Day fifty three.
Showery this morning and a bit cooler but the sun eventually climbed above the surrounding mountains and shone on Diamond Lake for a while.
Our intention was to travel up the Rees River valley to walk to the Invincible gold mine relics. However after several long kilometres on a gravel road that progressively became narrower, rougher and steeper, we reached the start of the track to find there was nowhere for us to park our motorhome. Turning around had become a problem which we achieved with millimetres to spare. So with threatening weather we abandoned our walk plans and enjoyed our lunch in the very scenic Rees River valley before returning to Glenorchy. The afternoon grew windier, wetter and colder so we were pleased not to be out walking in it.
Glenorchy is the location of what was New Zealands shortest railway. Rails were laid from the goods shed at the town jetty to the end of the jetty and a wagon carrying freight was pushed along the jetty to the waiting Earnslaw steamer for unloading and loading goods. New Zealand Railways officially recognised the goods shed as the Glenorchy Railway Station so the tracks became officially a railway at less than one hundred metres long.
Our day ended at Twenty Five Mile Stream on the shores of Lake Wakatipu.
Day fifty four.
A cold start to this morning with a fresh dusting of snow on the mountain tops. After a final look back to the head of Lake Wakatipu with the rising sun putting on a clourful display, we were on our way again.
Straight through Queenstown again, we can experience traffic congestion at home if we want to. Lake Hayes was on our radar and the circuit trail there. At least, some of it. We walked about six kilometres return along the southern shore.
Day fifty five.
A clear frosty day to wake up to today and our day already planned. After checking out of the Holiday Park we found ourselves a parking space in central Arrowtown. Walking shoes on we headed off up Tobins Track to take in the views of the Arrowtown Queenstown area. How this simple walk turned into an hour long bush bash through waist deep spikey thorny scrub is a story for another day. We did get great views on a near perfect day for our efforts.
Returning to Arrowtown we purchased pies for lunch from the Arrowtown Bakery which claims to be the 'Home of the famous Arrowtown gourmet pies'. They were very good but didn't match the pies in Te Anau, 7.5/10. A quick stroll down the main street with it's lovely old buildings and faithful modern reproductions and we were on the road again. Down the mighty Kawarau Gorge to Cromwell for the night with a stop at the Roaring Meg lookout on the way.
Day fifty six.
A day of dams today.
Leaving Rotary Glen campsite which is right beside McNulty Inlet, Lake Dunstan (the lake behind the Clyde Hydro Electric Dam) we travelled to Clyde, stopping to view the Clyde dam itself on the way.
Clyde township is a quaint collection of beautifully restored and maintained historic buildings constructed using the local schist stone. Also more recently known as the western terminal of the Otago Rail Trail.
Our destination for the night, Butchers Dam, one of several irrigation water storage dams in the vicinity of Alexandra constructed during the Great Depression.
Day fifty seven.
Fresh snow on the Old Man Range and a brisk southerly wind made for a cold start this morning.
Our bicycles were removed from their rack around midday for an assault on the Roxburgh Gorge Trail from Alexandra to Doctors Point and return. This was a relatively easy ride of twenty kilometres total although there are some parts of the trail where it is recomended you walk your cycle due to the narrow, steep track and sheer drops to the Clutha river below.
All we can say is this ride is spectacular with huge schist mountains towering above as you ride between huge rocks scattered on their slopes. Awesome!
Feeling a bit weary we returned to Butchers Dam for the night. We could have gone to the Butchers Gully Hotel for a drink but it was flooded beneath the reservoir when Butchers Dam was completed around 1937.
Day fifty eight.
Back on our bikes again today, this time to pedal in the opposite direction. The Alexandra to Clyde River Track follows the Clutha River upstream from the Alexandra bridge to the historic Clyde bridge. We biked this trail both ways, a total distance of about twenty three kilometres, in fine sunny weather. It was an easy ride on a gently undulating well maintained track through willow trees beside the Clutha River, passing gold dredging relics along the way. Although not as spectacular as yesterdays trail, this is a very pleasant ride.
