Recently while I was travelling around the Wairarapa in the North Island of New Zealand, I crossed Cook Strait. For a change, instead of going on the Interislander I went Bluebridge and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I would definitely cross with them again. Do people have a preference?
Mellor Laboratories– Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
With a mind to having a stroll through North Dunedin, I set off on a warmish kind of day that looked like it might break into both glorious sunshine and also rain, both at the same time! After a while, on my return journey I detoured through the University of Otago where among other things the entrance to Mellor Laboratories caught my eye. I admired the entrance structure which is a cross between mathematics, science and sculpture. While I was doing this, I recalled reading somewhere that the building was renamed after Joseph Mellor. Now, I’m not sure who Joseph Mellor is, but assuming he is no longer with us, I’m sure he’d be mighty impressed to have a building named after him.
Spanish Bluebell – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I went for a ramble in the Rhododendron Dell at the Dunedin Botanic gardens. There was quite a wind racing down the harbour that was hitting almost every corner of the city, however in the dell, it was calm, peaceful and full of colour.
University of Otago In Bloom – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I took this while wandering around Otago University looking for spring colours and blossoms. Don’t the colours of pink, yellow, green and blue looking wonderful. It’s very refreshing after winter!
South Island Sunset – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The ferry docked in Picton on a stunning day. All the little bays and inlets that made up the Marlborough Sounds near Picton looked ideal for swimming and soaking up the sun. Driving off the ferry, it was the type of day that made me realise why so many people decide to spend an extra day or two in the area.
Once off the ferry I stopped to refuel both the car and myself before starting the 692km journey home. Leaving Picton, I passed by Mount Pleasant, Koromiko and Spring Creek before taking the wrong exit at a roundabout in Blenheim, eventually finding the correct road that took me through the Weld Pass and on to Kaikoura.
It was somewhere along the Kaikoura coast, near the famous food truck Nin’s Bin that I started randomly pondering about the sights that I was passing. This led me to the conclusion that it’s amazing what you remember that you forget when you’re looking out a window. It also led me to several observations about driving in New Zealand:
Keeping left unless overtaking in a passing lane is apparently quite hard.
Fields of Rapeseed are very pretty but have such an unfortunate name.
The three waters bill doesn’t appear to be very popular.
You can always tell buildings that were once a petrol station.
Fonterra trucks turn often.
There are plenty of places to buy bales of hay and horse poo.
If we are living in the digital age, how come there are parts of State Highway 1 where I can’t get coverage?
State Highway 1 is no place for a restored steam tractor to be towing a caravan and a car, no matter how lovely and old it is.
Snow capped peaks and high mountain ranges that sit on the edge of the horizon alway look lonely yet strangely enticing.
I love the sight of Dunedin from the Northern Motorway when you’re travelling south.
Cook Strait – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
On the ferry from Wellington to Picton they were showing the movie Frozen. I have some questions.
1. In the movie, is the way the snowflakes fall in the wind scientifically accurate?
2. What about hypothermia?
3. What about climate change?
4. Wouldn’t Elsa’s ice castle be amazingly boring?
5. Just how close can a snowman get to a fire without melting?
I wanted to address these questions with the other passengers. These were questions that needed answers and so I looked around to see who I could converse with. The dad’s were mostly asleep, the children were engrossed in the TV while the mum’s had that disturb me at your peril look. Deciding that I was the only one questioning what was being shown, I left these ponderings and I went for a walk outside before returning to my seat and settling back into my book until arriving in Picton.
Bluebridge Ferry – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I slept wonderfully. Apart from between 12:00am and 2:00am when three large gangs of middle aged women who had attended the World of WearableArt Show arrived back at the hotel. The first group treated the rest of the building to renditions of songs from Grease and Abba at obnoxiously high volumes. A second group got a trifle confused with what floor their room was on. This they solved by phoning a friend who was clearly deaf! While a third group in fits of giggling and laughter bounced their way off doors and walls down the corridor to the end of the hall. To show my appreciation, the next morning I replied in kind with several long blasts of my car horn as I departed for the Ferry at 6:00am! ‘I hope the show was terrible’ I muttered as I went in search of coffee!
