild Horses

Waikouaiti 

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Daily Photo – Matanaka Farm in Waikouaiti 

A short drive north from Waitati of around 40 kilometres (25 miles) brings you to the community of Waikouaiti. It is a semi-rural township, with pockets of built-up housing that give way to farmland which almost entirely surrounds the town. To the east is a broad, sweeping bay with a long white sandy beach that stretches far to the south, while to the north the coastline becomes more rugged, with sharp cliffs and rolling hills.

Like so many towns around New Zealand, State Highway 1 rolls straight through it, first slowing to 70 km/h, then 50 km/h as you approach the heart of town. There is the usual collection of essentials: a dairy, pub, town hall, school, race course, museum, bakery, school and hardware store. Its origins trace back to early European arrivals, drawn by sealing and whaling before setting down more permanent roots, while the history of the local Ngāi Tahu iwi stretches back centuries before that.

And then, just like that, you are rolling out of town again into open farmland as the speed limit increases, first to 70 km/h and then to 100 km/h, past a scenic lookout and onto a winding ribbon of chip seal that carries you towards the next small town.

#dailyat6am, Beach, Beach Life, Dunedin, South Island, Wild Horses

The Rocks at St Kilda Beach

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Daily Photo – The story of St Kilda beach begins quietly ….

The European story of St Kilda Beach begins rather quietly, without a single dramatic landing or a heroic explorer planting a flag in the sand. Instead, it arrived in the form of sealers and whalers who moved up and down the Otago coast in the early 1800s. They would have stepped ashore on these beaches as casually as you or I wander down the street for an ice cream, leaving little behind except footprints in the sand and a few scribbles in ship logs or a footnote at the bottom of a page.

A few decades later, when Dunedin began to spread south and the dunes slowly acquired fences, roads and houses. The suburb needed a name, and a developer called George Scott, fresh from Victoria, borrowed one he liked from Melbourne, Australia – St Kilda. Initially taken from a cluster of windswept Scottish Islands (that didn’t actually have a saint at all), the name had already travelled halfway around the world so when it was added to Dunedin’s coastal stretch of land, it was adopted without much fuss.

Today the beach feels like one of the city’s great locations. Everyone comes here at some point, whether to surf, swim, walk the dog, see the wildlife or simply stand and watch the sea rearrange its thoughts in a quiet yet moody sort of way.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Aotearoa, Moeraki, Moeraki Village, New Zealand, South Island, Wild Horses

Classic Coastal New Zealand

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Daily Photo – Boats at Moeraki Fishing Village

I was ambling around the Moeraki Fishing Village, enjoying that quiet feeling you get when a place is perfectly happy without you. The sky was doing its best impression of a damp woolen blanket and the sea had settled into a gentle green that looked far more inviting than it felt. Two upturned boats rested on the concrete like old friends who had decided to lie down for a spell. The blue one was peeling like a sunburnt tourist, while the white one still looked hopeful that someone might flip it over and take it for a spin. Neither seemed in a hurry.

Out on the water a handful of boats bobbed about, each one appearing to be minding its own business. The ruins of an ancient jetty leaned into the shallows, holding itself together out of sheer habit. You could almost hear it sigh every time a wave nudged it. At the same time, nearby a local fish and chip shop was sending out hot parcels at a pace that suggested they were keeping the entire village fed. It felt like classic coastal New Zealand, simple and quietly wonderful.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Aotearoa, Oamaru, South Island, Wild Horses

Oamaru (2 of 3)

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Daily Photo – Oamaru – The Opera House

Just up the road, the gallery-like quality of the streets started to show. The buildings are so confidently built, so unapologetically ornate, that you can almost hear the masons who shaped the stone congratulating themselves from the afterlife. The Opera House loomed into view next, and honestly, it is one of those structures that makes you pause. The tower, the details, the improbable brightness of the limestone in the late light all work together to create a scene that never feels tired no matter how many times you photograph it.

Every corner had something unexpected. A quiet side street where sunlight hit peeling paint in a way that felt cinematic. A row of heritage shopfronts that looked like they belonged in a much larger city. A crossroads framed by Oamaru’s heritage backdrop.

