Shantytown near Greymouth is always an interesting place to stop.
Some neat stuff to see. Another old post. Enjoy
The Shantytown train and station
This was a great way to spend a day when I suspected that it might another tourist tatty type of setup but it was anything but. We spent a good few hours looking over the various bits of old furniture, clothing, printing equipment used by the Greymouth Star, old houses, a ride on a steam train and much much more.
After checking out a water powered stamping battery, after a small wait, we were on a steam train to check out a sawmill 1k up in the hills.
Remember, you can click on any of these images to see the higher res version
Fiona checking out the waterwheel
Fascinating to see the steam engines setup expressly for pulling logs out of the hills and one was operated by two pre teen brothers.
Cobb and Co buggy and shedTrain at the stationTwo young boys check out the TrainThe Tin Pub
After this, we walked down through a gold mining town largely built of corrugated iron with a pub, a gold mining merchant and some houses.
The main street
We stopped for lunch in a reasonably priced cafe in the village and moved in to the town hotel, the church, the newspaper office, Hannah’s shoe shop, and a hospital. I’ll let the pictures tell the story from here but it was a well spent several hours and well worth doing if you’re in area – 10ks south of Greymouth
Me and Gary having a rest at the end of a long hard day!
Don’t forget to click on the Images to enlarge .. oldie repost
NZMCA park at Westport
Yesterday morning, we met Jim, the custodian of the Westport NZMCA park. What a neat guy, the park is fantastic and it’s clear to see that he lives and breathes the park. We are fortunate to have people like him and other volunteers looking after our parks.
Earlier, we’d ridden the bikes into Westport town centre, about a 15 minute ride, Google reckons it 10 minutes 🙂 .. We must be slow buggers! It took us about 20 🙂
The girls found their Postie Plus and Gary was looking for a barber. We didn’t really do much but it was nice to get some exercise in the sun and check out the town. Once back at the park, we loaded our bikes, got ready to go and we headed in to get diesel, lpg and water from Caltex.
Great outlook from Punakaiki
We were heading then for the Punakaiki pancake rocks and blowholes. I hadn’t seen these since I was about 10 yrs old so it was nice to see. Doc has done a really good job of the pathways and it’s a fantastic feature of our landscape.
Violence in the water at PunakaikiClassic look of PunakaikiThe view south at PunakaikiFairy Terns on the rock at PunakaikiFiona and Chris on the steps at PunakaikiThe Punakaiki rocks
After an hour their and lunch in the carpark, we moved on to Greymouth.
We are staying in a Motorhome park behind a service station 5 minutes walk from town. Great spot. We walked around to the Speights Ale house on the Quay for a meal. We’re moving on to Hokitika tomorrow to do the tree tops walk.
Murchison was a great spot. Having water and the dump station in the park was a treat. After sorting out Rafes various tank levels, we headed towards Westport.
Once in the Buller gorge, I really wanted to get a water rushing over boulders pic but where the road was close to the river for this shot, there was no where safe to pull up a 4.4 tonne Motorhome safely.
After going through Fiona’s dark moments from the previous day for missing out on the crafts and cheese shops, I was determined to find some interesting stuff to stop at and we found it.
Motorhome parking at LyallLyall Motorhome parking
Marked on the map as a “rest area” but also listed as a DOC Motorhome overnighting area, was the old Gold mining town of Lyall. The town went bust in the 1880’s and has all gone now but there are walking tracks, several swing bridges, a cemetery and signs of old gold mining all around the area.
There were half a dozen Motorhomes and a couple of caravans, many of their owners off hiking the paths through the remains of the town.
Fiona and Chris went off for a trot and found the cemetery and some of the bridges.
The river through the treesThe river form the swing bridge
A really interesting stop and a really sheltered spot for Motorhomes if you wanted to stay the night.
Leaving there our next stop was Inangahua where the big earthquake was centred. There is a museum there with lots of information about Lyall and the earthquake in Inangahua which is well worth a look. We also stopped at the cafe next door for the most amazing pies. Mine was Chicken curry with cashew nuts, made on site with the most amazing pastry. Chris and Gary commented on how good their pies were too.