That morning the Wellington waterfront and harbour was a true sight to behold. The day was breaking still and calm. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, nor a ripple on the water. It was so nice I didn’t even mind the ferry to Picton was 45 minutes late, this was Wellington on a good day.
Wellington CBD – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
By the time I arrived at my pre-booked accommodation in Wellington, I was ready to sit down and wet my whistle. This thought turned out to be a bit premature as it transpired that what I had booked, and what I was presented with, were vastly different. Upon entering the establishment I checked my confirmation email that read “double with ensuite – superior comfort with a double bed and ensuite bathroom.” What in fact I was given was a single, top bunk in a dorm with eight other individuals and a small locker to store my belongings. The thought of staying a second longer, didn’t even enter my consciousness. Being beyond a station in life where I want to share a bedroom with seven complete strangers in bunk beds, I simply collected my belongings, politely bid everyone good day and walked out the door.
Fortunately for me, after a quick Google search and a few phone calls later I found myself walking into the lobby of a nice block of hotel apartments that were only a few minutes away from Lambton Quay and nearby Courtenay Place. The staff were friendly and the room was spacious and clean with everything that is required of a decent room. It was free of bunks, it had an ensuite and I didn’t have to share it with anyone. Dropping my bags on the bed, I went in search of food and beer.
Having been to Wellington a few times, I felt like I knew the city fairly well. However, this time it felt different. The city seemed almost frightened. Over the streets and business there hung a shroud of angst and apprehension. Fear of a new kind seemed to be terrorizing the city. Large gangs of middle aged women had invaded for the 2022 World of WearableArt Show.
Taking over the city streets in numbers of up to eight or nine at a time, they walked giggling and laughing, forcing passers-by onto the pavement. The bars, nightclubs and cocktail lounges had been compelled to stock extra supplies of Merlot, Lindauer, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz while the once calm and peaceful streets of Wellington weren’t going to be safe after 7:00pm. These ladies had their husbands at home and were ready to flirt with the 18 year old bartender and dance inappropriately to Rock DJ by Robbie Williams.
This was a situation I wanted no part of. Taking shelter in a quiet restaurant that featured cuisine from South East Asia, I washed it all down with a few Heineken, then beat a hasty retreat to my hotel for the rest of the evening.
The Rimutaka Hills – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I stopped in Featherston and ate before I found a place called Loco. A delightful place that was not only a second hand bookshop but it was also a coffee shop. I instantly adored it. The shelves were piled with books from every genre spread out over two rooms that filled all the spaces inbetween. There were couches, sofas and chairs set out around a coffee table in the shop window while at the back of the store a more extensive reading area had been created with plenty of nooks and crannies to tuck yourself into.
It wasn’t long before I had found a copy of Truman Capote’s 1966 non-fiction novel, In Cold Blood and armed with a delicious cup of joe, I settled myself for a chapter or two.
Later, remembering I still had nearly 70 kilometres left until I got to Wellington, I pointed my car in the direction of the Rimutaka Hills, the Hutt Valley and Wellington.
Bizarre Attractions in Carterton – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The drive from Martinborough to Masterton took about 40 minutes and was uneventful. Which is just what you want to be able to say when the national road toll regularly reaches around 300 deaths per year. It rained the whole way, apart from when it was snowing and hailing. I can’t say the journey was boring, more unremarkable! Which is a good way to describe Masterton. Maybe it was the rain, hail and snow however I drove from one side of the town to the other, went around a round-about and drove out again without finding a single reason to stop. I just couldn’t find one. I really tried, I really did, however I just couldn’t for the life of me convince myself that it would add to my day or life in any conceivable way. So, leaving Masterton behind, I headed for Carterton and a coffee.
Carterton is a pleasant small town and unlike Masterton holds a bit of allure. It’s surrounded by farmland and hills that provide a lovely backdrop for the town itself. I stopped at a place called Wild Oats for coffee and drank it while rummaging through a second-hand store called Bizarre Attractions next door. A shop filled with curiosity, it had everything from records to old tin cans, toys and gardening equipment. I hunted through the vast collection of items in a world of happiness and while I didn’t find inspiring sophistication, I did find something better, joy and delight. Exiting the shop, finishing my coffee and bidding the owner Graham farewell, I took a moment to read about Carterton’s namesake Charles Rooking Carter at a nearby statue before walking back to my car.
