The remote Mangapurua Valley south of Taumarunui was originally accessed via a gravel road which looped north then west from Raetihi to serve some 35 to 40 farms developed from 1917 as a soldiers’ settlement and provide farmland for returned WWI servicemen. In 1919 river access was provided from the south via a track to a wooden swing bridge across Mangapurua River with a landing on the Whanganui River enabling river boats to provide farm supplies to the valley. The expectation was that a permanent road bridge would replace the swing bridge and the road through the valley would continue south into Taranaki.
DoC (the Department of Conservation) explains on its website that with the condition of the timber bridge deteriorating by the early 1930s a new concrete arch bridge was commissioned, finally opening in 1936 to span across the steep ravine walls 40 metres above the Mangapurua River. Unfortunately extremely difficult farming and economic conditions had resulted in many families abandoning their properties by the end of the 1930’s with only a handful of farm families remaining by 1942. The Government decided to cease road maintenance down to the bridge that year and by 1944 the last families left, virtually penniless. The area become known as “the valley of abandoned dreams” and the concrete arch bridge named the “Bridge to Nowhere” with its only access being from the Mangapurua Landing on the Whanganui River.
Today the bridge is a major visitor attraction within the Whanganui National Park being on the route of the “Whanganui Journey” one of New Zealand’s Great Walks. It is maintained by DoC which carried out major repair work to both the top and underside of the bridge making it one of the best preserved ferro-concrete style bridges of the 1930-1940s in the country.
Visiting the Bridge to Nowhere with Whanganui River Adventures
Following my Forgotten World rail cart trip on Thursday 30 October I relocated to Pipiriki on the Whanganui River on Friday 31 October, travelling west from Taumarunui to turn south to Raetihi just before Ohakune and drive 26km west to reach Pipiriki for my Saturday trip with Whanganui River Adventures (WRA).
WRA is owned and operated by ——-
—— Ken and Josephine Haworth who grew up in the Pipiriki area on properties owned by their families back over several generations. Josephine’s family have been involved in jet boating on the Whanganui River over 3 generations and Ken’s family since the 1970s. Together involved in the jet boating business over many years they established Whanganui River Adventures in 2003 with the WRA headquarters in the old Pipiriki Primary School. The restored school building —–
—– is the tour base, shop and camping reception, with the old sports field —–
—– providing a large area for cabins, motorhomes, caravans and tenting. WRA is the only local Maori owned commercial jet boat tour company based in Pipiriki.
Saturday 1 November became a brilliant sunny day after early morning river mist dispersed. After checking in at ——
—– the office at 9.30 our tour group kitted up —–
—— with life jackets and took a short mini-van ride down to the river terrace —-
—– where the parking area is some 15m above river level. During the June 2015 Whanganui River flooding following a months’ worth of rain falling in 24 hours, river level reach the bottom of the parking sign (to the right of the van).
The steep concrete paved boat launch ramp took us down to —–
—– the jet boat landing area ——-
—– where following boarding ——
—– Ken gave us a safety briefing ——
—– before heading away up river on our 32km, 55 minute trip to Mangapurua Landing and the start of the Bridge to Nowhere walk.
Just upstream from our starting point was a Maori eel trap, ——
—– still operational.
Steep papa banks lined the river as we —–
—– headed upstream to the main gorge where —–
—– near vertical walls enclosed the steadily flowing river.
Ken’s childhood home was on a farm halfway up to our destination ——
—– where on the bank of the river down from the farmhouse and just visible as a brown dot on the ridge leading up from the riverside rock fall left-of-centre lower picture ——
—– the current owners were grazing a very good-looking cattle-beast.
Along the way we stopped at several locations where Ken provided commentary on river features and local history. He pointed out that when Maori canoed north up the river in several places they used prepared holes in the riverbank to —–
—– insert the bottom of long poles to push their way up against the current.
At Mangapurua Landing we disembarked —–
—– for our 40 plus minute walk to the Bridge to Nowhere, a return bush trek of 6km.
River boats dropped cargo here for horses to be loaded with packs of supplies to be carried over the early road into the farms in the Mangapurua valley.
We followed the old road along the hillside —–
—– high above the river ——
—– and into the Mangapurua valley in which the 1936 bridge was built to improve access for the original farmer settlers as well as the WWI returned servicemen farmers and their families.
At the location of the last farmhouse left in the valley Ken gave us a background talk on the difficulties the early farmers faced in clearing bush and raising animals on the steep country subject to flooding and slips during wet winters. The board on Ken’s right ——
—– displayed the names of the last four farming families to leave the area in the late 1930s.
The last section of the old road had recently been damaged —–
—– but a narrow track allowed us to find the “Bridge to Nowhere” a short distance —–
—–further on just behind me.
The 1936 concrete bridge replaced the original narrow suspension bridge.
We spent an hour at the bridge having lunch, followed by a talk from Ken on the history of the area. He explained that the hillsides on the other side of the bridge here was grass farmland in the 1930s, now reverted to second growth bush.
While lunching a chaffinch landed on a tree branch near me —–
—– and with a sideways look —–
—– jumped onto the bridge handrail and showed he was clearly interested in my sandwich.
I hunted around for the best spot —–
—– to take a selfie as the overlook track that allowed visitors to climb up above the bridge for photos had recently been ruined in an earth-slide.
It was then back to the landing to rejoin our jet-boat for the trip home.
The landing area had filled up with several canoe travelers ——
—– some of whom we then passed on the journey south. The blue drums in the canoes are watertight containers for keeping backpacks and camping supplies dry if some misfortune resulted in a canoe overturning.
It was a high-speed dash (50kph) downriver through several areas of rapids which felt like a severely pot-holed road surface as we passed through them.
Where we encountered canoers downstream on our return trip, we carefully slowed right down to minimise our wake as we passed them. They, for their part, —–
—– would turn to face the wave from our wake head-on so as not to be rolled over sideways.
So, back to disembark at Pipiriki Landing to —–
——climb the boat ramp back to our short ride to WRA base and the campground.
Another great day out, this time up the Whanganui River, and returning better informed re the history and location of the Bridge to Nowhere.
State Highway 43 between Stratford in Taranaki north to Taumarunui passes through a range of landscapes over its 148km length. Leaving Stratford it traverses pastoral and agricultural land to then enter rugged grazing and forestry country including climbs over three saddles (Strathmore, Whangamōmona and Tahora) before passing along the deep Tangarakau Gorge 15 km from Taumarunui. Until February 2025 12 km of the Gorge section had a gravel surface, being the last unsealed portion of the State Highway network up to that time. Although its new surface is of the highest quality the road is still very narrow with many “give way” sections on the downhill slopes heading north. Originally a limited travel route with unsealed sections it was considered as being remote and “forgotten”, hence developing the name “Forgotten World Highway”.
Stratford and Taumarunui are also connected by rail with the line joining the main trunk railway at Okahukura 12km west of Taumarunui. This railway was constructed over the period 1901 to 1932 to link Auckland with New Plymouth. Passenger services continued up until 1983, with the freight service ceasing in 2009 when following a serious derailment the line was mothballed. Subsequently in 2012 the adventure tourism company Forgotten World Adventures obtained a 30 year lease to operate self-drive rail carts (modified petrol driven golf carts) over the full length of line between Okahukura and Stratford. The main travel package comprises full-day trips Okahukura to Whangamōmona (Republic 1 trip) two to three days per week with Whangamōmona to Okahukura (Republic 2 trip) on the other two to three days. All travel commences from Taumarunui with bus return from Whangamōmona to Taumarunui in the late afternoon for Republic 1, and bus travel from Taumarunui to Whangamōmona early morning for Republic 2. Forgotten World Adventures also operates occasional two-day special excursions. One comprises the full 140km rail trip Taumarunui to Stratford with an overnight stop in Whangamōmona. Another comprises rail cart to Whangamōmona with overnight stop, then next day helicopter transfer to Pipiriki on the Whanganui River travelling via jet boat 110km up river back to Taumarunui with a 6km return bush walk to the Bridge to Nowhere on the way.
The village of Whangamōmona (population around 160) 61km north of Stratford has designated itself a “Republic” following a 1989 confrontation when the redrawing of regional council boundaries placed the area within the Manawatu-Whanganui Region whereas the locals wanted to retain their association with the Taranaki Region. The NZ Pocket Guide outlines the story of the Republic of Whangamōmona and its declaration of independence and election of a President (1 November 1989). Since 1989 there have been two local residents elected President as well as two animals (a goat and a poodle) and a turtle. The current President is Vikki Pratt, elected in 2015. Although reportedly being elected against her wishes she was picked for President by her “fellow countrymen and women”. Republic Day is now celebrated every second January with a host of rural activities and competitions (such as sheep street racing, gumboot throwing, possum skinning) attracting visitors from all over New Zealand.
The Forgotten World Road Trip
I originally booked the Republic 1 rail cart trip with Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) for Friday 17 October. However on Tuesday that week a huge storm swept across northern Taranaki and the King Country causing extensive flooding and slips and closing both SH43 (the Forgotten World Highway Stratford to Taumarunui) and SH4 between Te Kuiti and Taumarunui. On Thursday 16, as I was driving from Turangi to Taumarunui, FWA phoned me to advise that the Friday’s trip was cancelled (as they could not bus participants back from Whangamōmona at the end of the day) and would I be OK with a shortened version trip 40km toward Whangamōmona with lunch at Tokirima before returning by rail cart back to Okahukura.
On reaching the FWA office in Taumarunui at 11.30am they explained that they were checking the rail line that morning to confirm it was OK for the next day and would let me know if there was any change in plan. At 12.30 I was called to advise the line was blocked with a slip that would take several days to clear, and I would thus need to rebook.
Hence the only photos I could get of my FWA experience so far were the following two.
First, their logo on the back of one of their buses, and second —–
—– one of their rail carts on a stand outside the main office.
I decided to take off for a week in Whanganui and on Monday 20 October managed to get the next available booking with FWA this being for Republic 2, Whangamōmona to Taumarunui on Thursday 30 October. Hence following the stay in Whanganui I needed to travel up the Forgotten World Highway from Stratford (located on SH 3 between Whanganui and New Plymouth) through Whangamōmona to reach Taumarunui by Wednesday 29 October.
So on Monday 27 October, following a night at the Stratford Holiday Park, I began my trip up the Forgotten World Highway toward Whangamōmona, first stop to visit ——-
—– the Douglas brickworks, a Category 1 Historic Place. These brickworks operated over 60 years from 1920 with 20 staff producing bricks and field drainage tiles using locally sourced blue papa clay. It is one of the very few remaining brickworks in the country, and the only one in Taranaki.
The rural area surrounding the village of Douglas ——-
—— consists of lush dairy pastures.
After Douglas I travelled over the Strathmore Saddle into what was considered the “Back Country” where dairying gives way to sheep and beef cattle farming on steep land.
At Strathmore village I took a side trip to visit——
—– the Makahu Tunnel some 3.6km up the Kiral Saddle Road.
The tunnel, built 1907, provides access to farmland, the Te Wera Forest, and the “Bridge to Somewhere”**. In 1998 the floor of the tunnel was lowered 1.4m to enable three-deck sheep trucks to pass through.
[**The “Bridge to Somewhere” label on the nearby active road bridge serving local farmland was a tongue-in-cheek response to the “Bridge to Nowhere” on the Whanganui River. There is also a “Bridge to Somewhere Else” in the region.]
Rain set in as I travelled over the Whangamōmona Saddle to reach the village ——
—– and take the back-street behind the hotel to ——-
—– the really quirky Whangamōmona campground
That night a huge storm passed through the area surrounding Whangamōmona with thunder and lightning waking me at midnight and strong winds bringing down trees across SH43 to the north. NZTA issued a road closure advisory for SH43 north of Whangamōmona but given that I still had 2 days to reach Taumarunui I presumed the road would be cleared in time.
