28 February 2013, Dunedin

Just a day looking around the Dunedin area. A lot warmer today as the predicted wind didn't come up like when we arrived yesterday which made it a little cooler.

Drove out to Port Chalmers but as the winds didn't appear we had that sea fog coming down the harbour making it misty for photos. There was a big cruise ship in. Drove around the port then up the hill to the lookout over the port.

Looking over Port Chalmers. Notice the sea fog coming in above the back of the ship.

Drove further up Mt Cargill to get higher views looking back over Dunedin Harbour.

Looking down the harbour

Looking up the harbour

We then headed further up Mt Cargill to do a climb up through the bush to see what they call the Organ pipes. About a 30 min walk up very steep track and stairs. It was very hot at this stage and started to wonder why we were doing this hoping that what we were going to see would all be worth it.

Finally reached the Organ Pipes and immediately thought, is that it.At this stage very hot and exhausted so climbed over these rock formations on the side of the hill, couldn't relate them to organ pipes but we sat there and had our lunch which we brought with us. The views we saw from up there were great over the countryside and back towards the main highway coming into Dunners from the north.

Sitting on the edge. These rocks/stones are what they call the organ pipes. Work that one out.

Above and below the view. Nearly at the top of Mt Cargill.

Walking down the track on our way down the mountain. Top of the harbour in the back ground.

On to see the famous Baldwin Street. World's steepest Street. Pete said that he would sit in the car and keep the airconditioning going while I run up and down again. Yeah right....... 

Baldwin Street

Smallest House

Went passed the new rugby field closed in stand but couldn't get inside unfortunately. Tried to take photo from outside but couldn't really see in. Not that we have to as we see it on TV every time we watch a game.

Dunedin rugby stadium

Dunedin railway station. Beautiful old building. Facings are all Oamaru white limestone.

Drove over to the other side of town to the beach. Sat in the car looking over St Kilda end, then drove over to St Clair southern end. Turned out a beautiful hot day. The winds didn't get up as predicted.

Up above the sand dunes from St Kilda.

Looking back to St Clair end of the beach.

Drove up the hills (you can see at the end of the beach in the above photo) which is all housing. Last time we were in Dunedin years ago when the kids shouted us a mystery trip to Dunedin this area was just opened up as sections and on the market for $60,000 and now they are selling for $200,000 so we were told. Still sounds cheap compared to Auckland prices with those high up views.

View half way up the hill. Nearer sections higher still.

Came back down the hill brought an ice cream and then headed back to the motel for a coffee and to write this blog as we are going out tonight to Petes school mates place for dinner.

Dunedin Palms Motel where we are staying. Only a few years old. Very nice and very modern. Very friendly and helpful owners.Would recommend it to anyone.

Off tomorrow to do the Catlins area which was the main purpose for the trip. After all the dry weather we have had over the last two months it could rain down there tomorrow but here's hoping if it does it won't be much.

27 February 2013. Timaru-Oamaru-Dunedin

 

 

We left Timaru at 9.30am to drive through Oamaru to Dunedin arriving  at 3.00pm. It was about 200Kms but we spent time in Oamaru and stopping off at other places.

Oamaru known as 'The White Stone city' boasts the best preserved collection of historic commercial buildings in the country. Many of the buildings are made of a local limestone which became valuable after it was discovered it could be sawn after it was quarried. The rock hardens when exposed to air, which made it perfect for use as a building material in an area where timber was in short supply and expenive. The nineteenth century sailors called the town 'The White Lady by the sea'.

The beautiful old council buildings in Oamaru.

 

 

More of the white limestone buildings, looking down one side of the street.

 

 



 

Standing in the middle of the road to show how wide the streets are. Two lanes each side of the strip in the middle where you can park your cars.

Harbour St

 



Above and below, really old historic part of town around the back of the main street in Harbour and Tyne streets nearer the port.

 

 

 

 

Tyne St

 



 

 

Unused old wharf out at the port covered in Shags just sitting there. No Penquins to be seen.

 

 

 

Carved in Limestone.

Oamaru was a nice town with  wide  streets with many of the old buildings made with the white limestone as early as 1864-1900. A colony of Penguins can often be viewed at the end of Waterview Rd where the birds come ashore around dusk so therefore we missed them.

We went through areas  near the coast with this foggy sea mist then when we went inland a little it was clear skies.

After we left Oamaru we headed south out to the coast just past Hampden to the Moeraki Boulders on the beach.

The large boulders scattered along the beach at Moeraki formed over a period of 4 million years around  a central limestone crystal core. Two of these boulders were found to contain dinosaur bones. Seals and Penguins can be seen along this beautiful coastline. We only briefly saw dolphins.

 

Moeraki Boulders . We had to walk down the cliffs from the restaurant above where we had lunch which looked over the beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking down to the beach from the Restaurant

 

 

 

 

Seafood chowder we had for lunch, yummy

 

We then drove further south  through Palmerston and just before Waikouaiti turned off and headed out to to the coast to Matanaka. Went down three kms of metal road across a farm open to the public to see buildings surviving from Otago's first farm sitting up high and overlooks a long sweep of coastline. Around the 1840's the farm was established. The buildings include a stable, storehouse,granary, and schoolhouse. It was a five minute walk from where we parked the car to see these fascinating old buildings perched high above the sea. It was interesting.

 



 

 

Above and below the old historic farm buildings

 



 

 

As we drove down of the farm this is the bay below beautiful long sandy bech and nobody to be seen.

 

 

 

 

This was taken looking out to sea behind the old farm buildings.

 

 



After our walk out to see these well preserved historic buildings we headed further south down to Dunedin. The sea fog wasn't here as there was quite a breeze. We had a coffee then went for a walk around town. Looked inside the Speights Pub (factory) thinking that we might come back for a meal but decided against that and ended up having dinner at the Motel.
Walked down to see the old rail station beautiful old building, went to countdown and back to motel. We have two nights here so places to see tomorrow and then tomorrow night catching up with one of Petes old school mates at his house for dinner. The weather is a little cooler as we travel south only 19 degrees here in Dunedin but nice to get out of the Auckland humidity.

26 February, 2013 Auckland-Christchurch-Timaru

Left Auckland flying to Christchurch  on the 1.00pm flight  arriving in Christchurch at 2.20pm. Airbus A320 noisey with loud vibration, wouldn't like to go far on that.

Des picked us up at 11.00pm and took us out to the airport. Thanks Des. Christchurch is also very dry and brown. A little cloudy.

Picked up our rental car from Apex a cheapy old 2002 Nissan Sunny but good price. Drove straight down to Timaru arriving at 5.15pm. An uninteresting drive through the plains all the way, flat and very straight roads. Inland a little so couldn't see any coastline, but we were told there is nothing to see on this drive. Just a matter of getting from A to B..Crossed over a few large and wide river beds very dry with just a trickle of water flowing down them.

Caroline Bay Timaru

As we approached Timaru got very misty probably a little sea fog, no wind at all. When we arrived drove round town and went to see Caroline Bay but by now it was 6.00pm and with the sea fog didn't take very good photo. This is just a night stopover then another two hours from here tomorrow to Dunedin through Oamaru where we have few things to view there. So as you can see nothing very exciting to report today.

South Island NZ

We leave for the South Island on 26th February flying in at Christchurch, driving south down the east coast through Invercargill up to Te Anau, Milford Sound, over to Queenstown back to Christchurch . Back home on 10th March.