The rain settled in once more and I became hungry. In need of lunch I made up my mind to eat in the nearby town of Featherston and that is where I headed next.
Martinborough – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The next day I awoke feeling cold. Throughout the night the surrounding hills of the Wairarapa had been covered with a dusting of snow. I’d spent the previous evening enjoying the hospitality of the local hotel, discussing the benefits of wearing a Peak Blinder hat and the virtues of the late, great All Black Sir Brian Lochore. This then led to a much deeper discussion on if it’s still possible to make the All Blacks by playing for Wairarapa Bush without playing Super Rugby. We all agreed it wasn’t.
Yesterday, leaving Cape Palliser the weather had turned nasty pretty quickly and so I’d decided to leave having a stroll around the town of Martinborough till the next day. Now, in the brightness of a new morning with the odd hail storm passing overhead, I went for a look around.
The town very much had a ‘summer vibe’ to it. The houses all had either contemporary designs or were upgraded Villa’s with wrap-around decks to provide shade from the summer sun. There were swimming pools, vineyards and olive groves aplenty. All of which suggested that in summer if you like complicated and lavish food platters with expensive wine then this was the place to be. I came to suspect that Martinborough was a place that shutdown over winter and was just now coming out of its hibernation.
Walking in the hail I passed the now familiar hotel and passed the Old Post Office which had been converted to a Boutique shop that among other things, claimed to have Inspiring Sophistication. Not being confident about what inspiring sophistication was, I went in. It took all of about 15 seconds to decide that if what was in front of me was inspiring sophistication then clearly it was something I was lacking. What’s more, since it seemed to involve floral designs, gourmet gift presentations and stuff made with lace, it wasn’t something I’d be purchasing in this lifetime, and dare I say it, the next!
Over the next hour I wandered around the village square and the surrounding shops while rain, hail and snow showers passed by. As I was preparing to leave, I spotted two things that caught my interest. The first of which was a sign at the Wine Merchants. I stood for a moment, studying the sign to make sure I understood it properly. It appeared that you could buy wine and also hire bikes. Now, I don’t want to cause alarm, but doesn’t that seem a tad dangerous to anyone else? Secondly, I discovered that the town of Carterton was nearby. Thus it was that I made up my mind to make Carterton my next stop, after Masterton.
Cape Palliser Lighthouse – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I arrived at what can only be described as a ‘makeshift’ parking lot. Standing in an enthusiastic wind, I steady myself for the ascent to the red and white striped Cape Palliser Lighthouse that sat on a rocky point some 60 metres above me.
To get to the Lighthouse (having first survived the drive), first you must commit yourself to climbing the 252 steps which were built in 1912. Keeping in mind that the Lighthouse was first lit in 1897, that gives 15 years that Keepers had to scramble up a dangerously slippery dirt track just to reach the Lighthouse. Once there, they still had to haul the supplies (oil and kerosene) up the cliff face to the light station by way of a hand winch.
Getting supplies to live off was just as complicated. Stores were delivered every 3 months, weather permitting. On the occasions when the seas were too rough, the stores were landed 6 kilometres away at Kawakawa Bay. This then left the Lighthouse Keeper with the dilemna of getting the stores back to his lodgings.
Standing at the Lighthouse I took a moment to take in my surroundings. It was beginning to rain. The wind was picking up and I couldn’t help but reflect that the life of a Lighthouse Keeper must have been a lonely existence. With that I departed, heading for the charm of the Martinborough Hotel.
Mangatoetoe – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The next day, heavy, dark clouds hung overhead like a thick blanket and in the distance a wall of weather loomed ominously on the horizon. Between, patches of blue sky gave a sense of hope that there might yet be some fine weather left in the day. I hoped so, I was heading for Cape Palliser Lighthouse, the southernmost point of the North Island.
