Two Go Adventuring in New Zealand: Part 2 Dunedin and Invercargill

 Our adventure continues.

We motored south to Dunedin a couple of hours away. Meanwhile, our guide book said we should stop and inspect the Moeraki boulders on the way. We were intrigued as the description of them sounded fascinating. They are a group of grey spherical stones scattered along a beach, formed around 60 million years ago on the sea bed. Evidently, lime salts gradually accumulated (and we're talking millions of years now) around a hard core of seafloor mudstone that eventually eroded leaving these stones exposed. They are found on a number of beaches in NZ (best seen at low tide) and, I discovered, in many other places in the world.  I'm afraid we were a bit underwhelmed with them.

This one was a biggie.

And so to Dunedin, New Zealand's oldest city that was modelled on the Scottish city of Edinburgh. When we first arrived it reminded me of Launceston in Tassie, with houses tumbling down very steep hills surrounding the city nestled below. We had only two days to visit so didn't really immerse ourselves in, as the guidebook said, its:

• youthful exuberance - the University of Otago is here, but as we were here on a Tuesday, not a lot of youth around 
• fashionable eateries - though we did have a great lunch at a trendy cafe
• haunting architecture - I loved the railway station which is described as the best example of railway station architecture in the southern hemisphere
• cultural hub - we enjoyed our visit to the impressive Art Gallery. 

This was the only windy day we encountered which made sightseeing a bit unpleasant. However, Steve discovered Relics, an LP and CD shop and was delighted to find some gems he did not have, and I found a shop specialising in all things woollen. I bought a possum and merino poncho.  So we both decided that Dundein was not too bad after all.  Here's a snapshot of what we saw.

The railway station

Statue of Scottish poet Robert Burns and the First Otago Church.

The Dunedin Public Art Gallery kept us spellbound for an hour or so with its eclectic and imaginative displays.

We stayed outside Dunedin in a place called Mosgeil, once a sleepy little village, now a bustling commuter town. Our accommodation was Longbourne Lodge, a few kilometres away from the town centre. We were well and truly in the country surrounded by grassy fields, forests, birds and a wonderful sense of peace and quiet. We did a couple of walks here: the Outram Glen River Walk, a narrow, winding track running alongside the river with bowers of greenery on both sides...

... and the Woodside Glen walk, a lovely very Englishy stroll through a daisy-dotted meadow close to a bubbling stream surrounded by thick native forest resplendent with soft green foliage.

We were finding the meals a bit of an expense so had a lot of fun exploring the local supermarket and purchasing breakfast and dinner provisions - and of course that included treats such as a boysenberry tart, an apple turnover, a blueberry muffin ........

Now it was onwards to Invercargill, the country's southernmost city. But to get there we decided to bypass the major highway and instead drive the Southern Scenic Route that snaked its way along the rugged coastline and surrounding hills. This 215km stretch of road passed beaches, headlands with lighthouses, forests, waterfalls, walking tracks, high cliffs and the fossilised remains of a 160-million-year-old forest. We didn't manage to stop at all of these sights, but what we did see was spectacular. 

At first, the drive was through a built-up area of holiday homes. We sighted the lighthouse at Nugget Point in the distance but kept driving until we came to the sign that indicated Purakaunui Falls. This is a must-see stop. The walk to the falls was through a heavily timbered native forest of tall trees and fern trees. 

A hint of what was to come with this small version.

And then - the falls themselves. a truly magical jewel in the forest.

A lovely tourist took our photo.

Next stop was at Lake Wilkie where we had a picnic lunch.

Our final stop was at Waipapa Point. A lighthouse dominates the headland and beach here,  

the site of New Zealand's worst civilian shipwreck back in 1881, when the SS Taratua ran aground on the nearby reef. The lighthouse, built after the disaster, sits alone in its isolated setting.

We soon arrived at Invercargill (supposedly the coldest and rainiest place in the south) to be greeted by a brisk breeze and a weak sun trying to shoo away the clouds, so not so bad. Invercargill is a regional and commercial hub so we drove through a heavily built up area of agricultural support services, machinery businesses, hardware stores, shipping containers, car and caravan yards, and repair shops. 