The cutout for the road in the middleThe cutout rock over the road
We were back on the road and heading through the Buller gorge crossing several one way bridges and an amazing cut out of a cliff, also one way. Fiona managed to get a picture of it as we drive through it on my cell phone. I looked in the rear vision mirrors at Gary behind and there wan’t a lot if room around the van with the overhanging rock. Quite something !
Half an hour or so later, we arrived at the NZMCA park on the waterfront at Westport after a quick trip to the supermarket.
Fiona on the beach
A walk on the beach and a bbq tea and the day was done. Another great spot to stay. Blue skies and the wind has dropped off. A great day in paradise.
This is before Pohara was an NZMCA park. We stayed at the Murchison Park which is fantastic too. Another oldie. Enjoy
Pohara Beack looking towards the boat club and Abel Tasman National Park
After a more settled night at a free camping site by the Waitapu river, we left Takaka via the magnificent Pohara Beach and checked out the Pohara boating club. The rock formations right above the road were amazing. There were a few Motorhomes , a bus and a 5th wheeler parked at the boat club which is parking by donation, and looked as though they had been there the night and were right on the waters edge. They must have been hammered by the wind as we got some big puffs by the river and we were behind big trees and sheltered!
The rocks by Pohara boat club.
We left there to go over the Takaka hill road which is impressive. Sadly, no where to stop for pictures but some great views. We headed into Motueka and the onto Mapua for lunch. After lunch, we left to go through upper Moutere which is supposed to be loaded with craft shops, cheese places and vineyards. Someone must have forgotten to tell the gps where they were as Madam was a bit dark when we got to the other side without seeing any:-/
NZMCA park in Murchison
We arrived at the NZMCA park in Murchison at about 4pm. The park is well set up and is huge. It has a dump station, water and is beautifully flat with all weather gravel. Well done and a big Thank you from us to those people who put this together.
The grocers shopMurchison Hotel
There is an amazing old shop in the old stables right next door to the park selling second hand bits and bobs called Rust N Dust!
Rust n Dust in MurchisonOdds and sodsBits and bobsMadam with some glassware
Most if it you would never see in another shop. It was almost like a museum as the stock was so rare. Parts of an Austin dashboard, 1950’s high chairs, old telephones.. I’ll let the pictures tell the story.
More bits and bobs
We had a quick walk around Murchison Main Street when Gary and Chris arrived from Takaka.
As it was well after 5pm, we thought it would be rude not to have a wee glass of something to celebrate our arrival in Murchison. Gary also did a plan for us for the rest of the trip which looks really good. Westport tomorrow.
This is something every Kiwi should do.. fantastic trip done in late 2015 early one morning. Enjoy.
Madam with the special Bedford Bus
After a night of rockin and rollin with the wind( I thought that only happened on boats!), we were up a 6am to drive to the Spit to meet the tour bus. Nobody had really had any sleep since 3am when the big puffs came through but we were all looking forward to a great trip so it didn’t matter. The wind was blowing 30-40 knots creating a mini constant sand storm.
A tree washed out from Golden Bay with the bus
The bus picked us up from the carpark at 7am from a paddock next to some forestry equipment. This is set around the tide so we could get back safely. There were about 8 of us on the bus and off we went.
We headed down the beach. The trip is about 30ks to the end of the spit.
The dunes under the lighthouse
We stopped briefly to check out a tree which had been blown around from the bay around the end of the spit and washed up on the northern ocean side and got buried in the sand.
A tree washed out from Golden Bay
The dunes under the lighthouse
The lighthouse
After crossing a creek and about 45 minutes, we arrived at the lighthouse and to have a cup of tea and muffin in the lighthouse keepers old house. This has been done up and maintained by the Eco tour operators and DOC and was in its original form as it was when the lighthouse keepers left in the early 80’s. Some of the lighthouse keepers families have donated pictures as they were at the light. The history and artefacts on display are amazing. I didn’t realise that the lights ran on kerosene, like a gas light with a mantle right up until the early 50’s in some if these lighthouses.
The lighthouseMadam leaning into the wind
Back to the bus and we were off to have a wander in a sand dunes. The wind was howling by this stage so the sand was flying.
Footprints leading up from the Bus
After a trip to Fossil point to look at some fossils of shells. ( I found Gary 🙂 ). After that we were dropped off back at Rafe in the paddock.
A must do trip for every Kiwi, I thoroughly recommend it.