Approaching the coast which would eventually lead to the Lighthouse, the wind picked up and the countryside changed to a beach of blacksand with dramatic pinnacle cliffs. Occasionally I’d pass cribs and huts that were scattered along the road that held little or no protection from the elements. I manoeuvred past partially washed out roads and small villages that were filled with crayfish pots and fishing boats that were pushed into the sea by bulldozers. The road narrowed to a single lane, a ford had to be negotiated, fallen rocks scattered the way ahead and I lost wifi coverage. This was a place that you’d truly have to love to spend any length of time. It was New Zealand’s rugged coastline at its very best and what’s more, it had a Lighthouse!
Corner of Bond and Victoria Street in Wellington– Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
I’m always pleased when I can depart a ferry in the manner in which I boarded rather than having to swim ashore. So it was, my mind was most happy that I was able to sedately drive off the Bluebridge ferry in Wellington and begin my search for breakfast, brunch and lunch. I have to admit to not having the most sturdy of sea legs and to avoid breakfast making a sudden surprise appearance, my food intake through-out the morning had been minimal. Finding myself back on dry land and with my stomach letting me know it was now ready for food, I went in search of sustenance.
I navigated the city streets for a while and got hopelessly confused with a Wilson’s parking building before settling upon a delightfully busy place called the Pickle and Pie for lunch. Patiently waiting to be seated as the sign directed, I spent the next hour discovering how ravenous I was while at the same time revisiting a previous observation of the Wellington lunchtime crowd. I noted that once more I found myself in a busy eatery, in the capital city, around noon without a lanyard around my neck!
The Marlborough Sounds – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
In a state that was surprisingly bright and fresh for 5:30am, I completed my morning ablutions without incident. A feat that I was rather proud of considering I hadn’t yet awoken my internal systems with coffee. Then, ensuring to leave my accommodation key in the designated spot for housekeeping to find later, I quietly slipped out into Piction’s fresh morning air heading for the ferry terminal, the Marlborough Sounds and later Wellington aboard a Bluebridge Ferry.
Rock with seaweed – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
There are so many elements to explore right along at Smails Beach, even the rocks seem interesting and let’s not forget it has a cave to top it off. This was taken towards the Tomahawk end of the beach and is a very long exposure. I can’t remember the exact timing however I exposed it long enough to blow out all the elements in the surrounding sand.
Corner of Castle Street and ANZAC Square – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
What a joy it is to spend some time wandering in the sunshine. I think that’s the thing I like best about Spring. The days get longer and with it there’s a few more hours of sunshine. This is an image I took in ANZAC Square outside Dunedin Railway Station on a glorious Spring afternoon here in Dunedin.
Larnach’s Castle Gardens – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The gardens at Larnach’s Castle are outstanding in so many ways. There’s wide open spaces, fountains, secret garden paths, forest walks, all sorts of themed plantings that are surrounded and capped off by this magnificent view and the splendid castle.
Paekākāriki Hill Lookout – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
A quick internet search revealed that the No 1 thing to do in Paekākāriki is to visit the Paekākāriki Hill Lookout, so that’s just the spot I arrived at now. Although upon arrival in the fading light I discovered while the view was quite something, a howling gale was making it extremely difficult to stand. After a quick survey of the gathered cars I also discovered that everyone else had opted to stay in their vehicles and my attempts to stay standing were causing great amusement to all concerned.
Late Autumn At Lake Hayes – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
If you find yourself travelling on State Highway 6 through the Kawarau Gorge and on past the Gibbston Valley, passing by the insanely wonderful Bungy Jumping site at the Kawarau suspension bridge and avoid the lure of heading over the Crown Range, you’ll come across Lake Hayes.
A popular spot for swimming and kayaking, the lake is one of New Zealand’s most photographed lakes with the surrounding mountains reflecting on the water’s surface all year round. For those that like data, the lake has a depth of 33 metres and a surface area of 2.76 kilometres meaning as far as lakes go, it is relatively small yet extremely splendid and altogether charming.