We were soon driving through the city centre, trying to spot our motel; quick glimpses revealed a small city with Victorian buildings, wide streets, parks, and not a lot of traffic. The region was settled by Scottish immigrants around the 1850s and this link is shown in its street names - every one of them named after a Scottish river. 

We settled into our accommodation and, as the evening was soon upon us, went off in search of dinner. As we are now so far down south the evenings extend past 9:00 o'clock.

The next day we explored the city. Our first stumbling block after we parked the car was the sign that said 'Park By Plate'. What on earth did that mean? Steve popped into an office and a helpful local told us that we had to enter our car's number plate, then press the hours we wanted to stay before putting in the coins. Apparently, city officers come along and can scan a car's number plate to find out how much longer the car has to park. Simple when you know what to do. Thanking our helper profusely we began to explore. It was rather strange as the streets were deserted and the shops showed little signs of life. Where was everybody?  We ventured into a shopping complex called, encouragingly, Invercargill Central, but it could have been anywhere  with the usual brand name stores. Frustratingly we couldn't find the 'lively cafes and restaurants' the guide book extolled. 

One person is the only sign of life in this central city mall.

We admired the lovely facades on the buildings that lined the streets.  

What a great way to add a little sparkle to a facade.

We noticed there were quite a lot of different churches here.   

I thought the publicity for an Ed Sheeran concert next to the war memorial made for a rather quirky composition. 

One thing I did want to buy was a walking pole, and I discovered one at Southern Adventures, a 'camping and tramping' store, where the very friendly shop assistant sold me a beauty. 

Continuing to walk on, we decided that there was nothing here to keep us staying. Yes, the streets were nice and wide. Yes, the architecture on the buildings was grand and very Victorian. But there was not even an enticing cafe, bookshop or gift shop in sight. Perhaps we were in the wrong precinct We were now getting tired, so headed back to the car to drive to Bluff, New Zealand's oldest own and its southern-most port, 22 kms away.  

Bluff had three sides to it - a busy port, a small town, a coastal walking track. It's well-known for its signpost.

We did a half-hour walk along this track.

Then had some refreshments! 

Many of the the buildings on the main street had fabulous murals painted on the. This one shows the district's whaling history.

And so our southern adventure continues. 

Next stop Fiordland on the west coast. 

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Two Go Adventuring in New Zealand: Part 1 Banks Peninsula/Oamaru

[This is the first blog I've written on my new computer, so may have to adjust fonts and photo positions in the future. We'll see. I'm still learning.]

Snow-capped mountains. Blue glacial lakes. Ancient beech forests. Gushing waterfalls. Velvety-green hills dotted with sheep and cattle. Sky-high hedges bordering farmland. Gloriously colourful gardens. Very friendly people. This was the New Zealand that we experienced in our short two-week stay. And to top it off, it was weather perfect with (mostly) blue skies, fluffy white clouds and no wind. Well, ok. It rained one night and for an hour the next morning. Here’s a taster of what we saw.

Our adventure covered the south of the South Island of New Zealand.

After a 4-hour direct flight from Adelaide we hightailed it out of Christchurch and headed to the town of Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula around 80kms away. 

Banks Peninsula

The peninsula itself formed after numerous volcanic eruptions many thousands of years ago, resulting in the deep valleys, precipitous headlands, rolling hills, tranquil lakes, bays and streams that we encountered. It was first settled by the Maori 800 years ago. I reckon we explored and saw much of the region by taking the many drives available.

The roads were very winding, the scenery peaceful and gently dramatic. Hills topped with granite rocks, lush grassy fields with grazing cattle, deep valleys with tiny settlements clustered around a bay, clouds swirling through the mountain.