#dailyat6am, Aotearoa, Oamaru, South Island, Wild Horses

Oamaru (1 of 3)

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Daily Photo – Oamaru – Victorian Precinct

There are towns you pass through and towns you wander into by accident, only to realise you have somehow stepped sideways in time. Oamaru is firmly in the second category. I arrived with the morning sun spilling across the harbour, casting long shadows from the old rail lines and turning the limestone buildings a creamy gold.

Walking through the Victorian Precinct felt oddly theatrical, like the locals might suddenly break into a dress rehearsal for something involving steam engines, goggles and elaborate hats. The old railway station and its simple wooden sign seemed frozen in a moment that refused to modernise. I stood there for a while, taking photos, noticing the way the gravel track curved gently toward the past.

#dailyat6am, Aotearoa, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, South Island, Wild Horses

Mount Cargill & The Organ Pipes

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Daily Photo – Mount Cargill & The Organ Pipes

After a slightly breathless scramble to the top of Dunedin’s famous Organ Pipes, you’re rewarded with a view that practically demands a moment of awe, and maybe a little happy panting. Beneath your feet, rock formations that took nearly 15 million years to form jut out like nature’s own sculpture garden, while native broadleaf and podocarp forest stretches lazily down Mount Cargill. Before European settlers arrived, this whole area was forest – proper, ancient forest and some of what survives today is genuinely old, especially where logging either gave up or wasn’t thorough enough. You’ll notice patches that are part original, part regenerating bush, and part exotic forestry that clearly went rogue. From these primeval rocks and leafy slopes, the land tumbles toward farmland and the shoreline far below, a reminder that nature likes to show off now and then. Much like its cousin, the Otago Peninsula, this corner of New Zealand has its own personality and charm that sneaks up on you, whether you’re ready for it or not.

#dailyat6am, #fromtheroad, Hindon, South Island, Wild Horses

The Town That Vanished: On the Trail of Gold in Hindon

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Daily Photo – Hindon & The Silverpeaks

I spent a good few hours of the afternoon in Hindon for two reasons. Firstly, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d visited the place, and a strenuous adventure along unpaved, steep, narrow, and winding roads that featured a shared road-and-rail bridge with sharp bends and steep drop-offs  seemed just the thing.

My second, and more compelling, reason for going was that I wanted to see the settlement where nearly 1,200 miners once swarmed the gullies and terraces in the hope of striking it rich. After Gabriel Reid discovered gold in a small gully near the Otago town of Lawrence in 1861, everyone went absolutely bonkers. Within weeks, the population of Dunedin skyrocketed as news of his discovery spread and hopeful prospectors poured into the newly found goldfields. One of the settlements that sprang up almost overnight was a small township in the Silverpeaks range near Dunedin, called Hindon. However, as with most gold rushes, once the gold ran out, the miners quickly moved on to new fields, while the real fortunes were made by the merchants selling shovels, the innkeepers charging exorbitant fees for a night’s rest, and those who realised that gold is often easier to extract from the desperate than from the earth itself.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, New Zealand, South Island, Wild Horses

Dunedin Before Dawn

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Daily Photo – Dunedin Before Dawn

I was up early as a special kind of calm settled over Dunedin, just before sunrise. The city hadn’t quite woken up. The streets were mostly empty, the air sharp, and the lights glowed against a soft violet sky. It was that minute, that hour, that moment when night hadn’t entirely let go, and day hadn’t quite begun.

Down the main street, baristas, bakers, couriers, and delivery vans were starting to stir, streaks of light cutting through the not-yet-congested roads – but the alleyways remained silent. The rest of the city slumbered behind the darkened windows of the grand old buildings which watched in silence, their stone façades catching the faint promise of dawn.

In a city known for its energy and eccentricity, there was a quiet beauty. It was almost as if the city itself paused to breathe, waiting for the first light to spill over the hills and touch its buildings. And for a brief second, the city dreamed.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, New Zealand, Otago Peninsula, South Island, Wild Horses

The Magnificent Boulder Beach

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Daily Photo – The Magnificent Boulder Beach

Boulder Beach, the place is magnificent. A rugged, windswept slice of South Island coastline that looks as though it hasn’t seen a nice promenade in its entire geological existence. No neat boardwalks, no conveniently placed benches. Just raw, elemental beauty and a sense that the wind has been in charge here for quite some time. The beach itself is a glorious jumble of colossal volcanic stones and dark boulders that clearly took a fair bit of tectonic enthusiasm to create. Between them are carefully placed pockets of fine sand, that arrived on wind and next waves. It’s beautiful, but let’s be honest, you wouldn’t want to jog on it.