However, as there was partial blue sky at 9am Tuesday I decided to travel north and chance getting through, or if necessary just wait out any obstruction until it was cleared. There were trees across the road in three places along the “closed road” area shown on the NZTA website, but someone had been through the road early and chain-sawed a gap in each obstruction wide enough to let me through.
I did not strike any traffic until —–
—– the Moki Tunnel when the first of several maintenance contracting trucks from Taumarunui came by. The second to last truck stopped to say it would be good for me to go once the last vehicle (a transporter carrying a digger) —–
—– passed me.
The 180m long Moki Tunnel was constructed in 1936 and ——-
—– in 1985 the floor was lowered to allow three-deck sheep trucks to pass through. It has had a locally bestowed nickname for many years.
After the tunnel I had intended to divert some 15km west up Mangapapa Road to visit the Damper Falls, but the rain was so heavy it was likely I would get really soaked on the 1 hour return walk to the falls. So I continued north through the Tangarakau Gorge in the pouring rain that had set in for the rest of the day, following the road alongside the railway tracks through to Ohura.
I did visit the Damper Falls on a dry day, Wednesday 6 November, when I cut across country from Mount Messenger on SH 4 (New Plymouth to Te Kuiti) to drive up to the Mount Damper plateau then continue east after my walk into the Falls down Mangapapa Road to join the Forgotten World Highway through the Tangarakau Gorge to Taumarunui.
The Damper Falls were discovered in 1909 by an early settler farmer whose pig hunting dog was killed while holding onto a wild boar when the two of them fell into the stream leading over the 74m high falls.
The 30 minute walk to the two viewing platforms was first across farm land then into forest.
The full height of the falls is fairly impressive ——
—— with this photo showing how far the top viewing platform is away from ——-
—– the plunge pool at the foot of the falls.
Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) —–
—— had one rail cart group out on the line on Tuesday (two of about 10 carts shown here) ——
—– but with rain and hail persisting throughout the day travelers were having to shelter behind plastic screens as they journeyed.
I freedom camped Tuesday night at Ohura township (population 90) which was totally derelict, the only active building on the main street being the Cosmopolitan Club. I was told when we passed through on Thursday in our rail cart convoy that with no shop or fuel station the only thing you could purchase in Ohura was a beer at the Club.
From Ohura on Wednesday I followed the railway through to the FWA depot at Okahukura on SH4 some 10km north of Taumarunui, getting shots from the road ——
—– of a tunnel entrance and —–
—– a rail bridge over a river in flood.
The railway junction with the main trunk line was originally connected at Okahukura via a ——-
—— combined road-rail bridge on a side road over the Ongarue River. This river had flooded up to road level the past week with flood water across SH 4 closing that highway for several days from 17 October. As can be seen here the river had dropped considerably by 29 October.
The Forgotten World Rail Trip
I camped overnight before the 30 October Whangamōmona to Taumarunui rail cart trip with Forgotten World Adventures (FWA) at ——-
—— the Cosmopolitan Club in Taumarunui who offer overnight parking to NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) members for $5. The carpark is right next door to the FWA Office and workshop so I was bright and early for the 7am check-in on the Thursday.
This drone picture-wall shot at reception indicated what we hoped would be good conditions for the day’s 82km trip, including crossing 90 bridges and passing through 21 tunnels.
I joined 10 other trippers for the day to head away via mini-bus at 7.40 south on SH43 to Whangamōmona, passing the maintenance crews on the way at places where fallen trees were still being removed from the roadside.
Arriving at 9.00 we were given a safety briefing by Jade, —–
—– tour leader for the day. I was assigned, as a solo rider, to go with tour guide Maddie in the rear rail cart.
After settling everyone into their carts and explaining operational features ——-
—– Jade then led the convoy away at 50m to 100m spacing between carts —–
—– with 18 year old Maddie (short for Madeline) and me bringing up the rear. Maddie lived on a farm outside Taumarunui and was an accomplished horse-woman as well as an experienced pig and deer hunter.
On Tuesday I got a photo from the road over the Tahora Saddle —
—
—– looking down on the short section of line between the first two tunnels we went through after leaving Whangamōmona.
This shot shows the cart in front of us exiting the first tunnel and —–
—– this one shows the just visible red tail light of that cart inside the second tunnel as we are about to enter. You can see branches on the right and rocks on the left, a common indication of the after-effects of recent storm damage along the whole of the line.
At morning tea time Jade gave us the history of the Tangarakau coal mining community while Maddie organized hot drinks and home baking.
We were warned before we left Whangamōmona that there were no flush toilets at stops on the way, and long drops would be the order of the day.
Wandering stock on the line included sheep and lambs —–
—– and this baby wild goat sprinting after its mum who had disappeared into the bush on the left.
Maddie proved her worth before lunch when ——
—– the rail cart in front of us broke down in a tunnel due to a fuel line blockage. She strapped the cart to the front of ours and we pushed it out of the tunnel and down the line to —-
—– the Tokirima lunch stop where the fuel line blockage was cleared.
The ploughman’s lunch involved us making our own sandwiches followed by cakes, drinks and fruit. At the rear (top left of this photo) of the lunch area you can see ——
—— the FWA souvenir shop with its huge range of items.
During lunch a half-day tour group arrived by bus —–
—– to have their lunch at separate tables from us —–
—- while their rail carts, which had been towed down from Taumarunui, ——
—– were turned around and readied for them to get away before us.
Then it was off again (this time me in the front cart with Jade) through Ohura —–
—– and on to Matiere for afternoon tea before the final leg into the longest tunnel (1.5km) —–
—– where under the rail cart lights Jade gave us information on tunnel construction.
While in the tunnel I chatted to ——
—– these two young ladies, one from Greenland, the other from Denmark. The Danish traveler was half way through several months walking the 3,000km Te Araroa Trail so was enjoying a break from the walk to tour with her Greenland friend who had flown out to join her on a several week trip around NZ. They laughed “no way” when I raised the topic of Trump wanting to purchase Greenland.
So, an excellent day out with a great group of people and hosted by two knowledgeable guides. I was lucky to have travelled with both Maddie then Jade as I got loads of information from our continuous chatting while we travelled. In addition, as a passenger, I was free to take photos as I wanted (safety rules mean cart drivers cannot use cameras).
This thus brings to a conclusion my fascinating experiences in travelling both the road and rail journeys within the Forgotten World.
Alan Gibbs, a NZ businessman, was involved in manufacturing and investment banking during the 1960s and 70s and subsequently played a key role in public sector reform under the 1984 Labour Government. He oversaw the establishment of the NZ Forestry Corporation as well as advised the government on restructuring the public health and welfare systems.
An art collector since the 1960s he began the development of a sculpture park in 1991 on his 1,000 acre (405 ha) farm property located on the Kaipara Harbour north of Helensville. His concept was to commission open brief large scale works from specific artists and with assistance from his son-in-law, architect Noel Lane, to provide the engineering and construction support in installing the resulting creative designs.
The sculpture park is not open to the general public, but visits are available by special arrangement to groups from community agencies. My visit was on a brilliant sunny day, 16 November 2025, hosted by the Auckland Art Gallery as a fundraising event 10am to 2.30pm.
The walking trail throughout the park is in places hilly and steep, covering some 6 to 7 km with the full circuit taking around 3 to 4 hours. The scale of the site is indicated in the two views below, the first being at the fence near the upper parking area for the day’s outing.
This skyline view over to the western boundary of the farm has three sculptures right on the ridgeline, Horizons (the white patch on the second hilltop from the left), Sea/Sky Kaipara (on the third hilltop from the left) and Dismemberment, Site 1 (the dark item in the hollow between the third and fourth hilltops from the left). The fence I am standing by is actually one of the sculptures [Green and White Fence(1999/2001)]. It initially stretched 544 metres with posts 4m apart along the top of the ridge line. Subsequently the farm extended this fencing to become the main form of fence throughout the property.
This telephoto skyline view over to the east boundary covers left to right the cattle enclosure, the giraffe sculpture, Jacob’s Ladder (2017), Sentinels (2017) and a live giraffe (one of the two on the farm). The green and white fence posts are now everywhere around the farm.
The Sentinels (2017) are halfway down the slope from the upper carpark to the lower lake —–
—– with the walking track falling steeply away beyond their place on the ridge.
Nearby is the Untitled (Red Square/Black Square) (1994) viewed here from the front —–
—–and here from the back.
Further down in the valley you can see The Mermaid (1999) and above it on the ridge the 8 columns of 88.5° ARCx8 (2012).
The Art Gallery staff guide at The Mermaid was there to remind visitors of the “NO CLIMBING” notice as it could be tempting to use the work as a bridge across the ornamental lake.
Climbing up the valley this concrete block Pyramid (Keystone NZ) (1997) was massive —-
—- when viewed from any angle. While inspecting it the fountain in the main lake burst into activity —–
—— cycling between several flow patterns —–
—– and continuing displays throughout the rest of the day.
Red Cloud Confrontation in Landscape (1996) comprised 25 concrete cubes coloured with mixing of red, yellow and blue.
The Neil Dawson Horizons (1994) hilltop sculpture (which is visible from the main highway Helensville to Wellsford) was under wraps for maintenance work after 31 years of exposure to the Kaipara weather.
This is one of the most notable sculptures on the farm, reckoned by some to show a huge sheet of corrugated iron, with this view sourced from the internet at CC BY-NC 2.0 by RobiNZ.
Close to the highest point on the farm is Sea/Sky Kaipara (1994) —–
—– inspired by “the changing nature of the estuary and its reflections” [Artist Graham Bennett].
Nearby in a specially constructed hollow in the ridge sits ——-
—– Dismemberment, Site 1 which is the signature sculpture on most publicity relating to the Gibbs Farm. It is hardly visible in the first photo in this series as taken alongside the fence near the carpark, nor in this shot from ——
—— the climb up to Horizons (the dark item in the hollow between the two hilltops on the skyline) but a telephoto view from this same location shows —–
—— the structure dwarfing visitors. Each of the two squashed oval end pieces (ellipses) comprises a 45 tonne steel structural element which required two cranes (one of 100 tonne capacity, the other 50 tonne capacity) to lift and anchor them in place. Then a vast PVC membrane was stretched between the two trumpet shaped ends.
Close up you can look right through the structure.
I could not resist taking a “selfie” looking back along the outside length of this massive piece of art.
Beyond the front end of Dismemberment, Site 1 you can see the lower carpark and other sculptures scattered here and there in the landscape.
Looking east beyond the northern end of Dismemberment, Site 1 is the 8 columns of 88.5° ARCx8 (2012) on the ridge-top in the distance.
I take one last view of the impressive scale of this work as I head down to the harbour edge —–
—– to view Arches (2005) constructed with Pink Leadhill sandstone blocks quarried in Scotland not far where Gibbs’ family forebears came from.
Climbing back up onto the main ridge I passed the 27m tall 88.5° ARCx8 (2012) as I headed for —–
—– Jacobs Ladder (2017) —–
—– with its 480 steel tubes in various sizes stacked to twist and spiral upward to the sky.
The animal enclosures were downslope from here, passing longhorn and ——
—– highland cattle, with —–
—– water buffalo on the lower slope at lakeside.
In addition to the two live giraffe on the farm there was also a corrugated iron and steel sculpture —–
—– Giraffe (2011-2012) on the hillside above the animal enclosures.
Back lakeside at the lower carpark level I passed ——-
—— Floating Island of the Immortals (2006) ——
—– before heading up the hill toward the upper carpark past these Pitt Island merino sheep.
Halfway up the hill on my left I viewed Tango Dancers (2014) and on my right —–
—– Easy K (2005) floating above the water held in place by tension between rigid pipes and cables.
The last exhibit on the return to the carpark was the inclined wall Te Tuhirangi Contour (1999/2001) comprising 280m of 6m high and 50mm thick steel plates with ——
—— a well beaten walking trail around its edge.
So, as I looked back down the valley from near the carpark —-
—– with the farm’s alpaca herd grazing on the skyline behind me I reflected on what a magnificent experience this sculpture walk visit had been, well worth the $100 entry fee for the day.
