State Highway 6 & The Haast River
The Haast River Bridges’ claim to fame is that it’s New Zealand’s longest, single lane bridge. It’s 750 metres in length, it was opened in 1962, it carries State Highway 6 across the Haast River and is often considered one of the most spectacular bridges in the country. Also, depending on which direction you’re heading, State Highway 6 and the Haast River Bridge either takes you to Fox Glacier, Franz Josef, Hokitika and further on to Greymouth or through the Haast Pass to Makarora. Either direction is amazingly spectacular and well worth the trip.
Haast – Buy
In the morning it was raining and a light dusting of snow covered the surrounding mountains. The rain had started sometime overnight and it had been pretty hard ever since. After shuffling around my room and sorting myself for the day, I loaded my car and set off for the small West Coast town of Haast. A drive that was around 80 kilometres and would take me over the Haast Pass, a mountain pass in the Southern Alps of the South Island.
The journey to Haast took me just over an hour and it rained all the way. In fact, the closer to the West Coast I got, the harder it rained. By the time I reached the hustle and bustle of Haast, the rain was torrential.
I ate lunch in the car by the bridge and contemplated why people might want to live in Haast. With the rain showing no sign of stopping and Haast having very little hustle and no bustle, I headed back to Makarora.
Paraparaumu Beach – Buy
My intention was to photograph the sun setting beyond Kapiti Island on the West Coast of the North Island. It was a lovely clear evening and to the north the coast stretched up all the way up to the coastal communities of Peka Peka, Ōtaki and Waitārere Beach. To the south, in the distance the coastline reached Raumati South, Paekākāriki before linking into Pukerua Bay.
The Hokitika Gorge Walk – Buy
Fortunately for me, I had a good friend acting as a tour guide. Our last stop was the wonderful Hokitika Gorge that is tucked away in the Hokitika Scenic Reserve. After a short walk that crossed 2 suspension bridges, we were presented with the most astounding aqua blue water, hidden in the most amazing forest.
… from a Small City. My daily musings from Ōtepoti to get you inspired. Read the blog, view the photos, embrace the creativity.