More importantly, this wild stretch of coast is a vital sanctuary for the yellow-eyed penguin, or Hoiho, a bird so rare it seems perpetually startled by its own continued existence. The Department of Conservation, bless their cotton socks, does a sterling job protecting them, closing off parts of the area for months at a time while the penguins get on with the serious business of breeding. If you’re lucky enough to visit outside of those times, it’s a wonderful reminder of how nature can still write its own rules. You might spot a Hoiho making its slightly awkward way up the sand, or perhaps find yourself the subject of a disapproving glare from a resident sea lion. Best advice: keep your distance, there’s nothing quite like being told off by a several-hundred-kilo local to remind you who really owns the beach.

It’s a place that feels defiantly untamed, as if it’s politely declined every human attempt to tidy it up. And thank goodness for that. Because every so often, it’s good to stand somewhere that reminds you that nature, even here at the far edge of the world, remains profoundly and beautifully unmanageable.

#dailyat6am, Dunedin, Ōtepoti, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

Observation Point in Port Chalmers

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Daily Photo – Observation Point in Port Chalmers

If there’s one thing to be discovered at Observation Point in Port Chalmers, it’s the view. I know that might sound a little obvious, but it’s the very view that the famous New Zealand artist Ralph Hotere drew inspiration from – and it’s amazing! It’s not hard to see why he loved it so much, or why he fought so fiercely to keep it.

In the 1970s, Hotere bought a four-room cottage near Observation Point and turned it into his first studio, transforming it quite a bit along the way. When a near-derelict stable next door came up for sale, he was desperate to get hold of it. Not only were the stables rumoured to have once housed Captain Robert Scott’s ponies on their way to Antarctica, but they also offered stunning views right down Otago Harbour – and they did not disappoint.

Once settled, Hotere produced some of his most famous works there and was content enough until the early 1990s, when Port Otago moved to reclaim the land for a port extension. Logging exports to Japan were booming, and to keep up with demand, the port needed to expand its operations, which meant they needed Hotere’s land. The problem was, he wasn’t about to move. What followed was a long, very public dispute between the artist, local authorities, and the community. Eventually, though, Hotere reluctantly agreed to sell, allowing the port’s expansion project to finally go ahead.

When he gave in, many who had supported him felt a way of disappointment. No one’s entirely sure what prompted his change of mind, perhaps he simply grew tired of the fight and decided to move on. Whatever the reason, when the dust settled, Hotere donated the proceeds from the sale to the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship Trust Fund. Today, the Hotere Garden Oputae stands on the site where his studio once was. It opened in 2005, marking the return of four of his sculptures to the hill that inspired him for so many years.

Invercargill, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

H&J Smith’s in Invercargill

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Daily Photo – H&J Smith’s in Invercargill

How many department stores can claim to be loved? Not just used, or remembered fondly, but genuinely loved. Down in Invercargill, H&J Smith’s managed it. For more than a century, this grand old shop sat on the corner of Tay and Kelvin Streets like a friendly old uncle, a little formal, slightly out of fashion, but always there when you needed a decent raincoat or a set of sheets.

Founded in 1900 by siblings Helen and John Smith, it began as a drapery and somehow grew into a Southland institution. Generations of locals bought their school uniforms, wedding gifts, and first suits under its roof. It even had a tearoom called ‘The Copper Kettle’, where you could order a sandwich and feel like you’d stepped into 1957.

When the store finally closed its doors in 2023, after 123 years, it wasn’t just a sale that ended, it was a chapter. People stood on the footpath to say goodbye, as if farewelling an old friend who’d seen them through every season and in some ways, I guess they were!

#dailyat6am, Oamaru, South Island, Travel, Travels in small-town New Zealand, Wild Horses

Oamaru’s Heritage Precinct

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Daily Photo – Oamaru’s Heritage Precinct

I’d driven up to Oamaru for the day and, as always, ended up wandering through the town’s remarkable heritage precinct. It’s one of those places that makes you feel as though you’ve stepped into another century, all creamy limestone facades, iron railings, and a faint whiff of coal smoke in the imagination.

