Go Travel Winter 2014

NZ 11.95 EUR 9.50 USA 12.50 AUS 12.95 INR 450 www.gotravelnewzealand.com

Winter Edition 2014

ICE-COOL DRIVING

Heli-Ski High Shredders & Skiers Auckland Golf

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EDITOR’S CORNER Editor-in-chief Gary J Cody gary@waterfordpress.co.nz +64 (0)22 431 0208 Publisher James Lynch Golf Editor Steve Khatib General Manager Rex Lynch Senior Designer Daniel Grey Graphic Designers Sadhna Nath Jesse Calder Samantha Stuart Customer Services Sarah Bell Administration, Helen Bourne, Jill Holland Subscriptions Jill Holland North Island Sales Manager Alex Lynam alex@waterfordpress.co.nz South Island Sales Manager Chris McPhee chris.mcphee@waterfordpress.co.nz NZ, Australian and International Distribution IPS Australia Jetstar In-Flight Digital New Zealand Head Office Waterford Press 112 Wrights Road Addington Christchurch +64 (0) 3 983 5500 Queenstown Office 70 Glenda Drive, Queenstown Melbourne Office 176 The Boulevard, Ivanhoe, Victoria 3079 +61 4 16 326 464 Published by

Kia Ora If anything has impressed me in the travel industry it has to be the chance to drive a brand new Audi on the ice-testing track at the Southern Hemisphere Testing Grounds in the Cardrona Valley. Read about this exciting place and the opportunity you have to do something very different.

Virtually pioneered by pilots and skiers in New Zealand, heli-skiing is sought by advanced skiers and boarders as the ultimate mountain “buzz”. Mark Sedon, one of New Zealand’s most experienced mountain men, takes us on a downhill journey of spectacular proportion. Along with an overall mountain winter story we have loads of snow and ice in this edition.

A piece on Parnell - one of New Zealand’s first boutique shopping areas - gives Auckland-bound travellers an insight into this beautiful precinct.

Steve Khatib our roving golf editor plays some of the best courses Auckland has to offer and enjoys a few days in “the big Apple”. Auckland is experiencing record inbound visitors and is obviously providing great accommodation, activities and events that are satisfying these travellers.

I had a wonderful weekend on Stewart Island recently followed by another incredible experience at Mt Cook.

Read these stories in the regional sections along with other interesting accounts our travel writers have experienced.

Enjoy our fascinating country, culture and our spectacular scenery. Give yourself plenty of time as we offer so many options. It really is a big small country.

Hei konā mai Gary J Cody Editor-in-chief

ISSN 2200-5021 (Print) ISSN 2200-5013 (Digital)

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CONTENTS ICE COOL DRIVING 8 HELL OF A SKI 12 SNOW GO ZONE 18 PARNELL 30 GOLF 34

REGIONS SOUTHLAND

38

FIORDLAND

44

DUNEDIN

48

ARROWTOWN

52

QUEENSTOWN

56

WANAKA

66

MACKENZIE

70

WEST COAST

76

HURUNUI

80

CANTERBURY

84

KAIKOURA

88

MARLBOROUGH

94

WELLINGTON

102

TAUPO

110

TARANAKI

114

ROTORUA

118

COROMANDEL

124

AUCKLAND

128

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ICE-COOL DRIVING If you are looking for one of the most unique and exclusive ice driving experiences – the type that you can brag to your mates about, but you can’t fit in a Northern Hemisphere trip, there is now an alternative in the South Island’s beautiful Cardrona Valley.

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he Southern Hemisphere Proving Grounds (SHPG), located between Queenstown and Wanaka in the Southern Alps, will open its new Ice Driving experience at the Snow Park this winter.

Designed to attract private and corporate groups, it will offer an exclusive ice driving opportunity, partnered with luxury five-star accommodation, exquisite cuisine, and true New Zealand hospitality in a spectacular and secluded alpine setting. Something about the event centre?

Manager Steve Gould says the truly exceptional feature of the facility is that it is the sole ice driving experience in the Southern Hemisphere, and the only one operating worldwide in July and August.

“It’s really unique, especially for Asia Pacific customers, who would traditionally have to travel to the Northern Hemisphere. The Snow Park Ice Driving Centre makes it a whole lot more accessible.”

The centre is set up to provide a once in a lifetime driving experience, presented by qualified instructors and in partnership with luxury European company Audi, which will supply the cars. Guests will experience first-hand the thrill of driving these brand new

Audis on expertly prepared snow and ice tracks.

It is not a new concept for the SHPG – which is more commonly known as the industry-leading facility, where automobile manufacturers secretly test their cars - as it has been opening up its private grounds for groups to participate in corporate ice driving over the last three years.

“Last year it got to the level where it needed its own location and identity,” Steve explains.