Day fifty nine.
Started and finished today on the shores of Lake Dunstan, last night at Champagne Gully and tonight at Lowburn Harbour. In between we travelled back to Cromwell through what was the Cromwell Gorge before the Clyde Dam flooded it and walked through the Bannockburn sluicings. The Bannockburn sluicings are the remains of large scale gold extraction which has dramatically altered the landscape through controlled water erosion. It is now virtually a desert with interesting land forms that wouldn't be out of place in a Hollywood Western. One of the only plants that thrive is wild thyme which was introduced by the gold miners and is widespread throughout Central Otago, which apparently is the only place in the world apart from it's source in the Mediterranean, where it grows wild.
Day sixty.
On the road early today we passed through Wanaka and Glendhu Bay on the shore of Lake Wanaka headed for the upper Matukituki Valley and Raspberry Flat car park run by DOC.
Looking at day walks in the Wanaka area we had chosen to do the Rob Roy Track which starts from the carpark and what a good choice it was. A two hour walk up a deep, narrow gorge through lush Beech forest eventually took us above the bush line to alpine vegetation and our destination. We were treated to spectacular alpine scenery of towering schist mountains topped with snowfields and glaciers, particularly the Rob Roy Glacier, two avalanches, sheer rock cliffs, waterfalls and the Beech forest below. The weather was superb once again and we spent about an hour at this exceptional location before returning to Raspberry Flat where the bonus was we could stay here in our motorhome for the night.
Day sixty one.
On the move early again with the threat of worsening weather, we were treated to some dramatic scenery as we left the Upper Matukituki Valley.
Further down the valley we encountered a common occurence in rural New Zealand, a mob of sheep being driven down a public road. What was amazing about this time was that the farmer put one of his dogs out then drove away up the road. We then watched enthralled as the little sheep dog, unattended, herded a mob of about five hundred sheep one kilometre up the road on her own.
Passing through Wanaka again, our planned destination was Kidds Bush DOC Campsite, about half way up the shore of Lake Hawea. The weather looked threatening towards the head of the lake as we travelled to our destination, but rain held off until the evening. Bonus for the day was catching a Salmon in Lake Hawea.
Day sixty two.
Very little to report today.
Waiting for the rain to abate before we proceed through Haast Pass to the West Coast. We have moved from Kidds Bush Campsite to Boundary Creek Campsite near the head of Lake Wanaka. We'll see what tomorrow brings with the weather forecast to improve. Everywhere we go, we are reminded of the floods of two weeks ago and the large amounts of debri carried by the rivers.
Day sixty three.
As forecast, the weather was on the improvement today so we headed for the Haast Pass. The rain of the last two days and particularly last night had raised all the river levels with discoloured water. We stopped several times to enjoy the spectacle that the rain had created. The Blue Pools were green, the Haast River was churning white water at the 'Gates of Haast' bridge, Roaring Billy Falls were definitely roaring and all the waterfalls were running at high capacity including Fantail Falls and Thunder Creek Falls. Great to be back on the West Coast, staying the night at Haast.
Day sixty four.
Big day today.
First up, ticking an item off Sara's Bucket List, a Jet Boat ride up a wild river to a wilderness area. Over two hours on the Waiatoto River with Waiatoto River Safari, from the Tasman Sea to the Shark Tooth rapids in the Southern Alps, ticked the box brilliantly. Absolutely excellent.
As we were on the Haast to Jackson Bay road we carried on to Jackson Bay for a short stop and as always it was a great part of the world to be. Before heading north again we took the opportunity to walk in to Lake Ellery. Once again we had found a hidden gem. A half hour walk beside one of the prettiest streams you will find anywhere leading to a beautiful lake that literally sparkled. The continuing fine weather adds to our enjoyment of all our activities.
Back across the mighty Arawata River and headed for the Moeraki River, passing Knight Point, with it's rocky islands, on the way.
Day sixty five.
A quiet night on our own beside the Moeraki River. Not bad for a shingle pit.