Travel Blog Posts 2 to 10 covering nine weeks travels in the South Island March to May 2024 along with Posts 11 to 24 covering 14 weeks in January to April 2025 include selected photographs of bird life encountered during these trips.
This Post No. 30 looks back over the full set of bird photos from which the selected ones were taken and presents a comprehensive review of these by bird species. These species groups are as follows:
WATER BIRDS – Coastal
Gulls
Oyster Catchers
Shags
Dotterel
Blue Penguins
Albatross
WATER BIRDS – Coastal Freshwater Wetlands and Estuaries
White Heron – Kotuku
White-faced Heron
Spoonbills
Stilts
WATER BIRDS – Rivers and Lakes
Ducks
Geese
Swans
Grebe
Kingfisher
GROUND BIRDS
Weka
Quail
Plover
FOREST and MOUNTAIN BIRDS
Robin
Tomtit
Fantail – Piwakawaka
Wood Pigeon – Kereru
Parrots
Kea
GARDEN BIRDS
Sparrow
Blackbird
Magpie
BIRDS of PREY
____________________________________________
WATER BIRDS – Coastal
Gulls
Marfells Beach, Clifford Bay (near Blenheim).
Kaiapoi River Mouth.
Early morning Red-Billed Gull, Port Motueka Beach Freedom Camping site.
Black-Backed Gull at Ohau Point, Kaikoura Coast.
Black-Backed Gull at New Brighton Pier, Christchurch.
Juvenile Black-Backed Gull at New Brighton Pier, Christchurch.
Red-Billed Gull feeding on Golden Bay near Farewell Spit.
Red-Billed Gull feeding on Golden Bay near Farewell Spit.
Oystercatchers
Variable Oystercatcher (black phase) at Stirling Point, Bluff.
Farewell Spit Oystercatchers at sunrise.
Pied Oystercatchers, Farewell Spit.
Sleeping Pied Oystercatchers, Golden Bay north of Collingwood.
Shags
Black Shag at Walter Peak Station wharf on Lake Wakatipu.
Black Shag, Picton Harbour.
Pied Shag (karuhiruhi) bankside roosting on Okarito River, Westland.
Black Shags, Kaiteriteri Estuary.
Dotterel
Dotterel at Waipu Cove. Their habitat is the coastline of the North Island from the Bay of Plenty north. There are only a few left in the South Island at Stewart Island.
Dotterel are a protected species, and though recently in decline are now considered recovering.
Blue Penguins
Little Blue Penguins (korora) at the International Antarctic Centre, Christchurch.
The Little Blue are the world’s smallest penguins.
Albatross
One of the three 2025 Northern Royal Albatross nests at Pukekura Headland on the Dunedin Peninsula.
Second of the three nests, with parent No. 2 arriving with food for the sitting bird.
Royal Albatross Centre live-cam recording of 2024 season’s parent and chick.
WATER BIRDS – Coastal Freshwater Wetlands and Estuaries
White Heron – Kotuku
Mananui Tramline and wetland walking trail South of Hokitika.
White Heron wading in the Okarito Estuarine Lagoon, Westland.
Searching for fish in the Okarito Lagoon.
Spotting a fish.
Striking the fish.
White Heron bankside roosting (on one leg) on Okarito River.
White Heron searching for fish at Lake Ianthe, Westland.
Spotting a fish at Lake Ianthe, Westland.
Catching the fish at Lake Ianthe, Westland.
White-faced Heron
White-faced Heron pair at the Motueka Estuary.
On the Motueka Sandspit.
Spoonbills
Kaiteriteri Estuary Spoonbills.
Kaiteriteri Estuary Spoonbill.
Spoonbill perching in tree above Okarito River, Westland.
Roosting tree on the Okarito River, Westland.
Stilts
Kaiteriteri Estuary Pied Stilts.
WATER BIRDS – Rivers and Lakes
Ducks
Grey Duck (Parera) at Motueka Sanctuary Ponds Reserve.
Mallard ducks at Blenheim River Front.
Grey ducks at Lake Rotoroa, Nelson Lakes.
Paradise Shelduck (male) at Hooker Glacier Lake, Mt Cook (Aorangi).
Paradise Shelduck (female) at Hooker Glacier Lake, Mt Cook (Aorangi).
The Paradise Shelduck pair overlooking a mini-iceberg at Hooker Glacier Lake, Mt Cook (Aorangi). These two ducks tamely walked around the feet of visitors having lunch at the Glacier overlook while looking for food scraps.
Call Ducks at Walter Peak Station wharf on Lake Wakatipu.
Call Ducks at Millbrook (Arrowtown) during NZ Golf Open, February 2025.
NZ diving duck (scaup/papango) at Mirror Lakes, Eglington Valley, Milford Heritage Highway.
Muscovy duck at Willowbank Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Geese
Canadian Geese at the Glenorchy wetlands (Lake Wakatipu).
Canadian Geese at the Glenorchy wetlands (Lake Wakatipu).
Canadian Geese at the Styx Conservation Reserve, Christchurch.
Curly feathered Sebastopol Geese at Willowbank Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Cape Barren Goose from Australia at Willowbank Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Swans
Black Swan at Glenorchy wetlands (Lake Wakatipu).
Black Swan at Lake Rotoroa, Nelson Lakes.
Tasman Bay and some of the estimated 14,000 Black Swan residents.
Black Swan family on Argyle Pond at Argyle Power Station, Wairau Valley west of Blenheim.
Mute Swan at Willowbank Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Grebe
Southern Crested Grebe (puteketeke/kamana) nesting on floating platform, Lake Hawea Dam.
Southern Crested Grebe nesting on floating platform, Lake Hawea Dam.
Kingfisher
The only South Island Kingfisher encounter was at Farewell Spit where the bird was perched some distance away and the photo was slightly out-of-focus. Hence I substitute my shot above taken at the Omokoroa Bird Observatory on the shore of the inner Tauranga Harbour at Cooney Reserve.
GROUND BIRDS
Weka
Roadside Weka in the Buller Gorge at Kilkenny Lookout, Hawks Crag overhang on SH 6.
Bush Weka on the Mananui Tramline and wetland walking trail South of Hokitika.
Lunchtime Weka at Punakaiki (looking for food scraps).
Quail
This stock picture of a male California quail is almost identical to one I took at Omakau (Central Otago) perched on a barbwire fence at St Peter Catholic Church outside the township. My photo was slightly out of focus, hence the substitution above.
My other California quail encounter was at the Motueka Sanctuary Ponds Reserve where I disturbed a group feeding in the grass, when all turned tail and ran from me into the undergrowth.
Plover
Spur-winged Plover at Waikaka Valley Presbyterian Church, Willowbank (near Gore).
Spur-winged Plover at Ward Beach Road, Flaxbourne River Valley, Marlborough.
FOREST and MOUNTAIN BIRDS
Robin
Charming Creek Walkway, Westland. These South Island NZ Robins are very friendly and will follow your walking trail looking for grubs in the leaf litter disturbed by footsteps.
Lake Gunn Nature Walk on the Milford Heritage Highway where this South Island male NZ Robin was sizing me up as a walking companion.
Here at Lake Gunn he was right into my footprints and grub hunting as I walked by.
Another friendly South Island male NZ Robin, West Bay, Lake Rotoiti
Tomtit
NZ South Island male tomtit (ngirungiru) on the Lake Monowai bush walk.
This friendly guy at Lake Monowai kept flitting from tree branch to tree branch while following my walk down the long track to the lake front.
Fantail – Piwakawaka
Fantail are extremely friendly, swooping backwards and forwards around as you walk, chasing any circling sand-flies. This one is at Kekerengu Beach north of Kaikoura.
Conns Creek, Denniston Incline Terminus north of Westport.
Okarito Bush Walk.
Clarence River Bridge Historic Site north of Kaikoura.
Ocean Beach Walk at Jackson Bay south of Haast.
Fantail at Labyrinth Rocks Park, Takaka, Golden Bay.
Fantail about to take flight at Labyrinth Rocks Park, Takaka, Golden Bay.
Parrots
Kakariki (red crowned parakeet), Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Scarlet Macaw at Willowbank Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Kea
Kea (mountain parrot), Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch.
Another view of the Kea at the Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch, showing a touch of red under the right wing.
Kea in flight (from DoC Information Board, Milford Road).
Kea at Homer Tunnel, Hollyford entrance on Milford Road.
The Kea at the Homer Tunnel entrance were notorious for perching on cars and using their powerful beaks to pull rubber windscreen linings off vehicles. However, the parking area has now been closed off following the rebuild of the avalanche shelter so pedestrian visitors to the tunnel entrance have to park their vehicles some distance away. None-the-less the tunnel entrance is still a favourite gathering place for these cheeky birds.
Wood Pigeon – Kereu
Wood Pigeon (kereru) at Blue Pools Walkway, Eglington Valley.
Wood Pigeon at Cameron Creek Walkway, Eglington Valley
GARDEN BIRDS
Sparrow
House Sparrow, Kaiteriteri Beach
Black Bird
Blackbird on the beach at Moeraki Boulders near Oamaru.
Blackbird, Tasman Bay.
Magpie
Magpie at Waitakere Beach, Levin
BIRDS OF PREY (Sculptures)
Sculpture of the NZ Falcon (karearea) at the Clyde Dam overlook near Alexandra. Have only once seen a NZ Falcon, this being at the Poolburn Gorge during a past visit to the Central Otago Rail Trail.
Haast’s Eagle (pouakai/hokioi) sculpture at Macraes Wetland Heritage Walkway, Central Otago (sponsored by Oceana Gold). The sculpture was created by Arrowtown sculptor Mark Hill, son of the late Michael Hill, Jeweller.
Took an Air NZ Flight Tauranga to Auckland and spent overnight at the Airport Novotel.
Monday 21 July:
With a 7:10am flight departure for Cairns on Air NZ I was up 4:30 to check-in at 5.00. I had breakfast at Blue Marble Lane Restaurant (which opens 3:30am daily) before heading through security to departure Gate 2. Cairns arrival was around 11:00am local time (1:00pm NZ) so I arrived 12 noon at the Novotel Oasis Resort and was able to check-in early as my room was available.
My fourth floor room looked out on the pool area with its swimming beach frequented by enthusiastic children ——-
—– and its pool-facing bar occupied by two early imbibers sitting on two of the fourteen underwater bar stools available.
After unpacking and setting up my room for the week I took off on the three block walk to Cairns Central, the huge mall which had direct access to the Railway Station. I had to report to the station by 8:00am next morning to pick up my ticket for the 8:30 departure on the Kuranda Scenic Railway, so checked out the station environs and also the mall shops. As I walked back into the mall from the station rain had started to fall, so as well as needing a sunhat for the week I also needed an umbrella to get me back to the hotel (I had left my folding brolly in my room when I arrived, not expecting rain in my walk to the station). Kmart had a solid looking folding brolly for $12 and a smart enough sunhat for $15, so these two items saw me safely back to Novotel.
Tuesday 22 July:
Rain was threatening as I arrived for my 8:30am departure to Kuranda.
The railway station is located alongside the mall and under the upper level carpark.
The 12 carriages on the train were booked out for the trip up, with the main travellers being Chinese families. Rain started to fall as we headed north ——-
—– passing sugar cane crops as we neared the entrance to the Barron River valley and the steep climb through rainforest up to Kuranda.
The railway was built 1887 to 1891 to provide a transport link up over the Dividing Range onto the Atherton Tablelands to service goldmining, timber milling and eventually farming areas. It was a major engineering achievement with its 1 in 30 gradient (hence the two engines to power it uphill and hold it back coming downhill) and incorporating 15 tunnels and 55 bridges. The 2 hour trip over 33 km is slow and steady with a 10 minute stop to view the Barron River Falls near Kuranda.
There were two major bends enabling views of both ends of the train.
Horseshoe Bend on the climb up ——–
—– and on the return journey.
The most famous bend is at the Stoney Creek Falls viaduct which was shrouded in mist on the journey up, but with good views on the return journey in the afternoon.