So in 2013 SHPG purchased the existing Snow Park facilities, which are located right next door and include the Snow Park Event Centre.

It contains 16 luxury apartment style rooms – with a maximum onsite capacity of 32 people - along with the architecturally designed event centre, which includes a restaurant,

bar, reception area and conferencing facilities for 100-plus people.

During the 2013/2014 summer, SHPG transformed this facility to include a completely new snow and ice driving area, nestled amongst the event centre.

“We now have the ability to offer fully private and exclusive groups the chance to experience ice driving whilst being accommodated and given the opportunity to conference and meet on-site. This way, corporate groups can maximise their time together and take away a memorable ice driving experience that will be talked about highly amongst friends for years to come,” Steve says.

Arriving in the evening, guests will be treated to locally crafted canapés and drinks at the Snow Park Event Centre. Then they can indulge in an

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exquisite, four-course gala dinner from an a la carte regionally-themed menu, including dishes such as organic beef fillet, wild venison, free range pork, New Zealand lamb and fresh fish and game.

After a bountiful breakfast, guests will be introduced to their instructors, given a brief overview of the day’s activities and divided into groups.

Once everyone has their winter gear ready, they will be primed to head out onto the snow and ice.

The day’s driving moves from an introduction to the cars, handling, tyres, plus ice and snow surface conditions, to over steer and under

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steer activities.

After morning tea the groups diversify into dynamic driving activities where guests will experience the thrill of drifting around a snow circle, or completing a slalom course and performing figure 8s. Following a hearty two-course lunch it is time to get sideways again and perform some autocross course timed laps.

The day culminates in exhilarating hot laps with the expert instructors and a prize giving. Guests can then either pack up and transfer back to Queenstown/Wanaka or they can add on a second night, enjoy a cold beer or mulled wine, kick back, relax and

share a few stories with the instructors.

Supplied by specialist driver training company Downforce, the fullyqualified instructors will ensure the ice driving experience is designed as a progressive drive day, so it is achievable for all different levels of driving ability and group size.

Guests also receive photographs and certificates to take away, awards for fastest drivers / best teams and video footage on a USB for bragging later to the ones that couldn’t make it!

Once guests have had their fill of high-octane action driving on ice they can slip on their skis or boards and have some time on-piste. The Snow Park has retained its core alpine ski runs, which means corporate groups can utilise their own entirely private ski area with chair lift. It is one of the only privately hireable ski areas in the Southern Hemisphere.

Steve emphasises that the Snow Park Ice Driving Centre is entirely private and not open to the general public. It is aimed at attracting a mixture of conference, incentive, private and corporate and luxury travel groups, ideally made up of 10 to 30 people.

“Because the centre is completely exclusive and only operates a limited number of days per year, it will sell out, so it pays to book ahead,” Steve advises.

For this first year, the centre will be offering a day package, where clients can helicopter or drive in. They will be provided with morning tea and lunch, interspersed with an exciting drive programme on the ice.

The hospitality side of the ice driving will also help make it an experience to remember. The entire event centre is nestled closely together and within walking distance from all facilities.

Moments after getting out of the driver’s seat, guests will be back in front of the big open fires in the cosy centre enjoying a hot drink and the best in Southern fare.

The centre’s experienced event staff can design a package specifically to meet any group’s business needs, whether it is a conference, meeting or product launch.

“We have a fantastic hosting facility and can build you a specific package that will allow you to tie in your day with that important meeting or presentation to your staff, partners, or

key customers before you all head out and enjoy our ice driving experience,” Steve says.

The centre also has an array of additional “add on” activities to keep the whole group busy and incorporate a full day of team building and fun activities on the snow. As well as the private chair lift and alpine ski run – where instructors can be provided – there is also snow shoeing and sledding, husky sled dog rides, clay bird shooting, golf hole in one, curling, snow mobiling and Nordic skiing.

This entire Snow Park Ice Driving Centre package encapsulates the ultimate in what New Zealand has to offer in terms of location, hospitality, experiences and venues.

Getting there is either a one hour drive from Queenstown Airport or a 10 minute helicopter flight.

The Snow Park Ice Drive Experience and full venue hire are available from June 30 - July 28 2014, with other dates available on request.

Experience Cardrona.

STAY AT NEW ZEALAND’S

most iconic hotel.

Established in 1863, Cardrona hotel is one of New Zealand’s oldest historic hotels. It’s also said to be the most photographed building in New Zealand.

• Close to four major skifields • Legendary onsite bar & restaurant • Complimentary continental breakfast with all rooms ROOM FROMS $135 BREA inc.