Eventually, I found myself on Harbour Street, the heart of it all, and honestly, it was just lovely. The buildings stood shoulder to shoulder, each one a relic from the town’s glory days, now home to art galleries, antique shops, and cafés that sell tea in mismatched china.

But here’s what I don’t understand: why on earth is the street still open to traffic? It’s narrow, charming, and practically begging to be pedestrian-only. Nothing quite spoils the mood of admiring Victorian architecture like dodging SUVs and utes crawling past at two kilometres an hour. It made no sense at all, I pondered this for some time. Eventually giving up and headed for an Art Gallery then maybe a cup of coffee and biscuit.

Lake Wanaka, South Island, Wanaka, Wild Horses

Wanaka Gold

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Daily Photo – Wanaka Gold

I took this photo a few summers ago while spending a few days in Wanaka. I was there between Christmas and New Year, at that in-between moment when the Christmas celebrations had begun to fade and everyone’s attention was shifting toward welcoming the year ahead. The town was overrun with holiday energy, families picnicking by the lake, people soaking up the summer sun, and travellers passing through.

Central Otago, Clyde, South Island, Wild Horses

Driving Through Clyde

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More from Clyde

Don’t forget you can click on the catergory names above each post to see more photos related to that place. For example, you can give it ago here with Clyde or Central Otago.

Daily Photo – Driving Through Clyde

I’d spent several days in Central Otago, in and around the Kawarau Gorge area, and on the way home, on a whim, I called in at the Clyde Dam lookout. It was at that point that I spotted this view of the Clutha River winding its way under the Clyde Bridge with the stark, barren hillside beyond the far away town of Alexandra only adding to the and a sense of emptiness and seclusion that is such a feature of  this area of the country. Fortunately, I had plenty of time on my hands, so I detoured down into the town of Clyde and had a lovely wander around for half an hour or so in the afternoon sun. 

Dunedin, Ōtepoti, South Island, Wild Horses

The Organ Pipes

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Daily Photo – The Organ Pipes

Let’s rewind the clock around 15 million years, and we’d find ourselves in a very different version of Dunedin. For starters, the scenery would be dominated by a restless volcano that had a habit of erupting with little warning. During one of its more dramatic outbursts, lava spilled out across the land. As it cooled, it contracted and cracked, creating striking hexagonal basalt columns. These natural formations can still be seen today in spots like Lawyers Head, Blackhead, and the Pyramids at Okia Reserve on the Otago Peninsula. Over the course of millions of years, wind, rain, and time itself have sculpted the land, slowly shaping features like the Organ Pipes into the rugged forms we now recognise, and many of us enjoy clambering over on a sunny afternoon.

Central Otago, Ida Valley, South Island, Wild Horses

The Solitude of Central Otago

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Daily Photo – The solitude of Central Otago

A few days later I left the shores of Lake Wakatipu and nearby conservation areas such as Mount Aspiring National Park. I headed in a roughly east-north-easterly direction for nearly two hours past towns like Clyde, Alexandra, and through the Ida Valley to Oturehua. I’d remembered about a general store called Gilchrist’s which is famous for being one of New Zealand’s oldest continually operating general stores. It still sells all sorts of quirky goods and is decorated with vintage advertising signs. I called in and wandered around. Afterwards and back in my car, I eventually rejoined state highway 83 where I was soon passing wide open- tussock covered plains that are a feature of the solitude of Central Otago.

Glenorchy, Queenstown-Lakes District, South Island, Wild Horses

The Glenorchy Pier

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Daily Photo – The Glenorchy Pier

I arrived in Glenorchy and parked at the information centre. I’d hoped to have a rummage through the brochures and maps that I assumed would be on display, but I was later than expected and I found to my annoyance that it was already closed. Instead, I went for a wander around the nearby streets, looking for nothing in-particular. Afterwards, I ambled down to the lake, perhaps 400 metres away (500 yards) and onto the wharf that stretched out over the lake. The place was quieter than I’d been expecting and apart from the occasional campervan passing by, I mostly had the place to myself. I strolled to the end of the pier and stood looking out across the lake. The cold front that had earlier brought wind and rain had passed, leaving a moody, atmospheric feeling hanging over the town and lake as the daylight vanished. It was all very lovely in a mirky, gloomy sort of away. 