Approaching the viaduct and falls on the way back to Cairns. This view is close to ——-
—– the view depicted on the classic logo for the Scenic Railway which appears based on ——-
—– this stock photo view from the internet.
The opening of this viaduct in April 1890 was celebrated by a special lunch in a marquee erected on the bridge deck, but speeches to commemorate to event ——-
—— had to be abandoned as the noise from the waterfall flowing under the bridge drowned out any chance of hearing the speakers.
At the Barron Falls Station on the way up it was impossible to see into the valley because of low cloud, but on the return journey (above) ——
—– we were able to get a glimpse of part of the falls as the fog cleared briefly.
The Centenary Cairn celebrating the June 1891 opening of the line is topped by a pick and shovel which represents the only tools used by the 1500 workers in hand digging the cuttings and tunnels, with dynamite being used to break up hillside rock during excavations.
The mural on the engine represents Buda-dji, the Carpet Snake who, in the aboriginal dreamtime, carved out the Barron River and the creeks that join onto it from the coast to the Tablelands.
Wednesday 23 July:
I spent today on a Reef Magic Cruise boat travelling out to a pontoon moored on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef, an hour and a half journey from the Cairns Marina.
The Great Barrier Reef stretches 2,300km south from near Papua New Guinea to just above Fraser Island off the coast north of Brisbane. It comprises several thousand reef systems which began forming some 20,000 years ago, with many distinct habitat differences north to south and lots of variations reef to reef.
For many years during the growth of communities on the coast of Queensland the Reef was not seen as the complex ecological system it is, being well off-shore and visited infrequently by coral collectors during low tide. As advances in photography, microscopy and underwater diving improved, the extraordinary nature of the reef ecosystems emerged with much of the scientific background work coming out of Cairns. A large part of the reef became protected as the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park in 1975 and it was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981. Marine Park status was aimed at limiting the impacts of human activities like fishing, contaminant discharges and tourism. However, scientific studies show the reef has lost more than half its coral cover since 1985 and been subject to widespread coral bleaching events, the most notable in 2020.
Politician Warren Entsch, a Queensland member of the Federal House of Representatives for 26 years, championed the protection of the reef from the impacts of overfishing, tourism, pollution (particularly from plastics) and climate change. As an advocate within the federal parliament for reef health he was made a Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef in 2019, fulfilling this role for 3 years through to 2022. The Cairns Museum had an exhibition of local cartoonists’ portrayals of Warren’s political life including several related to his role as Reef Envoy ——–
—— illustrating his efforts to secure funding for reef protection efforts and ——-
—– showing his concern for managing pollutant impacts.
Wednesday became brilliantly sunny as we cruised in smooth seas out to the pontoon, passing a couple of whales en route. We spotted another pair on the return journey in the afternoon, this being the migrating season as they travelled north up the coast from the cold waters of the Southern Ocean to mate and breed in the warmer waters around the reef system.
We watched this whale cruise along at the surface for some 5 minutes to gain breath before slowly submerging to continue on its way.
As we passed this pair one did a “tail up” dive, no doubt to have a “snack” on the journey north.
The Reef Magic tour boat had a 260 person capacity, with some 20 crew including marine biologists. There were 220 on today’s cruise, including a large proportion of Chinese families, with public announcements in both English and Mandarin.
The Pontoon moored permanently at the reef has a 400 person capacity. Everything for the day’s outing had to be carried out on the boat, including supplies for the buffet lunch (along with the chefs and serving staff). There are no toilets on the pontoon, the boat toilets being available throughout the day. A caretaker is permanently stationed on the pontoon to provide 24 hour security.
A few hundred metres north of our pontoon was the Great Adventures unit, this one smaller, but with a more modern submersible reef viewing boat.
On arrival at the pontoon —–
—– I immediately headed for the submersible reef viewing experience ——-
—– followed by the glass bottom boat experience. In this view the submersible is in the shallows beyond which waves are breaking over the ocean edge of the reef – the glass bottom boat is in the foreground.
The coral viewed from the side window of the submersible was mainly blue or green in colour ——
—— with closer and clearer views from the glass bottom boat.
The real variation in coral colour and species variation could only be appreciated when I visited the aquarium at the weekend where ——
—– the coral garden was a real hit with families including this baby.
As we returned from our glass bottom cruise the submersible was leaving on one of its continuously operating ½ hour excursions.
We had a good view of the snorkelling area, which was watched over by lifeguards —–
—– with kids (here viewed from the underwater observatory) having a great time.
The observatory provided good views of reef dwellers during the 1.00pm feeding time ——
—– including this yellowtail fusilier (does that mean it’s a “gun” fish?).
In addition to the cruise cost there were extras you could purchase for the day including a 10 minute helicopter flight (around $200) plus guided snorkelling or aqualung diving accompanied by a marine biologist.
So, as we headed back to Cairns at 3:30pm the Great Adventures cruise boat from the neighbouring pontoon followed us.
Thursday 24 July:
A Skyrail bus picked me up at 9:30am for the trip out to the Smithfield Terminus for the gondola trip over the rain forest to Kuranda.
As with other days this attraction was very popular with Chinese travellers, many being families with young children.
Being high season the demand meant that each 6-seat gondola had to be shared with other travellers.
And so it was up over the top of the Dividing Range to the first transfer base where ——
—– there was a Rain Forest Visitor Centre before changing gondola’s for the next stage to Barron Falls overlook.
Ranger Reg provided an excellent background to the indigenous people’s foundation story for the Barron River Valley, as well as information on the many plants and wildlife inhabiting the area.
The Visitor Centre included this diorama of a cassowary family.
I then headed to the next stop at the Barron Falls Lookout.
The river is dammed at Kuranda to provide water for a power station in the gorge as well as irrigation water for agriculture on the Atherton Highlands, so only a trickle of flow is normally visible, ——-
—– except when the dam is full and the river is in flood during the wet season (which commences in January).
After crossing over the Barron River above the dam, we entered the Skyrail Terminal ——
—– where I popped down to the railway station right next door to see if I could recover my folding brolly inadvertently left at their café seating on Platform 1 while having a Devonshire Tea on Tuesday. I only found the brolly was missing when I got back to the hotel Tuesday afternoon, not needing it on the way back as the rain had stopped. When I told the young lady behind the gift shop counter that I had left my brolly on the platform on Tuesday she turned to the bench behind her and said “is this it”, holding up my Kmart $12 purchase. “I wondered where that came from” she said – “I thought one of the staff must have left it behind yesterday”.
Today’s 200m walk into the village at Kuranda was dry and sunny compared to Tuesday, and I took the opportunity to lunch again —–
—– at the Rainforest Restaurant which Lexie and I had enjoyed from our past visits in 2003 and 2008.
As I queued at 2:00pm for my return Skytrail trip —–
—– I was able to look down on the train leaving for its return journey to Cairns. When my gondola crossed the river and headed for the Barron Falls Lookout I could see across the gorge —–
—– to the train just leaving Barron Falls station after its routine stop on the way back to town.
And so to end the forest overview we passed above the very steep and winding road from the coastal plain to Kuranda to arrive ——
—– back at the Smithfield Terminus after a great day out.
Friday 25 July:
GSL Aviation picked me up from Novotel at 9:15am to take me to the General Aviation area at the airport for my 40 minute flight out to and over the Reef.
After a safety briefing and the donning of life jackets five of us joined pilot Ben on the 7 passenger plane. We were given specific seats based on our body weight so the plane was evenly balanced.
As we headed out over the sea Ben told us to watch for whale spouts as the earlier flight had spotted several whales travelling north.
We did spot one but my photo missed the spout and instead showed the whale below the surface with disturbed water behind from where it submerged to continue its journey after breathing.
The offshore edges of individual reefs were clearly defined by the deep blue ocean waters —–
—– with good views of coral structures on their landward sides. When the tide exposes reef surfaces windblown sand can become stranded ——
—– on high spots on the reef, and over time a small island develops, growing vegetation from bird-carried seeds to create a mini forest such as that at —–
—– Green Island, now a tourist destination. Ben said it can take around 2,000 years of sand accumulation and vegetation growth to get this level of island formation.
And so it was back to a smooth landing at the airport ——-
—– followed by Ben taking —–
—— a souvenir photo as a record of the outing.
Back in town I headed up to Rusty’s Markets, selling mainly produce ——
—– with extensive fruit and vegetable stalls. I had a Greek takeaway lunch while photo’ing several —–
—– of the wall murals.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent at Cairns’ three art gallery buildings. The first was —–
—– the Mulgrave Gallery in the old Mulgrave Shire office building with its exhibition of —–
—– indigenous artworks such as these shields which relate to an Aboriginal legend.
The second was —–
—– the Courthouse Gallery with its exhibition of “anti-colonial” artworks such as —–
—– this banner, and the commentaries ——-
—– on extremism and —–
—– racism. The background text in the above poster includes a whole string of quotations such as:
I’m not racist, but …. They’re a very primitive people, and …. I’m not racist, but …. they never wore any clothes before we came, and …. I’m not racist, but …. they just sit on their Missions and Reserves and do nothing, and …. I’m not racist, but …. I don’t know why Aboriginal people can’t look after their houses properly, and …. I’m not racist, but …. My family have been here for 200 years and my father worked hard to buy this land, and …. I’m not racist, but …. I think giving them back their land is asking too much, and ….
The main city art gallery had two exhibitions, both from indigenous artists.
Maljah Cathy Snow, from Normanton in the Gulf of Carpentaria, used textiles to examine life cycles associated with plants and animals.
Melanie Hava’s work “Marngare – Where Stories, Spirits and Country Meet” comprises —–
—– a panorama illustrating tropical vegetation, waterfalls and creeks of Northern Queensland.
Only a third of the work is shown above (it spans three walls of the exhibition room) with the next panel along —–
—– illustrating the variety of growth and life in the landscape, with the detail of some of the creatures (birds and animals) —–
—– imbedded in the panels being exquisite, such as this cassowary and family.
My last outing for the day was the Night Markets which comprise —–
—– clothing, —–
—– jewellery, —–
—– souvenir and massage stalls, —–
—– along with a large food court.
Saturday 26 July:
I spent the morning at the Museum in advance of the 12:40pm commencement of the Half-day City Sightseeing Bus Tour.
There was a very good display along with a video re sugar cane harvesting. In the early days cane cutting was a hazardous occupation as rats breeding in the cane undergrowth attracted snakes.
Workers petitioned cane farmers for danger pay, and when this was resisted one group of cane cutters set fire to the cane fields in retaliation against the inflexibility of the growers. However, this turned out to be a great move as it killed off the rats and snakes, cleared the undergrowth without affecting the quality of the cane, and enabled cutters to earn much more money as, being paid on the tonnage cut, the fire-cleared cane could be harvested much faster, increasing daily output per person significantly.
Today, of course, machines do all the work on cane harvesting and burning the cane fields beforehand is no longer necessary.
A network of cane railways pass under and across main roads ——-
—– with this line photo’d on my way to Kuranda at one of the railway overpasses.
Harvesting has just begun, but I did not see any trains, taking this picture from the museum’s video presentation.
The first stop on the City Tour was St Monica’s Catholic Cathedral which is famous for its stained glass windows.
The windows do not incorporate religious symbols and instead —–
—– focus on the creation story from the beginning of the universe —–
—— to the formation of landscapes and their habitation by plants, people and animals.
This detail is of the aboriginal encampment in the panel second on the left (see photo above this one).
We then headed for the Museum where the brief 20 minute guided tour was useful in filling out background to quite a number of items I had viewed during my 2 hour morning visit.
After a Devonshire Tea stop at a local café (this being part of the tour itinerary) we headed for the Botanical Gardens where our driver and guide Chris demonstrated his considerable knowledge of tropical trees and plants. Although there were plenty of Australian natives the gardens featured plants from all over the world, including ——
—– this silk floss tree from Florida, and ——
—– this Heliconia Pogonantha from Central America.