Ferns at the Treaty Ground– Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
Usually I’m pretty good at remembering the locations of the photos I’ve taken however this one had me stumped. I’ve got a vague memory of taking it, a stronger memory of editing it but I couldn’t for the life of me remember where I took it. To solve this, I went into the metadata details and discovered that I took it on Saturday, 9th January. Upon further investigation, I found out that was the day I travelled from Russell to Paihia on the Bay of Islands ferry before walking to the Treaty Grounds at Waitangi. This meant it was taken somewhere in the Treaty Grounds, most likely on the bush walk that greets visitors at the entrance which leads on to the Treaty House, Flagstaff and the Te Whare Rūnanga. Which is a ‘must do’ by the way.
Shops On George Street – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
Leaving my car expertly parked, the first thing I noticed was the newly installed pathing stones.
“they do look rather nice” I thought to myself as I joined the various Sunday shoppers that filled the streets.
I did all the things you do when you’re casually strolling inner city streets looking at nothing in particular. I read signs, looked in windows, guessed the price of items I didn’t need or want and admired new stores that had probably been around for ages. I was amazed at how many I hadn’t been into and how many I had no desire to visit at all. I looked in one shop and try as I might, I simply could think of a single reason to enter. It was about this time that I happened to pass a series of cafes and eateries that were reasonably busy, one of which was called Kiki Beware. It was doing a brisker trade than most and a line was forming out the door. It was filled with young female students who were all squealing and hugging each other until the excitement eventually dissipated. Then a new arrival would join the group and the squealing and hugging would start all over again. This carried on for some time as long after I had passed, their shrieking could be heard echoing down the street.
George Street – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
Leaving the pier feeling a little damp, I pointed my car in the direction of town and proceeded to join light traffic that was heading in the same direction. On my way I noticed that overnight some creative individual had put googly eyes on all the faces of the local body election advertising billboards. An idea that I must admit was very amusing. It’s very hard to take a mayoral candidate seriously when they’re wearing a set of googly eyes!
The drive into town was slow and tedious. The streets were filled with an usual amount of student drivers, all of whom clutched at the steering wheel looking terrified and not too stable. Oddly enough, in every vehicle (and there were at least five of them), in the passenger seat sat an adult looking equally terrified, and in one case so petrified that I swear he was about to eject himself from the vehicle at any moment.
When at last I arrived in town,I am sorry that things didn’t go as smoothly. Or, to put it another way, I remembered why I’d stopped visiting the city centre. You see, it comes down to parking! Where in god’s name do people park in the city centre, there simply isn’t anywhere to park! In Dunedin’s attempt to spruce up the main street while at the same time replacing old water, wastewater and stormwater pipes in the central city — some dating back to the late 1800s, some upgrades are happening. This means that multiple blocks have been closed while the construction takes place. The unfortunate thing is that Dunedin’s city centre just isn’t big enough for it to go unnoticed or to not affect the vast majority of visitors. This situation isn’t helped by Dunedin currently suffering from a lack of bus drivers meaning that the darn things don’t turn up from time to time. Not something that is very helpful when the city centre is suffering from a lack of visitors or parking spaces.
So it was that I joined a long line of cars circling a section of the city, ready to pounce the moment a space became free. Doing this, I managed to listen to half a Green Day album before I spotted a vehicle about to leave. Leaping into action I did what I hate other drivers doing, I waited! A car behind me showed his annoyance by tooting however on this occasion I simply didn’t care! My knuckles were white, my jaw was jaw clenched and my resolve was firm. I didn’t care how much traffic I held up, I was getting the parking spot. Something I celebrated with a friendly wave to the passing queue that said, so long suckers!
Otago Harbour Pier – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
It was ten minutes to 10:00 in the morning and it was misty and cold. The previous night I had continued my research into the effects on my health and well being by watching rugby and drinking beer. Then, sometime before bed, since daylight savings time was due to begin at 2:00am, I had decided to put the clocks forward so that when I awoke, I would at least be on the right time. Now in the clear, sobering light of morning it appeared that I had only half finished the job and was left with the confusing calculation of not only finding out what the right time was, but having to ensure all the clocks were correct. A task that took longer than it really should have. Sometime later after awakening the senses with coffee, bacon, eggs and a few sausages, and waiting a suitable length of time before it would be safe to drive, I set off into the day.
