March 17

Great weather to enjoy the city’s gardens:

The Dunedin Chinese Gardens

Rose beds at the Dunedin Botanical Gardens are still in full bloom in autumn.

Begonias and cactus beds in the Victorian greenhouse

March 16

Invercargill is a town of 55,000, providing access via ferry to Stewart Island from the nearby port of Bluff. It was founded in 1856 by Scottish settlers and thrived on farming, lumber, coal and wool until the mid- 20th century. A highlight is the Queen’s Park Gardens for greenery, vivid blooms and a stumpery. We’ve spotted stump fences in sheep pastures on our drive through Southland.

The biographical story of Invercargill bike racer, Burt Munro, and his record-setting Indian motorcycle was recounted in the film, The Fastest Indian in the World. We visited E. Hayes Hardware store to see the movie replicas of the bike which set land speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah in the late 50s and 60s. Hayes Hardware has allocated much of its floor space to displays of vintage motorcycles and cars. Visitors are welcome to wander the store and enjoy the collection.

Invercargill marks the southernmost point of our adventure. From here, we’re starting northward to Dunedin, planning to arrive in Auckland in early April. The scenic drive through the Caitlins wanders along the coast, through rolling hills and pastures to the Forest Park. We stopped for a short hike to see these popular falls. Because of the low rainfall, the water flow is reduced.

The falls in action

Here’s the song of the tui with the sounds of the waterfalls in the background. The tui is a large honeyeating bird that can mimic human sounds and often seems to be following along on our hikes.

March 15

The ‘downtown’ area of Te Anau is home to this statue of a takahe, an endangered, flightless bird that was thought to be extinct until 1948 when a small group were discovered in the Murchison Mountains across Lake Te Anau. A lakeside hiking track offers a pleasant way to access the Te Anau Bird Sanctuary where a small population of takahe and other endangered birds are maintained in a park setting. Find news about the latest chicks on their blog: https://www.doc.govt.nz/teanaubirdsanctuary

We spotted these beauties along the trail.

For our evening’s entertainment, we chose to visit the Te Anau glow worm caves across the lake. The atmosphere inside the caves is rather surreal as crouching to navigate some areas is required, the lighting is very dim, the sound and echo of rushing water is disorienting, and the final excursion in a small boat with 8 passengers is silent. Lights and photos are not permitted as the worms are sensitive to light and sound. Check out this rather disjointed video of the experience for an idea of the topography of the Te Anau area and the size of the main lake: https://youtu.be/gBFMxujLsxI

A small beach in a secluded area on the far side of Lake Te Anau, only accessible by boat.

From Te Anau, we drive south through rolling hills of pastures, farms and small towns at the base of the Southern Alps, hazy in the distance.

Once at the South Coast, we make stops at Gemstone Beach, Monkey Island (only accessible on foot at low tide) and the town of Riverton (which is referred to as the Riviera of the South). The area is known for its fabulous, secluded, long and wide beaches with overhanging cliffs, beach stones and seashells and brisk winds from Antarctica.

March 13

Doubtful Sound is less frequently visited than Milford. Access to this fjord from Te Anau involves a short bus trip to the village of Manipouri, then across Lake Manipouri by boat. From the small visitor centre we travelled by bus over a 1-lane dirt road to the departure point for our cruise on Doubtful Sound. Interesting to learn that our luxurious new coach for the second part of the journey had just been transported by barge across the lake to provide service on this rough road. Landslides and washouts are common; our driver assured us that she was in constant contact with the base in case of any problems. To board the boat, a set of heavy metal staircases and a wharf have been fastened to the cliff face. There’s no luxurious departure lounge with souvenirs and washrooms here as Milford offers.

Although the day dawned with scattered clouds in Te Anau, heavy rain set in for our trip across Lake Manipouri and down to the cruise boat. It gradually stopped and clouds lifted to reveal cliffs and mountaintops. With all the rain in the past 24 hours, waterfalls were streaming off the cliffs. With fewer tourists and boats, the fjord is eerie and silent. Due to its remote location, this is the same scene that Captain James Cook would have viewed on his Tasman Sea voyage in 1770. He named it Doubtful Harbour as he doubted whether it was navigable under sail.