The Mount Whitfield Lookout gave us an expansive view of the coastal and inland suburbs ——
—– as well as the central city business district —–
—- including the accommodation area (the Novotel’s two red-topped towers are in the centre of this photo).
The final stop of the day was at Palm Cove, some 25km north of Cairns City Centre, a dormitory and tourist suburb with a sandy swimming beach.
Here in early 1943, at what was then a remote area along the coast, the beach was used as an amphibious landing training ground by the US and Australian military in advance of the battles for the Japanese held islands in the west Pacific.
Sunday 27 July:
The Aquarium visit occupied me for the whole morning with its extensive exhibits on river and sea life as well as reptiles and fossils.
Jungle perch represented one of the many freshwater fish, —–
—– with this blue groper ——
—– and lion fish being just a couple of the great range of seawater fish on display.
Two divers were in the 2-story floor to ceiling tank hand feeding fish while we watched through the glass, and then tidying up the bottom sand layer as this white tipped reef shark swam by.
I lunched at the Splash seafood restaurant down the street from the Aquarium, but it was no ordinary “fish & chips” as the salad was excellent, and the meal not overpowered by a massive heap of chips.
My afternoon visit was to the “Tomb of the Pharaohs” billed as an “Ancient Egypt Discovery Experience” which had opened 3 weeks ago. This privately funded and produced venture is intended to run for 4 years or so, and only in Cairns. It comprised 11 recreated burial chambers along with rooms containing over 450 museum grade display items. Photographs of walls and ceilings of burial chambers complete with original cracks and scuffed paint areas were printed full size and glued to timber surfaces to provide a realistic representation of the internal decorations of the underground chambers.
The tombs of Pharaohs and their Queens were on display ——-
—– along with both closed coffins (as above) ——
—– and open coffins showing the linen wrapped mummified body with its funeral mask and jewelled insignia of royal status. (There were even unwrapped mummified corpses on display – I will spare you the views of these.)
The recreation of King Tutankhamen’s funeral mask and insignia (on the right) was accompanied by the three coffins in which his body was laid, the coffins being used like Russian Dolls, one inside the other.
There was also a recreation of Tutankhamen’s Treasury Room containing all the objects and provisions he was likely to require in the afterlife.
So it was goodbye to Egypt and back to the Novotel to pack ready for the flight home next day.
Monday 28 July:
Cairns treated me well with a great package of activities and experiences. It seemed like I had been there a month as I reflected on my time away during the flight back to Auckland.
The 106 photos in this presentation are based on visits to Christchurch during two separate weeks late January and mid-March 2025. I was impressed by the redevelopment of the inner city, and the fact that street facing walls on many new buildings (as well as older existing buildings) were adorned with large scale art works. There were also many murals on walls facing open spaces on undeveloped empty lots as well as those on boundary fences in locations awaiting redevelopment. On 11 March a Radio NZ news item noted that in 2017 Lonely Planet had named Christchurch as a global street art capital alongside New York, London, and Berlin, so I was keen to see as many street art murals as I could by walking around the city. A selection from my photo record is set out below.
A living record of Christchurch City street art is maintained on the “Watch This Space” website at https://watchthisspace.org.nz inspired and maintained by Oi! You, the YMCA, Canterbury Museum and Spectrum where you can use the crowdsourced map of street art locations to explore works throughout the city.
Introduction to Christchurch Street Art
Street art has evolved from what Wikipedia calls “the early forms of defiant graffiti” into presenting thought provoking outdoor artwork using a wider set of tools then just the simple spray can. The role of paint spray cans in street art is celebrated in Christchurch by the eight giant cans located as art objects at the corner of Manchester and Lichfield streets.
The 4.5m high cans are in two groups, one group of three for established artists to provide long-term works that will be refreshed periodically, the other group of five being available as “free-for-all” surfaces for anyone to illustrate on a first come first served basis. It has been recommended that anyone using the “free-for-all” cans should document their work immediately on completion as it could be repainted on within hours of finishing their contribution.
The three established artists spray paint cans.
The five “free-for-all” spray paint cans.
Contents of this Photo Record
The photo record is grouped as follows:
People
Faces
Animals
Birds
Environment
Cityscape
Patterns
Weird and Wondrous
and Finally
PEOPLE
This mural created in September 2023 was funded by The Hine te Hiringa – Empower Women Utilising FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Fund, and supported by Watch this Space and ChristchurchNZ to celebrate the lives and achievements of a group of five influential wahine women. The women featured in the mural include singer, broadcaster and champion for Māori culture and language, Airini Nga Roimata Grennell (centre), award winning writer and activist in feminism, social justice and peace movements Elsie Locke (top left), prominent activist in the fields of Māori welfare and health Erihapeti Rehu-Murchie (lower right), conservationist and leader in Ngāi Tahu Wharetutu Te Aroha Stirling (lower left), and paraplegic Olympic archer who won Commonwealth Games Gold competing against able bodied competitors Neroli Fairhall (top right).
Hanmer Forest was developed initially in 1901 on 250 ha of former Thermal Reserve land in Hanmer Springs, North Canterbury, to provide timber for the Christchurch market. A mix of native and exotic trees were planted to evaluate how different species would perform under New Zealand conditions. Trees planted included black pine, Douglas Fir, Corsican Pine, Norway spruce, deciduous larch, alders in wet areas, and included oak and silver birch as amenity species. Subsequently the forest was extended with radiata pine to 5150 ha, and in 2000 passed into private ownership when North Canterbury Crown Forests were sold to Ngai Tahu as part of a Treaty of Waitangi Settlement. In 2008 Matariki Forests, Hanmer Heritage Trust and Hurunui District Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding that protected public access to the forest, with the Council taking over maintenance of tracks.
Entrance to the Forest Amble is at 100 Jollies Pass Road, Hanmer Springs. Note the dog sculpture in the centre of the picture.
There are walking tracks, bridle paths and mountain bike trails throughout the forest. The dog and creatures set out along the walking trail loop were sculptured by Andrew Lyons of Christchurch in 2018. Andrew used the natural colours and grains from a redwood tree which once grew outside the Hanmer Springs Thermal Spa and Pools. The works were commissioned by the Hanmer Forest Trust as a means of enhancing the public’s enjoyment of the forest. Financing was assisted by the Pub Charity and support for the project was provided by Ngai Tahu and Rayonier Matariki Forests as stakeholders.
The track through the trees is billed as a 30 minute easy stroll (hence the name Forest Amble), but I spent over an hour exploring the track and sculptures while taking photos and chatting with an Australian couple.
The “Follow the dog” sign referred to track markers consisting of red posts topped with a picture of the dog sculpture.
These two squirrels were the first to greet us on the walk.
As well as looking ahead down the trail I was continuously looking up into the forest canopy and spotted this group of fantails (which were missed by the Aussie couple).
Perching fantails do not usually continuously display a full spread of their tail feathers.
However, these were sculptures and thus the full tail display enhanced their presentation.
This bear cub was easy to spot.
He looked a bit lonely, maybe wondering “hey mum – how do I get down from up here?”
This tree climbing possum had all the gear —–
—– with his arborist’s harness, rope and hard hat.
Peek-a-boo. Who are you?
The cycle of forest life was well demonstrated via fallen and decaying older trees.
These mice seemed a little wary of the watching falcon.
My Aussie friends were not taking photos, so kept getting ahead of me as we progressed around the trail.
Not sure what material this guy was sculpted from.
Was Enid Blyton’s Brer Rabbit modelled on a Disney version as that shown below?
[Internet stock photo.]
A large 1 ha open area, originally planted in larch trees, was recently cleared (2020) for safety reasons and replanted with Californian coastal redwoods. These are expected to grow to some 115m high and 9m diameter and live 1200 to 1800 years barring hazards such as wind or fire.
Young redwoods are visible throughout the open area.
Nearing the end of the walk we passed a tuatara —–
—– and this owl ——
—– to find our dog taking a rest on a spare tree stump.
This forest art walk was a most peaceful place, full of surprises as we strolled through the great variety of tree species. A visit is highly recommended.
These notes cover twenty-three days travel to, from, and in Australia over 3 weeks 26 July to 17 August 2024, involving two days (two nights) in Auckland, three days (four nights) in Adelaide, three days (two nights) on The Ghan Adelaide to Darwin, seven days (eight nights) in Darwin, four days (three nights) on The Ghan Expedition Darwin to Adelaide, and two days (three nights} in Adelaide before flying back to NZ.
Tauranga to Auckland [Friday 26 July]
Tauranga Airport is small and comfortable, and at the time I left, 2pm, was very busy with four Air NZ aircraft boarding flights for destinations around the country. I had parked the car in the long-term parking area (which was large and nearly full) before exploring the terminal and having lunch.
There was a photo (above) and storyboard in the terminal re Oscar Garden “one of New Zealand’s greatest aviators”. Born in 1903 in Scotland he emigrated to NZ in 1921 but returned to England and learned to fly in 1930. With only 19 hours flying time he purchased a second hand Gypsy Moth and set off in secret on 16 October 1930 to fly to Australia in order to accumulate enough flying hours to obtain his commercial pilot’s licence. He landed unannounced in Wyndham WA 18 days later gaining world fame for the third fastest flight England to Australia at that time. He subsequently delivered the first flying boat for Tasman Empire Airlines (TEAL) from the UK to NZ, became chief pilot and operations manager for TEAL (the forerunner of Air NZ) and was considered at that time to be one of the most capable pilots in the world. He left TEAL in 1947 and in 1953 moved to Tauranga where over the next 25 years became a renowned tomato grower, growing tomatoes like he flew planes, “to perfection”. His story is told by daughter Mary (who grew up in Tauranga) in her book “Sundowner of the Skies” published in 2019 and shortlisted for the 2020 NSW Premier’s History Award.
So, a quick flight to Auckland —–
—–then an overnight stay at the Airport Novotel.
Auckland to Adelaide [Saturday 27 July]
This early-morning Air NZ flight was to take me to Melbourne for a 3 hour stopover before a Qantas flight on to Adelaide, arriving mid-afternoon local time. However after our Boeing 787-9 was pushed back from the gate and engine start-up commenced an acrid smell began filling the cabin and the engines were suddenly shut down. The Captain advised that there appeared to be some sort of cross-connection between engine exhaust and the plane’s air-conditioning system which they were looking into.
Some 20 minutes later we were advised the flight was being abandoned, and we would be pushed back onto a parking area and deplaned into buses to return to the terminal. Once back in the terminal Air NZ staff apologised and advised
first, that there was sufficient spare capacity today on flights leaving NZ for Melbourne to ensure we would all get there;
second, that as we had technically “left” the country on an international flight, but now returned, we would need to fill out arrival cards, collect our bags and go through customs and quarantine inspections, and return to the check-in area for our new flight;
third, all people with duty-free goods would need to return these for refund;
fourth, a “disruption team” had been set up to rebook everyone to their final destination for the day, and we would be advised by text message as to details of our new flight(s).
A few minutes later a lady behind me gave a gasp and exclaimed “They are sending me to Queenstown to catch a Virgin Airways flight to Melbourne – I was flying business class with Air NZ, and I totally dislike Virgin”. Then a young man in black tee-shirt and backward peaked cap began sounding off to all around with loud and obnoxious complaints about the situation.
About 20 minutes later I received a text with my new flight times, leaving 2pm for Melbourne then straight on to Adelaide. So out through customs and to a café for lunch. Two ladies at the lunch table next to me asked if I had received my new flight details (which I had) as they had not yet received word. I said it was likely that the rebooking team were dealing initially with first and business class (as per the lady going to Queenstown), then second with through flights into Melbourne and on to other Australian destinations (my situation), and finally those passengers only going to Melbourne (such as them). I assured them they should get word soon, and at that point their phones “dinged” and their bookings arrived (they said I had brought them luck!!).
