The Taieri River at Outram Glen
Yesterday, on what was a stunning autumn day (it must be said), I was on my way to cover a rugby match in Outram between West Taieri and Toko when I found myself a few minutes early. Knowing that I had a good half an hour up my sleeve, I decided to call in to Outram Glen. A popular spot for picnicking and swimming on fine Dunedin days, it is also the start of the Outam to Lee Stream and Maungatua Summit track. An 8 kilometre (5 mile) walk along a tramping track that follows both the Taieri River and Lee Stream that takes around 3 hours (return). On this occasion, since I wasn’t feeling energetic enough for a solid 8 kilometre hike, I settled for sitting beside the river and admiring the autumn colours.
The Taieri River at Taieri Mouth
Once the Taieri River reaches Henley, it heads to Taieri Mouth via the Taieri River Gorge. Along the way through the gorge, there are a number of walking tracks that take you through forests that also provide wonderful views of the river. At Taieri Mouth, which is a small fishing village, the river reaches the South Pacific Ocean and its 288 kilometre journey ends insight of Moturata Island.
The Taieri River at Henley
After passing through Outram Glen, the town of Outram and ambling across the Taieri Plains, the Taieri River arrives at Henley. At Henley, the river merges with the Waipori River which then flows to Taieri Mouth. In the early days of Otago, as settlers were pushing inland searching for gold, there used to be a river barge at Henley. It took travellers and their belongings across the river as they headed into the gold fields of the Tuapeka and the Dunstan.
The Taieri River across the Taieri Plains
Speaking of the Taieri River, as far as rivers go, only three in Aotearoa are longer! It starts from seemingly nowhere in the Lammerlaw Range and flows north, then east, then south-east on its 288 kilometre journey to the sea at Taieri Mouth. It passes through at least six towns, two gorges, it links with two lakes, the fish are plentiful, there are some lovely picnic spots along its banks and it is part of the fabric of the farming community. So, with all that in mind, I thought I’d follow it through various photos I’ve taken with different cameras.
Weeping Willow by the Taieri River
One of the places I visited recently was Taieri Mouth, a small fishing village at the mouth of the Taieri River. There are a number of walking tracks there, one of which is the Taieri River track. The track passes through forest that arrives at the John Bull Gully picnic area. From there, if you’re feeling energetic you can continue further to Taieri Ferry Road, near Henley.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