As the mist clears on our return from the Tasman Sea, a ship appears from the channel around Secretary Island. The Golden Princess is circumnavigating New Zealand; eventually we will travel homewards from Auckland to Los Angeles on board this ship. Cruise ships have restricted access to Doubtful Sound and are not permitted in Milford Sound.

At the main wharf near our departure point, the Fiordland Navigator is taking on provisions and passengers for an overnight journey. This 3-masted cruise boat provides nature photography sessions, kayaking and even swimming for the hardy as part of the itinerary.

The skies are clearing on the eastern side of the Alps as we cross Lake Manipouri for the trip home.

Back in town, we have clear skies over Lake Te Anau at sunset.

March 12

Fiordland National Park covers the mountainous west coast of the South Island. Travel is limited to a few roads that are monitored for snow and ice, avalanche risks, landslides and washouts. Annual rainfall amounts are in the 7-meter range over 200 days. The park is a popular destination for challenging multi-day hikes that require advance bookings to access trails and huts. River crossings are often two ropes strung across the water, one for your feet, the other for your hands.

Our plan involved a bus/cruise of Milford Sound, one of the most visited places in New Zealand. Glaciers have gouged out deep trenches along this stretch of coastline to create a series of fjords. Milford and Doubtful are the two tourist destinations.

The day began with a long bus ride from Te Anau to Milford Sound with stops at Eglington Flats, Mirror Lake, Monkey Creek and Homer Tunnel for photos and wildlife sightings. At Monkey Creek, we spotted a pair of keas, the endangered Alpine parrot, in the parking area, harassing tourists for food. These large birds have become accustomed to ‘people food’ and will approach vehicles in hopes of scoring some handouts.

The Visitor Centre at Milford Sound resembles a small, busy airport with busloads of travellers arriving to board their boats for an afternoon cruise on the fjord to view its steep cliffs and looming mountains. Instead of rolling luggage, backpacks of all sizes are slung over shoulders, piled in corners and used as seats and loungers. Sandfly repellent is shared down the waiting lines as these pesky critters have a nasty bite, more annoying than our black flies.

With the previous night’s rain, a fine display of waterfalls adorned the cliffs.

Stirling Falls is three times the height of Niagara Falls at 151 metres, overwhelmed by the mountain behind it. According to our guide, Hugh Jackman jumped from these falls in the movie Wolverine.

Near the entrance to the Sound at the Tasman Sea, a group of fur seals is basking in the weak sunlight. On the return journey, the the gray skies start to break up and the colours of the rainforest begin to appear.

A panorama view of the sound and its waterfalls.

March 11

From Queenstown south to Te Anau, our next destination, the highway follows the shores of Lake Wakatipu. Pullover areas for stunning vistas are located along the way at Kingston and Devil’s Staircase.

The landscape changes as we leave the lake and approach the foothills of the Southern Alps.

A sudden stop is required as we drive over a hill to find this scene. There’s no advance warning, only a herder waving a flag by the crossing point. The flock moves quickly with the help of dogs to keep them heading across the road.

Alpacas are also kept for their fine coats which make soft yarns for knitwear.

Finally, our cottage in Te Anau:

March 10

From Queenstown, local bus service extends to Arrowtown, a village from the gold mining days of the 1860s to 1880. Today it’s a trendy spot to visit for mountain biking, hiking and skiing.

The storefronts on Main Street have been preserved as cafes, restaurants, high-end clothing and souvenir shops. The Canada Goose line of outerwear was featured in one boutique. The street reminds me of a set for a western movie.

The Stitching Post, a yarn and quilt shop, had these beauties on display and available as kits and patterns.

These kiwiana fat quarters are coming home with me.

The gold diggings were worked by men from China who lived near the river, isolated from village life, in their own community of small stone huts and a store that has been restored and preserved. Their settlement was frequently wiped out by flooding on the Arrow River after heavy rains in the mountains.

Local artifacts are stored in the village museum. Alongside gold pans and scales are displays of clothing, military medals, household items and a piano. The local school room, bakery, horse buggies and printing press have all been moved and reassembled here. Visitors can rent gear to try panning for gold in the river.