I was so impressed with the way Air NZ handled the situation (with a formal printed letter of apology handed out to everyone in the disembarkation lounge within minutes of our deplaning) and with the speed of the rebooking process that I found a “Compliments Page” on the Air NZ website and sent them the following message:
Thanks Air NZ for the brilliant work your team did in helping to solve the difficulties arising from having to abandon yesterday morning’s flight NZ121 from Auckland to Melbourne. They were courteous, timely and informative, and I was most impressed with the quick rebooking of my through flight to Adelaide. I was disappointed with the behaviour of one young man who was f***ing this and f***ing that in complaining to all around him, and when picking up an arrival card at the desk loudly said “we need to get compensation for this “. What a nutter. My compensation was the excellent service provided by your disruption team. Well done. Warm regards, Ian
Subsequently I received the following response from Air NZ:
Kia ora Ian
Thank you for your email highlighting the service you received from our Auckland Airport ground staff recently.
We encourage our staff to go above and beyond where possible and to let their personality shine through. I’m delighted to learn they lived up to our brand values of putting customers at the core of our service and welcoming them as a friend.
I have since shared your email with the Air New Zealand airport Manager so that the staff can be commended for their efforts.
Thanks again for reaching out with your feedback. Disrupts are very stressful for our staff and it’s so nice to hear such kind words. We look forward to welcoming you back on one of our future services.
Ngā mihi,
Sue
Fortunately, the original flight to Melbourne was not full, which no doubt assisted the rebooking operation.
Abandoned flight NZ121 parked on the tarmac from where we were bussed back to the terminal
My through flights Melbourne and on to Adelaide were on a Qantas Boeing 737 similar to the jet aircraft used by Air NZ on our main city routes. The service was good, with just enough time in Melbourne to clear customs then check-in at the domestic terminal to catch the flight to Adelaide, eventually arriving at the Mantra Hindmarsh Share in central city just before 10pm Adelaide time. It was a long day with a 5am start in Auckland and Adelaide 1 ½ hours behind.
Adelaide [Sunday 28 July]
This was a “visit to the seaside” day, using the tram to Glenelg. Tram and bus travel within a defined city area is free, but outside this area paying for bus or tram is as simple as “tag on-tag off” using a credit card. Glenelg on the west coast of the city is well known for its pier and expansive sandy beach. The 1920’s “bathing boxes” have now been replaced by huge apartment blocks lining the foreshore, with the main street full of restaurants and specialty shops.
Moseley Square looking west to the foreshore. Town Hall and Museum on the right.
Glenelg tram terminus in Moseley Square, a $6 ride from the city.
The current exhibition at the Museum was “Tiati”, the Kaurna word for “Truth”. On 19 February 1836 King William IV of Britain issued Letters Patent establishing the province of South Australia. This document required that the colony could only proceed if lands occupied by settlers were fairly purchased from the Aboriginal population and that land purchase transactions were to be supervised by the government appointed Protector of Aborigines. The letters Patent directed the following;
Provided Always that nothing in those our Letters Patent contained shall affect or be construed to affect the rights of any Aboriginal Natives of the said province to the actual occupation or enjoyment on their own Persons or in the Persons of their Descendants of any Lands therein now actually occupied or enjoyed by such Natives.
However, despite the clear instructions from the British Monarch that the Aboriginal population were to be recognised under the rule of law, the colony went on to appropriate land without treaty or compensation. The Tiati exhibition recognised that Aboriginal Australians have long called for an inclusive process of truth-telling about this history.
Glenelg Pier was very popular on a Sunday
Apartment blocks line the coast north and south of Moseley Square
Adelaide [Monday 29 July]
There are two free circular bus circuits in Adelaide, one around the inner city and the other around the inner and North Adelaide city areas. In addition there are two free tram routes within the main city area, one east/west between the museum/art gallery/university out to the Entertainment Centre, the other north/south from the city to South Terrace from where it continues south/west to Glenelg as a paid fare trip.
Following a bus ride around the inner city to North Adelaide I stopped off in the central city at the Market, which on Mondays was open only for produce, Tuesdays to Sundays being fully open.
The free 98A bus does the anticlockwise circuit of the full city area including North Adelaide. The 98B bus does the circuit clockwise.
A key stop on the 98A route is the Central Market
I decided to come back Tuesday to visit the fully open market, so explored China Town next door before heading back to Rundle Mall, the main shopping precinct for the city. The major department stores (Meyer and David Jones) plus Coles and Woolworths Supermarkets are accessed from the Mall, with several arcades providing for every commercial activity one can imagine. Adelaide Arcade is the most famous, and was my main access route from the Mantra Hotel through to Rundle Mall.
China Town adjacent to Central market.
Adelaide Arcade and its famous fountain in the Mall
The Arcade interior stretches through a full city block.
Lunch at KOKO BLACK, Lexie’s and my favourite chocolate shop in Australia.
The Rundle Mall pig sculptures are a favourite with children.
They love touching them and cannot keep their hands off.
Adelaide [Tuesday 30 July]
It was back to Central Market in the morning then a visit to the State Library and Museum in the afternoon. The two floors of the Aboriginal wing at the Museum are reputed to house the largest collection of Aboriginal artefacts in Australia.
There were many fruit stalls throughout the Market but only one flower stall.
The butcher’s stall behind the flowers was one of several meat and fish stalls.
The Mortlock Wing of the State Library is regularly included on the list of most beautiful libraries in the world.
State Library entrance with the Mortlock Wing on the right.
In the Museum the whale sculpture woven from freshwater rushes represents Kondini, Keeper of Fire.
Aboriginal shields were not only used in battle but represented the identity of the owner.
The Ghan [Wednesday 31 July 2024]
The Ghan on this trip to Darwin over 3 days and two nights comprised 31 carriages and 4 restaurant cars, 4 lounge cars (with bars) and with two engines had a total length of 780 metres. It had capacity for 220 travellers but on this journey there were just 188 guests on board.
Yes, that is me in the reflection above the iconic symbol of the Afghan camel rider.
I took a twin cabin. Mains power outlets enabled me to charge camera, phone and iPad batteries overnight.
The landscape window provided great viewing during the trip.
Facilities included bathroom complete with shower and toilet.
The Queen Adelaide restaurant served superb meals throughout the trip —–
—– and the lounge car provided great views from large windows on both sides of the train.
The Ghan [Thursday 1 August 2024]
The day started with a dawn stop at Marla, an outback location in South Australia where engine crew changes were made. We all exited the train at 6:30 to watch the sun rise (3 degree temperature) while we enjoyed coffee and bacon and egg butties around log fires. Then it was on to Alice Springs, Northern Territory, for an off-train experience to Standley Chasm.
The Ghan at Marla stretching over ¾ of a km back along the track.
Bacon and egg buttie and coffee at dawn while waiting for sunrise.
Even the crows were waiting to view the sunrise at Marla.
And so to Alice Springs for an off-train experience
The gorge leading to Standley Chasm was rich with plants of medicinal significance.
The Chasm walk was a cultural experience with our aboriginal guide on the left.
The Ghan [Friday 2 August 2024]
The main event on Friday was the off-train experience with a cruise on the Katherine River into the Nitmiluk Gorge. It was May 2006 when Lexie and I visited the Gorge and took the cliff-top walk to the Baruwei Lookout.
The upper Gorge area. We had to walk between boats on the lower and upper gorge as they were separated by rapids.
Vertical fractured sandstone walls lined the gorge.
These freshwater crocodiles are totally harmless to humans. Note the narrow pointed jaws.
A swimming hole where bathers were oblivious of the downstream crocodile. The rapids are at the head of the pool.
Baruwei Lookout perched on the “nose” of the “crocodile head” cliff face.
It was 2006 when we trekked up to the Lookout.
Darwin [Saturday 3 August 2024]
Darwin was totally ravaged by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974 which destroyed 70% of all buildings including many older stone built. 30,000 of the then 46,000 population was evacuated south by air until rebuilding could get underway. The current population of 140,000 lives in the many modern apartment blocks scattered throughout downtown and in villas and low rise apartments in the expanding suburbs of Casuarina in the north and Palmerston to the east. The Alice Springs to Darwin section of the railway line from Adelaide was completed September 2003 with The Ghan starting in 2004. Downtown has a small shopping area with the Casuarina Mall some 10km from the central city being the largest shopping centre in the Territory. The tourist season is May to September (the dry season), with the wet season October to March being humid and often having daily thunderstorms. During the dry tourist season days are sunny, humidity around 30%, and no rainfall.
Buses are free throughout the city during the tourist season. On the two long trips I did (Casuarina and Palmerston) aboriginal groups joined the bus and split in two, one at the front of the bus, the other at the rear, and engaged in loud conversational exchanges up and down the bus. On one trip the front of bus group became verbally aggressive and refused to quieten down when the driver argued with them from behind his protective cage. A few stops later the bus pulled in behind what seemed like a police car and four black clad officers with radios and what looked like stab-proof jackets entered the bus and quietened everyone down. They had “Transit Security” labels on their backs, and two then remained on the bus for the remainder of the journey back to the city. The aboriginal families in general were very tidily dressed in colourful outfits with cute kids in modern push chairs. It was older be-whiskered males who were the loud mouths. One chubby smiling lady sat beside me on one occasion and with a big grin turned to me and said “OK if I sit with you madam?”
My accommodation for the week was perfectly placed for access to transport, shopping and tourist locations.
Downtown apartment blocks (this one seen from the bus). Many buildings had back walls covered in murals.
Darwin [Sunday 4 August 2024]
Today was city sightseeing to the Aboriginal Arts Centre, the War Memorial gardens (with many story boards re the bombing of Darwin}, Parliament Building (called by locals the “Wedding Cake” as it was white, rectangular, and “full of fruits and nuts soaked in alcohol”), then Darwin Harbour Evening Dinner Cruise.
Medium size didgeridoos were $430.
Parliament Building (the “Wedding Cake”).
Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of the 19 February 1942 bombing of Darwin.
Outdoor dining on the fore-deck set ready for the sunset harbour cruise.
There were many sail boats out on the harbour for the evening.
A classic Darwin sunset.
Darwin [Monday 5 August 2024]
Monday was a public holiday for the Northern Territory called “Picnic Day” which related to workers’ rights rather like our Labour Day in NZ. After doing an Explorer Bus round trip of the full Darwin area I continued back on the bus to the Art Gallery and Museum. For the evening I went to the movies at the outdoor Deckchair Cinema.
The Explorer Bus provided an all-day ticket allowing you to hop-on hop-off at tourist attractions.
The bowling green on the road into the Art Gallery and Museum was fully covered over to protect players against the sun.
Entries for the Annual Aboriginal Art Awards were on display in the Art Gallery.
The giant flightless goose skeleton from the Miocene era had some similarities to our NZ moa.
Railway Signalling tower bent in half by Cyclone Tracy, 25 December 1974.
Mural of cyclone damage based on movie camera film shot on 26 December 1974.
The Deckchair Cinema was on the foreshore below the Parliament Building terrace.
The cinema had a buffet meal available, as well as snacks and full bar service.
This possum themed notice was followed up by —-
—– this one (possums are apparently a nuisance to cinema patrons).
Darwin [Tuesday 6 August 2024]
It was a Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie 1973 movie “Don’t Look Now” last night, a thriller filmed in Venice. I did not see any possums. Today it was the Darwin History and Wartime Experience trip throughout bomb sites around the city and to the Military Museum
The history tour was via a WW II army truck.
The Military Museum has extensive displays on the February 1942 bombing of Darwin.
The Japanese carrier fleet that bombed Pearl Harbour in December 1941 carried out raids over several days on Darwin from 19 February 1942, with 188 planes on the first day cleverly flying inland to the east of the city before turning to come in from the south while the defence had their guns pointed out to sea.
This 9.2 inch gun was pointing out over the coast to challenge incoming warships
There were limited anti-aircraft batteries available in 1942, with the Japanese raids catching the military totally by surprise.
Darwin [Wednesday 7 August 2024]
The Aviation Museum was housed in a huge hanger built to accommodate a B-52 bomber on permanent loan from the US air force after it sent its bomber fleet from Guam back to the USA in 1990.