Another from the 2015 South Island trip – Collingwood and more!
Collingwood Harbour
After leaving the comfort of the camping ground at Takaka, we headed towards Collingwood. A cup of tea was the order of the day and a whitebait sandwiches for $10.00 and it was delicious. Collingwood is a small settlement on the edge of an amazing harbour. We sat and admired the view before heading to our park for the night, the Gravel Pit south of Puponga.
Us parked at the Gravel pit
The Gravel pit is a small area of flattened out gravel on the edge of the water with views for Africa and very popular but free!
Looking towards Farewell Spit from the Gravel pit
It is about 10 minutes drive from Puponga which is at the beginning of the spit so a perfect spot if you’re doing the spit trip. When we arrived, there was brilliant sunshine and it was very pleasant.
The forecast 30 odd knots of wind which we thought we’d be sheltered from whistled straight in at 3am and we rocked and rolled until 6am when we got up for the spit trip. Next posting !
While we’re selling our house and we’re stuck indoors, I thought I’d rerun some of the better posts from our 2015 trip to the South Island with friends Gary and Chris. It was our first trip south with Rafe which was then very new.
Enjoy
Kaiteriteri waterfront
It’s easy to see why Kaiteriteri Motorcamp was voted one of the top tourist spots in the country.
Kaiteriteri beachKaiteriteri beach
After driving through Nelson from Pelorus Bridge, we stopped at Richmond for lunch as Madam had booked into a hair salon there for a haircut. I had one too while we were there. After lunch we met up again with Gary and Chris at Rabbit Island where they had spent most of the day. It was getting late in the day so we decided to make our way to the amazing Kaiteriteri beach camp.
Kaiteriteri waterfrontOur friend Gary enjoying the view
Right on the beachfront, you can see why it would be popular. There is a restaurant, potable water everywhere you look and it’s nice water too, and a dump station. There are several large amenities blocks including reasonably priced laundries.
Kaiteriteri motor campNearly empty park
In summer, they have up to 1600 campers/caravanners/Motorhomes. It must be mayhem but apparently iris not. The size of a small town! I’ve only seen a handful of people here so we were pretty lucky to have the place pretty much to ourselves.
In between showers we set up a barbecue lunch under the two awnings.
Tomorrow we head to Takaka over the famous Takaka hill road, to head towards Farewell spit.
I love those weekends when you have nothing else to do but drive a short distance, enjoy your Motorhome for a couple of nights with a party in between and then go home to recover 🙂
Well .. this was one of those and it was fun!
Click on the Images for Hi Res
It was our old friend Angela’s 50th birthday and it was at Rob and Angelas small horse farm at Waihi.
Waihi Station
I’ve always loved Waihi and one of those character towns and a good place to stay.. the Railway Station. Now $15 a night with power or $10 without, it is very handy to everything and and its fun watching the trains come and go.
Train arriving in from WaikinoA couple of extra passengers
We’ve been here a few times, once with friends Rob and Helen and Gary and Dianne when we walked/biked through the Karangahake Gorge and Waikino. Lots of fun.
We arrived late on Saturday, parked, watched some TV and then hit the hay.
The park behind the station
Angela and Robs place is on the other side of Waihi and kickoff was midday. We did have a sudden mad moment when we thought about walking it but with bottles of wine etc, a taxi sounded like a much better idea.
Angela and Rob at the party
We met some really nice people and it was nice to see Angela and Rob in their rural home.
The birthday girl blowing out the candles
Its funny when you go to these places and meet people and they went to the same school as you or lived around the corner and you feel you should have met them earlier but didn’t. Thats how it was with several people .. amazing!
About 5pm it felt like it was our time to go… We rang the cab but no sign of her so we started walking back. Several more calls to the cab on the way. No response so half an hour later, we were back at the Railway Station.
After several weeks of sanding, painting and repairing things and generally getting the house on the market, it was time for a well earned break.
Our friends Helen, Rob and Chloe were keen to head to one of our favourite spots at the Pauanui Club at Pauanui.
Mini Golf next to the parking at Pauanui.
To beat the holiday weekend traffic, Fiona and I decided that I would get Rafe stocked up. I would then collect her from work at 6pm and we would head down to the motorway towards Ardmore and maybe spend the night there. We would then go early the next day to Coromandel to try to beat the worst of the traffic.