Back tracking four kilometres allowed me to go fishing for a couple of hours after which we continued north again to Lake Paringa for an afternoon fishing session in the float tube. A reasonably successful day on the rod with five Brown Trout landed and released. Then of course there were the ones that got away.
Day sixty six.
Spent last night at Lake Paringa surrounded by vehicles packed in like sardines. We are most definitely back on the tourist trail, which we have mostly avoided for the last two months. Still it is a lovely lake except for the voracious Sandflies. The morning was misty with an unexpected visit from a couple of cheeky Keas.
Travelling north again we were unable to visit Fox and Franz Josef glaciers as the access roads were seriously damaged in the massive flood nearly three weeks ago. Instead we walked the circuit around Lake Matheson before travelling to Franz Josef township for the night.
Day sixty seven.
A fine clear morning with the sun lighting up the peaks of the Southern Alps behind Franz Josef.
This afternoon we were meeting our son and his friend who are travelling south from Granity. Having left Franz Josef early we took the opportunity to follow the Ross Water Race Walkway loop, in the town of Ross. This walkway follows some of the many historical water races cut into the hillsides to collect water for gold mining and sluicing, passing relics of the gold mining years along it's way. Ross is the place where New Zealand's largest gold nugget was found. The 'Honourable Roddy Nugget' as it was named, weighed 3.1 kilograms.
Our final stop and meeting place with our son was pre-arranged as Lake Mahinapua which we reached early in the afternoon. We were all treated to a colourful sky over the lake as the sun set. Plenty to talk about.
Day sixty eight.
Hamish and Meg have gone off to explore the Hokitika area while we attend to restocking water, LPG, diesel and groceries. We fitted in a visit to Dillmans Dam (Kapitea Reservoir) which is one of our favourite Free Parking destinations, or at least, was. Overnight parking is no longer permitted, no doubt as a result of irresponsible camping, what a shame.
We travelled by the Goldsborough and Blue Spur roads to reach Lake Kaniere and after a walk in the late afternoon sun we reunited with Hamish and Meg for the night at Hans Bay DOC camp.
Day sixty nine.
Our camp ground companion for the duration of our stay was a curious Weka.
Hamish and his friend have departed this morning and after enjoying the calm and tranquility of Lake Kaniere for a while so have we.
We had one or two items to pick up from Hokitika and then Greymouth and with a bit of time on our hands, we walked on the beach at Hokitika. This beach is typical of West Coast beaches, being a mix of sand and gravel with copious driftwood, generally rough and unsuitable for swimming. Sculptures made from the driftwood have become a real thing at this particular beach.
Before leaving for Greymouth, the thought of a pie appealed so we proceeded to the Stone Oven Bakery Cafe and purchased two, which we consumed sitting on a log at the beach head while a small mouse enthusiastically collected the crumbs at our feet. Good pies, 7/10. Checking into a holiday camp beside Greymouth beach allowed us the opportunity to watch the sun sink over the horizon in a blaze of colour.
The essence of the West Coast is mountains, forests, lakes, beaches and sunsets, so I make no apology for posting predominantly photographs of these subjects.
Day seventy.
After dusting off our bikes again, today's first activity was cycling a section of the West Coast Wilderness Trail, from Paroa, near Greymouth, to the Taramakau River. This return journey of about eighteen kilometres took us beside the ocean beach, past the New River lagoon, through a small lowland forest and across the new Taramakau road bridge. When this bridge was opened in June 2018, the old box girder bridge was the last operating combined road / rail bridge in New Zealand.
In the afternoon we travelled twenty two kilometres inland from Paroa, the last two kilometres being very rough, to the Woods Creek Track. This is an excellent easy walk through old gold mining works with plenty to see. Passing through lush native forest, both old and regenerating, over a swing bridge, past many water races and mineshafts, and through a mine tunnel. Well worth the effort of getting there and highly recommended.
We finished the day at one of our favourite stop over places, the Kumara Power Station on the banks of the Taramakau River. How's this for a view from your lounge window?