Akaroa

Akaroa is the main town on the Banks Peninsula, nestled beside a lovely harbour. It’s been home for the Maoris for 800 years, but in 1840 a ship brought a group of French settlers. Although the British had claimed this region a few days earlier, they allowed the French to remain. The settlement was, however, not a success. But the French influence remains in the town in the form of the 19th century buildings, French street names, the French language being spoken by some,  and, we were told, descendants of the original settlers. These days, it’s very much a tourist thing with French food, French names for businesses (our accommodation was La Rochelle) and lots of lavender and roses.  

The town is almost in two-parts - the first being the old Victorian buildings and houses and beyond, a modern precinct of clothing and giftware stores and bars. It’s also the departure point for cruises, kayaking

 trips and other tourist activities. 

Being spring, the gardens were exuberantly colourful and so well cared for. I loved them. 

Strolling on I discovered a quirky side to the town. I spotted some spotted cows 'grazing' in a garden...

... and an artist painting the war memorial.

We visited the museum where the town’s history (both geological and human) was brought to life through exhibits of cutlasses and axes, clothes, sailor’s buttons, furniture, whaling paraphernalia, a video and photographs. Through the museum we had access to the only remaining original French house; it’s been restored to its bare bones but there was a sheet of original wallpaper housed under glass on one wall. 

The lighthouse is regarded as the main tourist attraction here. Built in 1880 it was transferred to this site in 1980 when it was decommissioned; a community preservation group bought it for $1 and had it transferred to this much safer spot. It was a Sunday so lots of tourists here.

We drove a little further out of town to the site of an inter-tribal uprising when a tribe from the north attacked an Akaroa tribe, leading in part, to British intervention and the Treaty of Waitangi. A Maori pole  is on the site, but its now-peaceful setting made it difficult to imagine the violence and bloodshed that had occurred here.

A little further on and we came to Onuku, a small Maori community. Here was a lovely church built in 1878. What a tranquil setting. 

Oamaru

The following day we headed south a few hours to Oamaru, a smallish town serving a rich agricultural hinterland. Its harbour was once a flourishing port, exporting the region's wool, beef, lamb, wheat and grain products. Beautiful classical 19th century buildings that were once banks, government offices, and hotels lined the main street.

Former post office 1883

Former Bank of Otago 1871

But we were heading for the famous Victorian precinct - a collection of perfectly preserved 19th century buildings that were once stables, grain and wool stores, and warehouses. These were built using the local limestone and today house a diverse collection of craft stores, bookshops, art galleries, gift shops, lolly and tea shops, flower shops, cafes, and an enormous vintage clothing complex. But back in the 20th century, a depressed economy, the closure of the port, and a shift in commerce, saw a decline in the area. No-one could either afford to keep the buildings a going concern or to demolish them. And so they remained, ghostlike, until a local preservation body (much like the one in Akaroa) took over and the buildings are now leased to community businesses. They are a huge tourist attraction and, we were told, Netflix recently filmed John Steinbeck's novel 'East of Eden' here recently because of its wonderful atmosphere. We enjoyed strolling around and enjoying the unique spaces.

   

   

Steve eyes off the maid ...

... while I select an outfit. 

We bought a couple of books here.

 

Our last stop was to see the Steampunk Headquarters, housed in a grand old building near the river. I discovered that this is a world-wide movement of science fiction meeting the steam inventions of the 19th century. It has taken off big-time in New Zealand. It was closing when we got there but I'm not sure it was for us, though I did love the intriguing sculptures.  

Oamaru was worth a visit but sometimes it felt a bit 'theme parkish'. That's a bit unkind, I know, especially as the buildings have been preserved and given a new life and the community has benefited from the tourists. (There were bus loads of Japanese tourists when we were there). But it seemed that everything was aimed at visitors and a bit pricey, too! Having said that, a brochure announced the Oamaru Heritage Celebrations  - starting next week - a wonderful program for both tourists AND the community of displays, dances, films, talks, markets, guided tours, a penny farthing bike race, vintage steam train trips, a masked ball... Hmm. I take it all back - I would love to be there. 

Next destination - Dunedin.

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