As we crossed the bridge, there was no traffic ! We got to Manukau, still no traffic until we hit Takanini where roadworks slowed it down to a crawl but after a 1k or so, we were away again ! We decided we’d keep going until we’d had enough and that ended up being Thames 🙂
I’ve never stayed at Rhodes park before but it is just on the left after Thames Airfield before you get into Thames. It is Free parking provided by the local council and its a great place. A great big piece of flat gravel and you can park anywhere.
There were about 10 or so Caravans and Motorhomes and everyone had plenty of room. There as a good Internet signal there too but I forgot to measure it!
We woke up in the morning around 7:30 to the phone ringing which Fiona answered and it was Rob saying that they were at Drury on the Southern Motorway stopped in traffic. We made a decision to get up and get going in case the traffic extended to the Coromandel road and got cracking.
Plenty of space
As it turned out, it only took us about 40 minutes to get to Pauanui and we were there shortly after 9am. Rob, Helen and Chloe arrived about an hour or so later.
One of the Hanger homes
The Club parking is superb and it is extremely good value. At $10 including power, toilets, a cold shower(if you have no option) and access to their bar and superb meals. It is also right next door to the Airfield with homes with built in hangers alongside the runway. There is always something to see and do. The town is an easy 5 minute walk away as well with some nice Cafe’s and a small supermarket. It is also right next door to a great Mini Golf park which was busy for most of the weekend.
There were 4 Motorhomes there when we arrived and there was plenty of room for more.
Rafe and the Tracker in the park
Some positive feedback for them. There is room for more Motorhomes there down one end but the 8 power sockets are on two poles where they could spread this over three poles and increase their turnover but its fantastic as it is!
Great Beach with Slipper Island behind
We went for a walk around to see our son Alex’s family about a 1k away who were staying in Sarah’s family bach. Grandsons Ayden and Liam were there too so we took them down to the beach about 100 metres away.
Pauanui is a great surf beach with the famous Slipper island just off shore.
Liam and Ayden digging in the sand. Chloe, Rob, Helen and Fiona further up the beach.
That night, Alex and Sarah and the boys came around and we all went to the Pauanui club for a few glasses of fizz and they had tea.
Ayden and Liam digging holes on the beach
The next day, they all walked around to the Pauanui Waterways and had a look at this amazing development. Rob, Helen and Chloe climbed up to the top of Mt Pauanui which is a feat too!
Pauanui Waterways
All in all, over three days, it was nice to be in one spot for a period and just be able to blob and check out what was just around the corner.
One of the things we all have to do as Motorhomers or caravanners is to find somewhere to park our vehicles when theyre not in use. Not always an easy thing to do when they’re of larger proportions !Now that we’re back in our house for a wee while getting ready for our next adventure, I recently came across some old images of the parking area we developed for Rafe which I thought might give some of you some ideas.
Before with wee Rafe
Initially when we first got Rafe, we still had wee Rafe the caravan as although we had sold it and it had been paid for, it was waiting on transport to the its new home in Central Otago.
Cutting down the Oak
To make Rafe’s parking spot, we had to bowl a rather large Pin Oak tree and a couple of other insignificant shrubs but the hole created for Rafe was perfect. We were a bit lucky that the back half of the area was alreadyset up with concrete pavers.
Clearing the Green things
After the first few months, we found that the ground was getting a bit mushy and needed to be fortified with some fairly coarse gravel to stop Rafe from sinking in the front.
Sawdust and Mush
The other change we made was rebuilding a partly rotten fence and hanging it on hinges so it could fold out of the way to make it easy to back in.
Before the gate and Gravel
We also added in a 16 amp plug on an RCD circuit for getting the fridge down and keeping the batteries topped up.
All doneAll DoneRafe’s park complete with 16 amp power
Although is wasn’t hugely expensive, the cost was a few bits of wood for the fence, some hinges, the tree felling and the wiring and RCD. But well worth it to get Rafe off the street!
Its amazing how many people have asked me how I get Rafe in there too 🙂
Fiona & Chris, two empty nesters put their dreams of doing something different into reality… Now back in a house, they were living in their Motorhome, come along for the ride.
Bugger It, we are off - www.buggeritweareoff.com 
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