March 9

Weekends are quieter in Queenstown than in other NZ tourist destinations as tour groups leave on Saturday and ‘fresh’ groups arrive on Sunday. It’s a breather for the young people who staff the restaurants, cafes and booths catering to the extreme sports and adventure activities. We enjoyed a cruise across Lake Wakatipu on TSS Earnslaw, a coal-fired steamer. It was originally built in Dunedin in 1912 and was moved to QT by rail. Once construction was completed, the boat was dismantled, pieces of the hull were numbered and reconstructed on arrival in Queenstown.

The hills along the shore show little signs of habitation once we’re a few kilometres from QT. The shore itself is rather forbidding with a steep drop to the water’s edge, heavily treed embankments or stark, rocky cliffs. Only a few jetties are seen along the way.

Walter Peak, our destination for the afternoon, provides travellers with the opportunity to learn more about the business of raising sheep. This family farm cover 64,000 acres over steep hills and valleys providing pasture for 20,000 animals (sheep and cattle). An amphitheatre for demos and entertainment has been constructed on the property near the boat landing.

Our guide Peter demonstrated sheep shearing with a 6-month old lamb. His dogs also participated in the display by bringing a small group of lambs down the slope at his direction.

Merino sheep are prized for their wool although the market has declined with the development of technical fabrics. Dairy farming has taken precedence over sheep farming in recent years; China is a major consumer of skim milk powder from New Zealand.

Before and after shearing – the trick to preventing escape is to keep all four little hooves off the ground.

Original shears used on this farm and still used if shearing in a remote location. Electric clippers are fast and easy for both the farmer and the animal.

The gardens at Walter Peak are still in full bloom even though autumn is less than 2 weeks away. It’s considerably warmer than at Queenstown, across the lake, where the prevailing winds cool the town.

Back in Queenstown, the first settler and one of his flock are memorialized.

March 8

Souvenir shopping, tour bookings for the Milford and Doubtful Sound tours and cruises, exploring the downtown buzzing with tourists filing onto jet boats in long raincoats and life jackets, we enjoyed a busy start to our first day. QT is the centre for all sorts of activites, from the pedestrian to the extreme.

Strange sights in advertising: a larger-than-life tuatara and a well-dressed merino sheep

Dinner plans involved a gondola ride to view the city, Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkables, the mountain range. A 5-star dining room offers a sumptuous evening buffet with generous servings of local specialties. Activities from the upper gondola station include paragliding, mountain biking, luge runs, bungy and ledge jumping, From the activity centre, a chair lift climbs even higher.

On the lake, jet boats take tourists on a thrilling ride at high speed with quick turns, spraying the riders. See them in action: https://youtu.be/RhHr4oR5c-k

New to me was this watercraft, an enclosed mini-speedboat that can remain submerged for a few seconds. Exciting to watch: https://youtu.be/tfhkpJbeOlk

For those wanting to try skydiving, iFly provides a safe, rather inexpensive means when compared to using aircraft. We watched a demo by a young instructor who told us that she absolutely loves the sport.

Our day ended with a nightcap in the ice bar where the temperature is -8C. Warm coats, thin gloves and overshoes are offered. Everything is made of ice, of course, even the beer glasses.

March 7

As we leave the town of Wanaka booming with tourists, trendy fashion and jewellery boutiques, outdoor outfitters, pubs and restaurants overlooking the lake, the area is preparing for a regional agricultural fair with anticipated attendance of 30,000 for the weekend. Streets are closed and no parking signs line the main road. We have the impression that we’re escaping before the storm.

The scenic road to Queenstown winds through pastures and farms, ski hills and mountain passes. Eventually we’re heading down a road with tight switchback turns into the Lakes District and the city. Opportunities to stop, enjoy the view and take photos are frequent.

Queenstown is at the end of Lake Wakatipu with The Remarkables, a mountain range, forming a backdrop. This is the most popular tourist destination on the South Island, the place to go for extreme sports. A gondola ride over the city provided some lovely views of the lake and mountains.