Reversing my car out into the street, I decided that a visit into town would be the order of the day. It had been some time since I’d passed the time, casually strolling the inner city streets looking at nothing in particular. I manoeuvred my car into the world and disappeared into a murky, haze of cloud and fog. A drizzly rain hung in the air and it seemed to have settled in. Navigating my way through familiar streets that faded into a vast void of nothingness, occasionally a walker, jogger or cyclist would appear before mysteriously vanishing behind me. It was almost as if the Bermuda Triangle had come and settled over this very specific part of the city. I made my way down to the harbour shore line where thankfully the misty haze was just as thick. Before venturing into the city I had an idea for a photograph that I had been wanting to try and the conditions seemed ideal.
The visibility on the harbour was just as bleak as it had been in the hills. I placed myself in front of what used to be an old boat pier. Sometime back it had been deemed unsafe and dismantled and to really emphasise the point, a large sign had been put on it that read “Danger, do not use!” Not that there was much of it left to use, but that was clearly beside the point. As I began to set-up my camera, suddenly out of the mist and drizzle a windsurfer appeared before vanishing into the white veil. When I had set off that morning, photographing the old pier had seemed like a good plan, but now standing in the rain with the waves getting higher it seemed like a serious mistake.
Spring Flower Beds – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
The flower beds outside Dunedin’s Railway Station in ANZAC Square are one feature of the city that I always feel are done remarkably well. Whoever plans them certainly knows their stuff. Each season you can guarantee they will be bright, crisp, fresh, full colour and interest. One this occasion the various beds were planted with an assortment of primroses, pansies, paper daisies, parsley and tulips. Everywhere I looked there was spring colour and textures glistening in the sun.
Paraparaumu Beach– Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
As far as good beaches for walking goes, Paraparaumu Beach has to be right up there. On a warm evening as the sunset’s beyond the horizon with the tide out you can walk with no particular purpose admiring all the colours in the sky.
Looking across the Lindis Pass – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
On a fine summer’s day I stopped at the Lindis Pass lookout and decided to join the steady stream of people heading to the summit to see the view. This is the view looking across the Lindis Pass from the peak above the Omarama-Lindis Pass Road in Central Otago.
Low cloud on the Pigroot – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
Travelling from Palmeston to Ranfurly, then on to Alexandra I decided to call in at some of the “viewing” spots that are located along the way. When at last I stopped, I gathered some gear from the back of the car and examined my surroundings. Hunched beneath the misty rain, I had a look around. As far as I could see, there were nothing but low clouds with the odd shaft of light peeking through. Later, content with what I’d seen, I went off back to the car.
Dunedin Art Gallery– Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
For some reason, whenever I’m in Wellington I always seem to end up in front of these boatsheds. I don’t even seek them out, somehow, at some point, in some way, I end up walking past them. Maybe it’s something to do with walking to Oriental Bay which is splendid on a fine, still day when Wellington is at its best.
St Bathans’ School Ruins – Buy or view the Ōtepoti | Dunedin gallery
On one of my travels through to Central Otago via the pigroot, I turned off State Highway 85 and took the Loop Road through St Bathans. This was a bit of a spontaneous decision but one I knew I wouldn’t regret as St Bathans is a lovely place that is as charming as it is delightful. Small, but quite wonderful.
So, it wasn’t long before I had purchased a coffee at the local hotel and had made my way to the nearby lake where I consumed my hot beverage in the tranquillity of having the whole lake to myself. Deciding I should see something new before leaving, I recalled the ruins of the former school were closer by, so I made up my mind to go exploring for a bit.
Having recently been advertised for sale, I wanted to explore the ruins before the new owner put up one of those annoying ‘private property, beware of the dog, trespassers will be prosecuted or shot!’ signs up. The school building was opened in April 1875 with the occasion being celebrated with a ‘Grand Ball’ and showing just how cold St Bathans can get in the winter; the forty or so children had to occasionally scratch out their lessons using frozen ink. Like many small communities in Otago, after the gold dried up, the miners left and with it the school roll dropped until the 1930’s when only a handful of children were left. Then, the building became damaged in an earthquake in 1943 when it was turned over to the local pest destruction board before ending up in private ownership.
I must have spent a good hour wandering round the site looking at what remains of what was once a key feature in a bustling gold mining town.