Arrival of the B-52 in Darwin on March 27 1990
Now named “The Pride of Darwin”.
There is ample display room under the wings.
Japanese Zero fighter shot down 19 February 1942
Darwin [Thursday 8 August 2024]
Today it was a visit to the flying doctor tourist facility at Stokes Wharf, and the WW II Oil Storage Tunnels under the city. The RFDS (Royal Flying Doctor Service) commenced 1928 as the brainchild of Reverend John Flynn, a Presbyterian minister concerned re lack of medical care for remote outback residents. The Stokes Wharf facility covered not only the history of the RFDS but also the WW II bombing of Darwin by the Japanese.
Via a hologram presentation, Flynn provided a history of the service from one small bi-plane —-
—— to 70 modern aircraft today.
Extensive story boards covered the service.
The current service sees 1,000 patients daily.
During the first Japanese raid each of the 188 Zero fighters carried a single bomb.
A video recreation of the bombing raid on the harbour where 7 ships were sunk.
After the February 1942 destruction in Darwin and the loss of the main oil storage tanks, it was decided to excavate under the city and use the resulting tunnels for oil storage. They were built into the cliffs of the Waterfront Precinct, but kept secret until being opened as a tourist attraction in 1992 on the 50th anniversary of the bombing. Originally 11 tunnels were proposed but only 6 were completed by the end of the war. Subsequently tunnels 5 and 6 were used for jet fuel storage into the 1950s.
The Waterfront Precinct from the cliffs.
The beach and tidal pool are very popular.
There was a special entry fee for ex-soldiers.
The tunnels walkway access alongside the fuel lines.
The tourist tunnel was lined with story boards.
This tunnel was around 170m long
Darwin [Friday 9 August 2024]
In the 1800s Chinese workers flocked to the goldfields after gold was found during railway construction south of Darwin. Many stayed on as railway construction workers and continued into market gardening and retail businesses. For some time Darwin was labelled orient of the Outback with Chinese outnumbering Europeans.
The Chinese Temple and Museum entrance
The Temple was a cool restful place.
After exploring the Chinese area I spent several hours at Crocosaurus Cove not far from the Hilton. The attraction housed huge tanks holding saltwater crocodiles along with a reptile area (snakes and lizards).
80 year old “Burt” who starred in the first Crocodile Dundee movie.
The “Cage of Death” lowered a bather protected by a Perspex cylindrical tube into the tank.
Feeding time.
Reaching for a meaty bone.
The Ghan Expedition [Saturday 10 August 2024]
The return to Adelaide via The Ghan Expedition involved a four day/three night journey with a half day off-train experience in Katherine and full day experiences in Alice Springs and Coober Pedy. For Katherine it was another trip to the Nitmiluk Gorge, this time to view aboriginal rock art estimated at being over 10,000 years old.
Termite mounds viewed from the train on the way south to Katherine.
Flat topped trees in the mango orchard prevent bats perching in the foliage and destroying fruit.
Rock Art Cruise in Nitmiluk Gorge
Walking track between lower and upper gorge areas.
Animals and humans featured prominently
Circles were in places supplemented with rows of lines and hand prints.
The Ghan Expedition [Sunday 11 August 2024]
A full day at Alice Springs consisted of visits to the Alice Springs School of the Air, the Reptile Centre, and a view of Alice from War Memorial Hill. In the evening it was an open air “Dinner Under the Stars” event at the Telegraph Station for the whole train with 21 tables (each of 10 persons) enjoying a top-class 3 course meal with wines and other beverages. The School of the Air commenced in 1951 following a 1950 trial using John Flynn’s flying doctor service radio network.
Lexie would have loved visiting this school of the outback.
It currently has 120 pupils scattered over an area equal to 17% the area of Australia.
This school has the largest coverage of such schools throughout the country
Pupils come in once a term for an in-school week at Alice Springs
Lunch at Desert Park.
John Flynn’s memorial near Desert Park.
A Thorny Devil lizard at the Reptile Centre
ANZAC Hill War memorial and NT flag
Alice Springs looking out to the MacDonnell Ranges
Alice Springs Telegraph Station
Table 20
Dinner Under the Stars
Even camel rides were available at the dinner
Dinner ended with a commentary on the star filled sky
The Ghan Expedition [Monday 12 August 2024]
Overnight, after the Alice Springs dinner, the Ghan proceeded to Manguri for the Coober Pedy off-train experience. The road from Manguri to Coober Pedy is a 40km corrugated dirt road, but we diverted for a brief visit to The Breakaways. These are a series of mesas and low hills which appear to have “broken away” from the main escarpment in the area and now form a conservation park.
Outback cattle on the way to Coober Pedy.
Buses ready for the off-train experience
“Salt and Pepper” formation at The Breakaways
Multi-coloured formations characteristic of the area
Beyond The Breakaways, dead-flat outback scrubland and desert.
At this overlook we were supplied with champagne, wine, beer, soft drinks, tea or coffee.
In Coober Pedy we visited the underground Serbian Orthodox Church before lunch at the Quest Opal Mine and then a tour of the town.
Typical mullock heap landscape. Beside each mullock heap is a deep shaft, hence walking anywhere on the opal fields is prohibited.
Serbian Church entrance on the right (white door) with hall entrance in the centre and chapel windows on the far right. Ventilation tubes on the left skyline.
Church interior looking towards the Altar.
Altar close-up
Inside view of the external window at entrance to the church.
Baptismal pool with cover.
The Ghan and Adelaide [Tuesday 13 August 2024]
We passed through Port Augusta at breakfast time on the Tuesday heading away from the outback into green pastures. Our arrival in Adelaide was timed for midday.
Awaiting sunrise at Port Augusta.
The front of the train on one of the few large bends during the trip
The main highway was close to the train through to Adelaide.
A section of Snowtown windfarm, the largest in SA, with 137 turbines on western hills south of Port Augusta.
Cropping dominated local land use.
So, it was farewell to The Ghan at Parklands Terminal in Adelaide.
Adelaide [Wednesday 14 August 2024]
It was further exploring the city by tram and foot on Wednesday taking in street sculptures in Hindmarsh Square and Rundle Mall.
The Mantra Hotel room comprised two bedrooms, a lounge and kitchenette.
There was also a balcony overlooking Hindmarsh Square.
Hindmarsh Square.
Rundle Mall.
Those Rundle Mall pigs again
And a 2.5m tall pigeon in Gawler Lane
Adelaide [Thursday 15 August 2024]
This last day in Adelaide involved a bus trip to Port Adelaide and a visit to the Railway and Aviation Museums.
The historic 1869 Port Adelaide Lighthouse
Cruising is available through a lift bridge to the outer harbour area.
The railway Museum included outdoor exhibits such as this Queensland sugar train locomotive
There were also two large pavilions housing mainline locomotives and rolling stock.
Six rows of rolling stock were housed in each pavilion
An early cafeteria car.
The Aviation Museum was in two hangers but overall was not as interesting as the Darwin one. The bi-plane pictured on the main hanger doorway is the Smith brothers winning entry in the 1919 Great Britain to Australia flying race over 27 days, winning them £A10,000 (1919 currency).
Smith brother’s plane, a modified Vickers Vimy bomber of WWI
These strollers were to keep the kids happy while Mum and Dad explored the exhibits.
The Friendship was the first turboprop operated by NAC in NZ on domestic routes.
Friendship cockpit.
Model of the HMAS Melbourne aircraft carrier.
Dassault Mirage IIID jet fighter and a carrier based de Havilland DH-112 Sea Venom.
Travel Home [Friday 16 and Saturday 17 August 2024]
I arrived early at Gate 18, Adelaide International Terminal
Check-in desk with a last glimpse of an Outback icon, the windmill water pump.
Airbus A320 from Adelaide to Auckland.
Auckland International terminal from Novotel seventh floor.
Room 711 in the Novotel. Auckland Airport.
Final packing before flying home to Tauranga on Saturday 17 August.
Drive Bethlehem to Auckland Airport Park and Ride. Fly Melbourne and luxury taxi to Mercure Welcome Hotel, 265 Little Bourke Street.
Sunday 18 February [morning]
Melbourne Museum galleries on dinosaurs (pictured below), forest life, and First Peoples.
Many fossil remains and dinosaur skeletons on show.
Floor to ceiling digital video screens showing Cretaceous Period creatures flying, walking and swimming.
The IMAX Theatre within the Museum complex showed a documentary “Deep Space” on the James Webb Space Telescope.
Sunday 18 February [afternoon]
Walked to Federation Square via Swanston Street (local trams cancelled due to huge rally in support of Palestinians in Gaza).
Several blocks of Swanston Street full of marchers carrying Palestinian flags and placards.
Even a Maori flag on display, and people carrying “Free Assange” placards.
In the Ian Potter Centre at the NGV in Federation Square there was a huge exhibition of aboriginal art works Wurrdha Marra (meaning ‘Many Mobs’ in the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung language) plus a documentary on Albert Namatjira along with 100 paintings from artists associated with the Hermannsburg Lutheran Mission Station (in the Finke River Valley west of Alice Springs) where Namatjira began his painting career.
Albert Namatjira and his wife Rubina.
Screen shot from the documentary.
Sunday 18 February [evening] After Federation Square walked to Eureka Tower Floor 88 Skydeck followed by dinner at BearBrass.
City and Swanston Street Bridge over the Yarra.
NGV and Botanical Gardens from Floor 88.
View from my table at BearBrass.
Cloud St Pinot Noir.
Monday 19 February [morning]
“Dinos Alive” at Dawson Street, Brunswick, comprising an exhibition of life-size replicas that moved heads, jaws and tails while emitting load roars.
Ankylosaurus (Fused Lizard), 8,000kg, max speed 30km/hr.
Tyrannosaurus Rex (Tyrant Lizard King), 9,000kg, max speed 25 km/hr [Quetzalcoatlus flying dinosaur in background].
Monday 19 February [afternoon]
Acland Street precinct, St Kilda, and waterfront esplanade.
Acland Street Tram terminus.
Example of street art on Acland Street.
Esplanade – War Memorial and Ferris wheel.
St Kilda Pier is under reconstruction
Tuesday 20 February [morning]
Queen Victoria Market.
Market general stalls.
Market food stalls.
Tuesday 20 February [afternoon]
ARTVO Immersive Art experience at Docklands where classical and general art works allow viewer to enter the picture. Then it was on to the Street Art Walk in the central city laneways.
Entrance to ARTVO. Most visitors were accompanied by family or friends who were then able to photograph members of their group within the art pieces. A lady offered to take the picture of the “man in a bottle” with my camera.
Man in a bottle.
Environmental art piece in Myers Lane.
Hosier Laneway with 2.5m art piece.
Tuesday 20 February [evening]
Outdoor cinema in Federation Square – ‘Surreal Shorts’ with music to 3 silent films by two composers and their backing group.
Afternoon preshow entertainment. Deck chairs provide free seating. Stage is below screen shot of 4 singers.
End of show with ad for next silent film night.
Wednesday 21 February [morning]
BBC Earth Experience at the Exhibition Centre, narrated by David Attenborough. A 70 minute multi-screen look at seven continents, so good that I stayed on for a second showing.
Wall display next to the ticket office. My ticket was texted as a message to my phone.
Multi-shaped labyrinth of floor to ceiling screens with viewers on bean-bags or low couches.
Antarctic walrus.
Sumatran pygmy rhino.
African elephants.
Asian Jungle.
South American birdlife.
European hamster.
Australian cassowary.
Exit display of a huge slowly rotating suspended Earth, with live storm centres and flashing lightening strikes in the clouds, stars in the distant cosmos.
Wednesday 21 February [afternoon]
Yarra River Cruise downstream to Port Melbourne.
Passing a sister cruise boat.
Bolte Bridge (columns are purely decorative).
Oil tanker and fuel storage facility.
Passing under docklands bridge designed as an Aboriginal fish trap.
Wednesday 21 February [evening]
Groundhog Day, the Musical – Princess Theatre, Spring Street, Melbourne.