Day seventy one.
Back to Dillmans Dam, Kapitea Reservoir, to tackle another short section of the West Coast Wilderness Trail. Biking from the dam around Kapitea Reservoir, across the Boardwalk and a few kilometres into the bush then back to the dam, we covered a total of fifteen kilometres. That was enough for the day, so we headed back to Lake Kaniere to hunker down for the forecast bad weather tomorrow. Being Easter weekend the campground was very full.
Day seventy two.
The weather man was right on the money. It has rained all day, so a bit of enforced quiet time. The most exciting thing that's happened today was baking a batch of scones.
Day seventy three.
It was still raining today as forecast. There was powerboat racing on the lake this weekend, which although being exceedingly noisy and destroying the tranquility, provided a bit of entertainment between showers.
Late in the afternoon the weather broke long enough for us to get onto our bicycles and make our way the four kilometres along the Dorothy Falls Road to view this very scenic waterfall. Despite the road being closed to vehicles due to damage from the floods of four weeks ago, we made easy progress initially with some flood damage evident. The last kilometre or so was a different story and riding our mountain bikes was virtually impossible as the flood damage became more apparent. Washouts, damaged and blocked culverts, fallen trees and branches, their foliage and bark stripped bare, boulders and gravel everywhere. The road disappeared completely in several places having become a river bed, one stretch of which was about two hundred metres long. These were record floods and what we saw hinted of a massive torrent of cascading water, boulders and debri. After giving up on our bikes and walking the last hundred metres or so, we arrived at Dorothy Falls. Sadly the flood damage to them has eliminated their previous picture postcard beauty, strippng the ferns and moss that had cloaked the waterfall face and filling the sparkling clear base pool with boulders and rubble.
Day seventy four.
The weatherman promised us a fine day today and he delivered. Lake Kaniere was mirror calm this morning apart from the boat and waterski wakes of the Easter holiday makers. With the sun shining in a clear blue sky we tackled another short section of the West Coast Wilderness Trail from Lake Kaniere to Hurunui Jacks through mature and regenerating native bush alongside the Kaniere River and historic hand dug Kaniere Water Race. At eight kilometres each way, we were expecting this ride to be a bit of a grind, particularly returning back up the trail to our starting point. This proved not to be the case and we found it to be a very enjoyable ride. Once we returned to our motorhome we made our way to Lake Mahinapua once again for a quiet evening.
Day seventy five.
Another stunning day today weatherwise and Lake Mahinapua looked idyllic. A lazy day planned today staying put. We'll get going again tomorrow.
Day seventy six.
Last day cycling on the West Coast Wilderness Trail for us and another short section. Starting at the information stop beside the Hokitika Golf Course near Mananui, our ride took us around the north eastern side of Lake Mahinapua to Woodstock Rimu Road and back, a distance of eighteen kilometres. This section of the Trail crosses Mahinapua Creek then follows an old bush railway route across swamp on a boardwalk and through mature and regenerating native forest. Along the way the track passes relics of the timber milling past including the remains of the Mananui Timber Company sawmill. We also took the fifteen minute walk to Picnic Bay on the shore of Lake Mahinapua which leads off the Trail. The whole journey was picturesque, easy and enjoyable.
Leaving the Hokitika area we went to Kumara to top up the diesel tank. Unfortunately when we got there a fuel tanker was refilling the storage tanks preventing us from getting to the pump. Ah well, twenty minutes to fill in, let's go to the Theatre Royal Hotel across the road for a 'Home made pie' while we waited. The pies were okay, 6/10, but the wedges were excellent.
Final stop for the day was the Arnold River power station.
Day seventy seven.
We didn't move today.
Relaxing, reading, fishing and once round the Arnold Dam Walkway (another great little walking track) were the order of the day.
Our second night staying at the power station and we were joined by our friends Jo and Graham, travelling in their campervan. Great catching up over a bottle or two of wine.
Day seventy eight.