Feeling content, I started to make my way back to my car when it suddenly dawned on me that I hadn’t yet found a place to stay. On the walk down to the lake I remembered seeing a sign for a Lodge with the word ‘vacancies’ in large letters, I made my way there now and hoped they’d be both a bar and restaurant, as it occurred to me I was really rather hungry!

Lake Wakatipu, Queenstown-Lakes District, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

Queenstown to Glenorchy

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Daily Photo – Queenstown to Glenorchy

The road to Glenorchy followed the eastern edge of Lake Wakatipu for 46 kilometers (28 miles). Two or three times I stopped in laybys and lookouts and went to the edge to stand hopefully in the murky gloom, knowing there was a lake out there, sure that I’d get blown into it at any moment. The wind and rain was everywhere – and coming from every possible direction. It seemed impossible to find a location that was both sheltered and safely away from the road side as campervans, tour buses and recreational vehicles hurriedly came to and from various places on the lake, looking decidedly unimpressed with the weather. Some time previously, I had bought an overpriced cup of coffee from one of those roadside caravans, so I sat in my car sipping coffee waiting for a break in the weather. The nearby mountains echoed in the moody atmosphere while storm clouds continued to roll in. I’d really been looking forward to the drive from Queenstown to Glenorchy. I sat in my car listening to the wind continuing to whip up the lake, only adding to the sense of drama. For the life of me, I couldn’t decide if I was happy I was driving into it or not!

Central Otago, South Island, St Bathans, Travel, Wild Horses

The Road Home

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Daily Photo – The Road Home

There’s something quietly revealing about standing alone on a long, empty gravel road, rain clouds drifting overhead and snow dusting the distant ranges. It’s the kind of place that either makes you want to turn back quickly or stay a while. When a cool wind lifted my hat and sent it tumbling, I took it as a sign. I sat by a nearby boundary fence and paused for a bit. Besides, I had a flat tyre to deal with, and the boot wasn’t going to unpack itself.

Invercargill, South Island, Southland, Wild Horses

Invercargill Town Hall & Theatre

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Daily Photo – Invercargill Town Hall & Theatre

Invercargill became a city on the 1st March, 1930. I know this because I read the plaque that was in the Town Hall. I also discovered that when both a new Town Hall and Theatre was needed, local officials decided to combine the two projects – not without controversy. In some quarters, the building of a theatre was viewed as sinful due to religious beliefs while others felt that a theatre should be funded from private investment, not public money. Nevertheless the project went ahead and was officially opened in November of 1906.

Dunedin, Ōtepoti, South Island, Wild Horses

Dunedin’s Quiet Moments: A Waterfront Evening

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Dunedin waterfront at dusk

I ambled through the streets until I came to a section of wharf called the Steamer Basin. Located right beside the railway lines on the eastern edge of the main business district, it was here that cargo was once loaded, unloaded and passed through the Customs Department Wharf Office. Thus, showing the importance of the area as a transit point between markets in the first decade of the twentieth century. 

For some time, the local city council has been developing this area by very strategically doing nothing at all. A strategy that successive councils have had in place for sometime now, and appears to be going according to plan. About every five to eight years a new, grand design is unveiled to the public which is always received with much oohing and ahhing, before eventually getting forgotten about and disappearing into the annals of time. 

The most recent push to redevelop the waterfront happened in 2017 when a group of notable locals got together to produce blueprints and 3D modelling that would transform the Steamer Basin into a stunning array of buildings and spaces over a span of thirty years. The designs included public spaces, Ecotourism office space, cafes, a Marine Research Centre and Aquarium, walkways, cycleways, docks, exhibition and office spaces, apartments, a luxury Hotel and a Culture Centre. All done in a futuristic space-age design and finished with a foot bridge linking the waterfront to the city. Unfortunately, after the initial enthusiasm wore off, the plans floundered, the whole project was put in the ‘too-hard basket’ and life moved on. Leaving the Steamer Basin to look as it always does, a little past it’s best 

I thought about this as I walked around and looked across the water to where a Marine Research Centre and Aquarium could now be standing. If that plan had gone ahead, we’d be eight years into a thirty year plan. I ambled a little further in the fading afternoon. Still, the people fishing seemed happy, and at least there’s a lovely pontoon that can fit up to twelve people on it.