Thursday 22 February [morning and afternoon]
National Gallery of Victoria [NGV] Triennial.
Entrance to NGV (banana exhibit poster behind thumb ).
Banana exhibit poster at left of entrance to NGV.
Main entrance foyer.
Grand Hall behind entrance foyer.
The controversial duct-taped banana occupies the centre of a whole gallery wall (artist recommends a fresh banana replacement every few days).
This floor to ceiling display of strange moving creatures and figures was one of three really weird similar digital displays.
Congregation at a Baptist Conference, USA.
Duke of Apple in the Vile Oubliette.
RIFIFI – the area for kids.
RIFIFI, a cartoonish underwater world.
Friday 23 February [travel home]
Tram to SkyBus terminal at Southern Cross Station.
Plane docking to prepare for flight NZ124 to Auckland.
Although overcast when I left Havelock the sun came out as I entered the Wairau Valley and headed south on SH1 through Blenheim over to Seddon. I checked out the new “Whale Trail” cycle trail that runs 210km from Picton to Kaikoura where it crosses the combined Railway-Cycleway bridge at Seddon.
The cycleway is on the lower level that was originally the vehicle roadway when this was a dual road-rail bridge. The Awatere River has risen a bit from the Friday night rainfall.
This is the entrance to the cycle/walkway deck, and looking back from several metres down the walk —–
—– you get a view of this new mural that greets cyclists travelling north as they exit the bridge.
My destination for the day was Ward Beach which I visited on 23 January in Week 1 of my trip, and where in my Travel Notes for that week I stated (in respect of the photo below) as follows:
Ward Beach is also known for its “Boulders” scattered along the foreshore. These ancient (65 million years old) concretions were uplifted with the beach some 2.5 to 3 m during the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. Some boulders are round (although much smaller than those at Moeraki further south) but the large ones have unusual shapes as above.
Later in my travels I came across an internet item which showed photos of the “Ward Beach Boulders” and I realised that even though I mention above “some boulders are round”, the fact is I never walked far enough down the beach to see the “real” Ward Beach Boulders.
So, here are the “real” boulders ——
—– which stand out in shape and colour from the concretions I referred to, and —–
—– have significant similarities to the Moeraki Boulders, although much smaller in size.
I stayed overnight at the NZMCA (NZ Motor Caravan Association) POP (Park Over Property) site at Ward Beach, being a fenced and gated field made available by local landowners for NZMCA members who for a small donation can park overnight as guests of the owners. (There are 100s of POP sites through the country, usually owned by NZMCA present or past members). Outside the POP area there is strictly “no camping or overnight parking” at Ward Beach for any other members of the travelling public.
Showers were starting up as I returned from my hike to the Boulders, and this gave a great view out to sea from my campsite —–
—— of an ever-changing rainbow as the rain moved across the bay.
Sunday 20 April:
During the night I could hear from time to time a rustling/ticking sound that seemed like seagulls on the roof, but of course no birds were about in the dark. Woken for the third time around 1am, I opened the blinds and window to check out the back to see if some local animal was rubbing up against the van – nothing, so back to sleep ignoring the sound.
Then, waking up at my usual time of 6am, I found the following mess around —–
—– the hot cross bun pack I had left on the bench top overnight. It had originally been lying down with the base of the pack on the bench top – I have tipped it on its end to take this photo.
There were four buns left in the pack, fully sealed with a clothes peg in their plastic bag, now with a corner of the bag torn away, and an arched “tunnel” going from the corner right through one bun into the next, with the scrapings from the “tunnelling” accumulated on the back of the bench, and with individual sultanas (black bits) not touched. (The bits of folded paper towel on the back bench are “wedges” I use to stop stove rattles when travelling).
I clearly had a hungry stowaway on board, although not much seemed to have been consumed, with most of the bun excavated out of the “tunnel” seemingly cast to one side.
[P.S. So for the next two nights I placed the pack of buns in the door well, reckoning that if the intruder came out from hiding and I could hear this scratching sound again, I could sneak up quietly in the dark, throw the door open and get it to scamper outside – no luck however, as no sound at all overnight. I therefore purchased a mousetrap Tuesday when I got back to civilisation, but nothing caught so far this week.]
On the way out from Ward Beach after doing without hot cross buns this Easter Sunday I stopped on the back road at Ward to see what time the Coastal Pacific train came through, and discovered —–
—– these spur-winged plover feeding in the field nearby, presumably also waiting for the train, as —–
—– when it rumbled through the two birds (can you spot them in the middle centre and middle left) just glanced up as it went by, then carried on feeding.
Ward is the village centre for the agricultural and vinicultural Flaxbourne area, with local farming supported by their own —–
—– lime works quarry, and electricity supplied by their own —–
—– wind mill generators, of which there are seven machines (three shown here) scattered on two local hilltops.
As well as sheep and cattle farming there is a least one pig farm locally, with this group rushing up to me at the fence snuffling away in anticipation of some food (any-one for a spoiled hot cross bun??).
My destination for a second night freedom camping was Kekerengu Beach halfway down to Kaikoura from Blenheim. The drive passes St Oswald’s Church, —–
—— which is still being restored and strengthened after the 2016 Kaikoura earthquake. St Oswald’s was built 88 years ago as a memorial to the local landowner’s son. The final work to complete the restoration is to build a carpark in the field off the main road, and undertake internal redecoration, with a re-opening date yet to be announced.
Fortunately camping at Kekerengu Beach is well sheltered ——
—— which was welcome after seeing these threatening clouds coming in from the sea. Overnight there was heavy rain here at the beach, as well as all over Marlborough and Nelson, with rivers rising in flood.
Monday 21 April:
I stopped at the War Memorial Park in Ward on my return to the Blenheim area, and noted the preparations for ANZAC day.
Good use has been made of local limestone rock in constructing the Memorial. You can see crosses for each individual fallen soldier (centre of picture left hand side), each with inscribed name and a poppy (one of which was for a Charles Gunn).
Not far from Seddon I noticed the Grassmere Salt Works had accumulated huge piles —–
—– of harvested raw salt awaiting processing.
Then heading north through Seddon I was in time to see the Coastal Pacific cross the combined railway-cycleway bridge with the river running high after the weekend storm.
Excuse the blurring at the front of the engine – rain had started again and water drops got onto the front of the camera lens.
I intended to head up the Waihopai Valley south-east of Renwick and Blenheim for the afternoon, but —–
—– heavy rain set in and obscured the views up the valley, so I took this shot of autumn vines in the wet, and turned back to Blenheim for a 3rd night freedom camping.
Tuesday 22 April:
The reason for driving up the Waihopai Valley was to visit Byrons Monument, indicated on the map as a place of interest, but it was well up the valley and then on a gravel side-road deep into the backblocks. Was it accessible by motorhome? I thought I would give it a go.
As I got some 20km up the valley the vineyards gave way to sheep and cattle grazing, and the Waihopai River became increasingly entrenched in a rocky and tree-lined gorge.
And passing a side road I spotted a sign “Power Station” pointing up the road I was travelling – I thought “not another of these small local stations surely?”
I noted the roadside power pylons were substantial, and hence suspected there was indeed a power station nearby.
This was confirmed when the valley sides closed right in and the river gorge became narrow, I came upon the flooded Waihopai pouring over the spillway of the power station intake which was constructed on top —–
—– of a significant waterfall in the gorge. The station, built in 1927 and subsequently added to and upgraded over the years, —–
—– was hidden in the bottom of the gorge by trees and not accessible to the public.
While I was photographing the river a lady stopped and introduced herself as Alison McKenzie from Waihopai Downs further up the valley, and, seeing the van parked by the side of the narrow road, asked if I needed any help. I asked her “what is Byrons Monument” and she said “it is a big rock”. She said the road is quite good for the next several km up through farmland, but then it becomes narrow gravel.
So I pressed on, over a —–
—– a brand new recently opened one-lane bridge, then —–
— past a pine nut plantation, ——
—– groups of black faced Dorper sheep that shed their wool and do not require shearing, —–
—– some highland cattle, —–
—– some white faced black eyed (Black Baldy) cattle, —–
—– and a herd of alpaca. The narrow upper valley had a host of “different” stock being raised.
And then the “narrow” valley become “extra narrow” with the gravel road decidedly motorhome unfriendly with no show of passing any other vehicle, so, time to turn round and escape before I got trapped.
I did not feel totally defeated in not reaching Byrons Monument, which must have been another 3 to 5 km further on, so I searched on the internet later that afternoon ——-
—– and here it is, just as Alison McKenzie said, “a large rock”, in the valley of the Byron Stream.
From Waihopai valley and my aborted attempt to get to Byrons Monument I stopped at the Runway Café (near Woodbourne Airport) with its Argosy Safe Air Cargo plane on display.
At $2.00 entry I just had to look inside, and —–
—– from the left-hand pilot’s seat could peek out at the van way down below the nose of the aircraft.
So, after a fascinating travel day, on to Picton for the rest of the South Island final week,.
Wednesday 23 April:
When I joined the other 20 passengers on the Matua at 9.00am for the trip to Ship Cove at the head of Queen Charlotte Sound, we had been warned that the high winds developing this morning will mean rough seas on the way out, and that we may not be able to disembark at the Cove to view the Cook Monument up close.
Anyway, we took off at a reduced speed (under the 20 knots which the 90 passenger Matua was capable of) as we were bouncing onto and into the waves as we headed north – it was quite exhilarating in fact. We passed a King Salmon ——
—– supply vessel taking fish food pellets to the three salmon farms in the Sound. King Salmon also has three farms in Pelorus Sound (see last week’s Travel Notes). In this photo the sea is just a bit choppy as we cruised out from Picton, but we soon moved into rough swells —–
—— which were accentuated when we crossed the wake generated by the Aratere on its way into Picton
Then surprisingly the sea was completely calm and the wind died away as we moved into Ship Cove which Cook visited 5 times between 1770 and 1774. He clearly picked a really sheltered spot, which was great for us visitors, ——-
—– enabling us to disembark with ease at the Ship Cove jetty.
In 1770 local Maori saw Cook tie up the Endeavour to a large tree in the Cove, and its location was passed down through the generations when Maori were able to show this tree to early settlers in the 1800s. The path from the jetty to the monument passed by one —–
—– and then between two carved Maori pou, with the bridge taking the track over —–
—– this substantial stream which provided ample water to replenish ship supplies during Cook’s visits.
The Monument itself (unveiled in February 1913) is simple but impressive, flanked by canon of the era —–
—– presented by the British Admiralty in 1928 to mark the bicentenary of Cook’s birth. The large anchor on top was donated by the NZ Marine Department of the time.
Plaques on three sides include one —–
—– that records the dates of the five visits made by Cook during three voyages while mapping New Zealand.
We headed out from the tranquillity of Ship Cove into the swells and wind of the Sound to loop around into Endeavour Inlet where the Matua entered into a baggage transfer role.
The Cook Monument visit involved the first hour and 20 minutes of the 3½ hour trip, following which we had stops at several jetties in Endeavour Inlet to pick up hikers packs and move them around to the next overnight location for the walkers.
We dropped off two hikers at Ferneaux Lodge —–
—– while our skipper had quite a job sorting the large number of packs into groups for drop-off around the Inlet.
Here at Punga Cove we unloaded packs for walkers taking the four hour bush track around the bays from Ferneaux Lodge so they can overnight here before tomorrow’s trek. The full Queen Charlotte Track runs from Anikiwa in Grove arm just around the corner from Picton to Ship Cove at the head of the Sound, a distance of 71km, 25 hours of tramping time or 4 to 5 days walking.
With bag drops completed we headed at top speed (the swells had eased up enough) for Picton —–
—– overtaking this rather unusual looking King Salmon service vessel on the way.
So, this really worthwhile trip to Ship Cove concluded my programme of excursions on this South Island trip, and it was time to prepare for sailing back to the North Island and travelling home.
Thursday 24 April:
Today is a housekeeping and laundry day in preparation for the trip back to Tauranga.