We back tracked slightly this morning to visit the historic Brunner Industrial Site and Brunner Mine Walk. Crossing the Grey River by the historic suspension bridge took us to the relics of the industrial site where coal was mined, bricks were made and coal was turned into coke. The Brunner mine is also sadly the location of New Zealand's worst work place accident, when on Thursday 26 March 1896, an explosion deep in the mine took the lives of sixty five mine workers. The Brunner Mine Disaster is well documented on information boards at the site as well as general information about the industrial site, coal and the history of Brunner and it's mine. We shared this experience with Jo and Graham before they headed for Greymouth. With the Grey River being the northern boundary, on the West Coast, of our tour this year, we turned south again bound for Moana on the shore of Lake Brunner.
Day seventy nine.
A showery night and morning today cast dark clouds over Lake Brunner as we left Moana this morning.
The weather was deteriorating, with rain expected for the next two to three days, as we made our way to Lake Haupiri. However, as we are nearing the end of our tour this year, we are revisiting a few places we have enjoyed in the past while trying to get in as much fishing as possible before the season closes. Back to Lake Haupiri, a remote lake with native forest on one side and farmland on the opposite side, surrounded by mountains, it is situated about seventeen kilometres east of Moana. Lake Haupiri is best known as the location of the Gloriavale Christian Community.
Day eighty.
Our stop for the night at Lake Haupiri has it's own secluded beach from which I launched my Float Tube for a couple of hours fishing before we returned to Lake Brunner at Iveagh Bay and a wet night. Sara on camera duty again.
Day eighty one.
Heavy rain and showers last night and today have cleared this evening to a stunning sunset over Lake Brunner, which just kept changing. Taking great photographs of sunsets is too easy on the West Coast of New Zealand. Managed to get in some fishing despite the weather, but tomorrow's forecast looks very promising. We are staying put in Iveagh Bay tonight as it is too beautiful to leave.
Day eighty two.
Another gorgeous day dawned at Iveagh Bay today, which we spent relaxing and just enjoying the beautiful surroundings. We finished off the day drifting on the lake in our inflatable dinghy and marveling at the Southern Night Sky.
Day eighty three.
Today was calm, sunny weather again and after lunch we left Iveagh Bay and moved to Mitchells in Carew Bay on the western side of Lake Brunner. After arriving, we set out to walk the Bain Bay track, but had to turn back as the high water level of the lake had flooded a swampy part of the track making it impassable.
Day eighty four.
After one last morning fishing at Mitchells we packed up and drove over Arthur's Pass and back into Canterbury, stopping for the night at Lake Pearson. At the top of the pass we took the opportunity to do the Dobson Nature Walk which we had passed many times previously. This is a short walk through a fine example of alpine flora beneath the towering peaks of the Southern Alps.
Day eighty five.
Friday May 3rd 2019.
This was our last day on the road for this tour and it dawned with a clear blue sky, sunshine and mist on Lake Pearson.
Our first activity today was foraging for rose hips which grow wild around the lake. Rose hips are the fruiting seed pods of Briar roses which grow extensively throughout the sub alpine areas of the South Island, particularly Canterbury and Otago. They were introduced in the eighteen hundreds by the early settlers as a ready source of vitamin C to ward off winter colds and ills, as they contain thirty times as much vitamin C as oranges. These days they are considered a weed pest but Sara uses the hips to make Rose Hip Jelly, an excellent condiment with soft cheeses.
After departing from Lake Pearson we stopped at Castle Hill Conservation Area to walk among the impressive limestone formations for an hour or so. Well worth the effort particularly given the favourable weather and something we had been planning to do for a long time. As this was the last tick box on our adventure for this year, we headed for our home at Sumner in Christchurch with a bag full of fantastic memories.
We have travelled 5400 kilometres in eighty five days to tour the South Island, south of Christchurch on the east coast and Greymouth on the west coast. We have had an absolute Ball and are looking forward to touring the upper South Island to the north of Christcurch and Greymouth next year.
If you have been following our progress we thank you for your interest and hope you will join us at the same time in 2020 for our next adventure.
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