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| From Picton,
Blenheim, Marlborough travelling south toward Kaikoura and Christchurch |
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| Kaikoura, two hours
drive south from Marlborough at the top north east of the South Island, is a
great place to break the journey and is also one of the most dependable
places year round anywhere in the world for whale watching and a variety of
other eco-marine type activities. It's well worth an overnight stay
regardless for the special ambience of the mountains and the sea. |
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| Christchurch is the
largest city by far in the South Island; approximately one third of the
entire South Island population of around 990,00 live here.
Known as "Garden City of the World " and the most English City outside of England
- both descriptions
aptly fit, with historic stone buildings and beautiful gardens aplenty. Christchurch is located at
the base of a series of ancient volcanoes (very extinct) which form
Banks Peninsula. |
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| At the eastern extremity
of Banks Peninsula the small "French" village of Akaroa is a popular day or
weekend excursion. The vast expanse of the Canterbury Plains westward from
the city are in total contrast to the rugged hills of Banks Peninsula. Far
in the distance the Canterbury foothills a series of mountain ranges
running parallel to the Southern Alps on the main alpine fault line further
beyond. |
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| Christchurch west via
Arthur's Pass toward Westland |
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| From Christchurch the
direct route west is via Arthur's Pass. Spectacular limestone outcrops
en route at Castle Hill, then a series of small alpine lakes and the
enormous braided river valley of the glacial fed Waimakariri river before
descending from the summit of Arthur's Pass into the Westland Region
(known as the "West Coast"). Major highway developments in the
Otira Gorge have made this highway route a little more dependable in recent
years. |
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| Central South Island,
South Canterbury, Lake Tekapo, Mackenzie Country, Mount Cook |
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| The Church of the Good
Shepherd and the nearby monument to the farmers best friend, both on the
shores of Lake Tekapo are popular photo and rest stops which ever way we are
travelling this route between Christchurch and Queenstown or from
Dunedin via the Waitaki valley, Twizel and Mount Cook on the return journey
to Christchurch. Lupins along the roadside add a splash of colour
to the natural beauty of the landscape in early summer. |
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| Aoraki Mount Cook
National Park requires a detour from the direct highway route and is always subject to
favourable weather conditions as ferocious winds from the west can make life
difficult but a day can make a great difference. The bronze statue above,
near the Hermitage hotel, Mount Cook Village, was recently unveiled to
celebrate Sir Edmond Hillary's climb to the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.
Sir Ed and other New Zealand mountaineers who have tested their climbing
skills in the higher mountains of the Southern Alps have achieved remarkable
feats on the worlds highest and most difficult mountains. |
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| A lesser known New
Zealander who's feats over 100 years ago deserve recognition was Richard
Pearse. From his farm in South Canterbury inland from the city of Timaru
this self taught engineer and inventor pioneered powered flight in March
1903, some 6 months before the better known Wright brothers. |
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| This barren landscape is
typical of much of the central South Island in stark contrast to the
rainforest of Westland on the other side of the Southern Alps. |
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| Central Otago,
Cromwell, Clyde, Alexandra |
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| Within this dry and
barren landscape flows New Zealand's largest river, the Clutha. With its catchment on the eastern side of the Southern Alps
flowing into Lakes Wanaka, Hawea
and Wakatipu the Clutha drains these three large glacial lakes and has been
harnessed for hydro-electric power generation thereby contributing large
amounts of electricity to New Zealand's national grid supplying both North
and South Island's. The old township of Cromwell at the junction of the Clutha
and Kawarau rivers, as captured in the top left image, is now beneath Lake
Dunstan a large man-made lake behind the Clyde Dam however the new township
of Cromwell is prospering with the benefit of horticultural and viticultural
developments surrounding the new lake. |
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| Numerous vineyards and
wineries producing Gold Medal winning Pinot Noir wines especially have
sprung up in this region within a short time. Around Wanaka, Alexandra,
Clyde, Bannockburn, Cromwell and up the Kawarau Valley to Gibbston and
Queenstown, collectively known as the Central Otago Wine Growing region, is now
recognised as one of the top Pinot Noir producing regions of the world. |
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| South East South
Island, Oamaru, Moeraki Boulders, Dunedin City, Otago Peninsula |
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| Oamaru township between
Timaru and Dunedin cities on the south eastern coast of the South Island is
renowned for white stone (limestone) Victorian buildings. Usually Oamaru
is our turning point inland via the Waitaki Valley en route from Dunedin to
Twizel, Mount Cook and Lake Tekapo. |
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| The famous "Moeraki
Boulders" on the beach between Oamaru and Dunedin. |
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| Dunedin, second city of
the South Island and capital of the Otago region was founded by settlers
from Scotland. Known
as the Edinburgh of the South (even street names are from Edinburgh)
and with a large bronze sculpture of Robbie Burns in the centre of the Octagon,
Dunedin was in the late 1800's the largest and most prosperous settlement in
New Zealand mostly as a result of the discovery of gold in various parts of
the Otago region. Dunedin City is surrounded by steep hills of ancient
volcanic origin (Dunedin's Baldwin Street is officially the world's steepest
street); the Botanic gardens are on a grand scale and not to be
missed - also Dunedin Railway Station (for Architecture), Dunedin Art
Gallery and Otago Museum are highly rated then for the sweet tooth a
Cadburys Chocolate factory tour. |
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| Otakau Marae (site of
original Maori settlement on the Otago Peninsula en route to the Royal
Albatross and Yellow Eyed Penguin colonies). |
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