Aotearoa, Milton, South Island, South Otago, Wild Horses

Milton

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Tokomairiro Presbyterian Church

The thing about small towns in New Zealand is—they really are just that: small towns. I don’t mean that in a mean, rude, or malicious way. I simply mean that’s what they are. Where once they may have been thriving hubs of industry with a lot going on, most of those big industries have long since moved. These days, apart from being home to people going about their daily lives, many of these towns have become more like places to pass through or maybe stop for a spot of lunch.

Take the small South Island town of Milton. I’m not saying Milton is a bad place, far from it. I quite like the town. I’ve stopped there many times and enjoyed wandering up and down the main street. But here’s the thing: with tourists flocking to the South Island to go bungy jumping, skiing, or hiking in the wilderness, strolling around Milton’s main street isn’t likely to make anyone’s top ten list.

Yet, I quite like wandering in small towns. There’s something rather splendid about ambling through with no particular purpose, then stumbling across a tearoom to rest for a while before continuing the journey. I hope they last for a long time to come.

South Island, The Catlins, The Catlins River, Travel, Wild Horses

10 Places to Visit in The Catlins

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The Catlins River

Located in the southeastern corner of the South Island, the Catlins are a truly amazing spot. It features dramatic seascapes, dense native forests, and hidden waterfalls. It’s a place where winding roads lead to a breathtaking view or a windswept beach. Here is a non-definitive list of ten places to visit in The Catlins. 

Purakaunui Falls – one of New Zealand’s most iconic waterfalls. 

McLean Falls – yet another of New Zealand’s most iconic waterfalls.  

Cathedral Caves – experience an amazing bush walk before arriving at an incredible natural feature.

Nugget Point – an iconic location with dramatic views of the coastline.

Catlins River – follow the track that follows the delightful river. 

Tautuku Beach – walk to the end of the beach and spend the day exploring the peninsula which includes shipwrecks and an old whaling station. 

Slope Point – the southernmost point of the South Island. 

Curio Bay – visit the wonderful petrified forest.

Surf at Kaka Point or Purakaunui Bay – some of the best surfing spots with good quality surf and long swell periods.

Waipapa Point – walk to the lighthouse and see the beautiful vistas of the coastline.

Checkout other images from The Catlins, right here-right now!

Aotearoa, South Island, Travel, Wild Horses

The Devil’s Staircase

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Lake Wakatipu at Kingston

To get to Kingston, at the southern tip of Lake Wakatipu, you have two options. However, it must be pointed out that it very much depends on where you’re coming from. If you’re coming from Southland, then you’ll pass through small towns such as Lumsden and Lowther before reaching the lakeside village of Kingston.

The other option (and possibly more interesting) is to turn off at Frankton on your way to Queenstown and pass through what is known as ‘The Devil’s Staircase’. Roughly 35 km south of Queenstown, it’s part of the drive between Queenstown and Te Anau and is considered a must-do leg of any Otago/Southland driving itinerary, both for the thrill of the drive and the spectacular views. Exactly how it got its name has become part of local folklore — in other words, no one really knows!

Given the nature of the road, one can only imagine what it must have been like to tackle the narrow, winding, and steep terrain, with sharp curves hugging cliffs above Lake Wakatipu, without the aid of a motor vehicle.

One story tells the tale of Captain Frederick Burwell and the Southland Hussars. Formed in the 1860s in response to fears of a Russian invasion, the cavalry corps were intent upon defending the Otago-Southland coast. At the time, there were many volunteer militias throughout New Zealand, so it wasn’t unusual for settlers to sign up to volunteer groups.

So, in 1885, when an April Review was held in Queenstown, up to 258 men from surrounding areas were due to gather. In Kingston, Captain Frederick Burwell needed to take his 30 men from the end of Lake Wakatipu up to the review assembly point in Queenstown. However, instead of going via boat, for some reason he decided to travel overland — a journey that took him and his men via the notorious Devil’s Staircase.

Travelling on horseback, they negotiated their way over small, narrow, and rugged tracks next to sheer vertical drops, before facing near-perpendicular rock faces in spots over 1,000 feet high. Once they reached the summit, a magnificent view of the lake came into view. Having passed the famous Staircase, the Kawarau River was crossed by punt, arriving in Queenstown late in the afternoon, where Captain Burwell and his men were warmly greeted, having successfully completed an arduous 40-mile journey.

Just why Captain Burwell opted for the deadly overland trip via the Devil’s Staircase instead of the easier ferry trip was never fully explained.