KFAS T

book online www.cardronahotel.co.nz Crown Range Road, RD 2 Wanaka Phone: 03 443 8153 email: info@cardronahotel.co.nz

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THe Heli RusH

by Mark Sedon

As the sound of the helicopter diminishes we are left with a deafening silence. The only sound is the occasional squeaking of dry crisp snow under ski or snowboard boots. There’s a mixture of emotion, adrenaline and complete awe which threatens to make us dizzy. Once brave enough, everyone peers down the slope below, with a certain amount of trepidation, quickly followed by a broad smile stretching across everyone’s face as they see the smooth inviting powder snow covered slope, and remember to breathe...

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W

e’re on the top of Triple Peak, at 2200m, in the South Buchanan Mountains, 20 minutes drive from Wanaka, NZ. The day started as any typical ski resort day does, early alarm, a hot breakfast in a locally brewed coffee scented cafe, but instead of driving off towards Cardrona or Treble Cone, we order another coffee and wait for our heli-ski van pickup.

The van arrives about 9:00 and along with other excited skiers and boarders we’re driven up the Matukituki Valley. Where most of the cars turn off at Treble Cone, we keep going, past deer, cows and sheep grazing in the morning sun. Our necks twist skywards at the snow covered peaks almost 2000m above the valley floor. The Buchanan Mountains are on our right, the North Harris Mountains on our left, Mt Aspiring National Park is straight ahead.

The staging area is in a paddock not long vacated of sheep which seem to have left behind the occasional sheep poo which can stick to a badly placed ski boot. We meet our guide and helicopter pilot, both quietly confident and oozing mountain knowledge and spend 10 minutes going over the helicopter brief and all laugh when the guide points out that this airline actually gives you an axe, instead of taking away your nail file. But it’s a serious brief and afterwards we are all afraid to kick the helicopter or to run off after a blown away hat.

Next safety brief is on avalanches.

You can’t have good snow without a little avalanche danger. But the guide explains how we’ll move around the mountains safely, and how to rescue each other if the unlikely happens, an avalanche. Apparently he’s in the most danger as they always goes first. After our lesson he sounds confident that’ll we’ll be able to dig him out, should the need arise.

We load into the helicopter, buckle up the seat belts and get the camera ready. You can almost smell the excitement as the pilot starts the jet engine and waits for it to warm up. The pilot and guide nod to each other and we are effortlessly hoisted skywards.

What a feeling as we pick up speed and altitude. We can see the mountain top out the front window and the pilot seems to effortlessly land us a few

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metres down from the top on a narrow snow arete. The mountain drops away alarmingly in front of the helicopter and the back skids are hanging off the other side.

The guide gets out and calmly unloads the skis and boards then opens the door, standing between us and the drop. We climb out and as instructed, slowly walk around behind our gear and crouch down, holding it all in place. He closes the doors and after checking on us, gives the pilot the thumbs up and the helicopter takes off down the valley. That’s when the silence hits us.

We clip into our skis and boards and the guide gives us our third brief for the day. Please always stop above him.

Ski carefully (we’re a long way from medical assistance and hazards are never marked). And most importantly, HAVE FUN…….

The guides are all avalanche professionals so after he looks at

the layers of snow and does a quick stability test, he instructs us to let him get 50m ahead, then follow. The slope below is like something out of a Warren Miller ski film. Not a track can be seen. It’s covered in 30-40cms of fresh snow, but it hasn’t snowed in a week. “It dries out and just gets better” he says. We can see animal tracks, which are rabbits and occasional Thar.

To the west Mt Aspiring (3033m) is clearly visible with the blue Tasman Sea not far behind, to the north we can make out Aoraki/Mt Cook behind an endless foreground of hundreds of snow capped mountains. To the south is Treble Cone, looking boney and well skied, below us is the green Matukituki Valley.

As the guide skis off his boots are hidden by fluffy powder snow and we’re sure we hear a little hoot or holler.

Everyone follows and are instantly addicted to the soft velvety snow, the effortless turns and the mellow slope

makes us smile and relax as we ski the first pitch of the most amazing powder snow of our lives. We stop after the first pitch and look back to admire our turns, all smiling at each other, puffing lightly in the cool mountain air. We chat about the run ahead and are directed to stay close for the next pitch, getting fresh turns of course, but there’s a gully to avoid as it’s tricky for snowboarders to get out of so we all carefully follow.

Another two stops, more puffing, loads of laughter and legs starting to burn, we pull up to the guide as he’s stomping out the snow. We ask what he’s doing and are told he’s making a landing pad for the helicopter. We get out of our skis and boards and lay them in the instructed position, click off a few photos, have a drink of water and a few minutes later we can hear the helicopter coming. It lands right next to us, the safest position we’re told, we climb in shaking our heads in disbelief at the ease of this heli-skiing.

Within a few minutes we are dropped on the top of Mt Alta at over 2300m and from here we can clearly see Lake Wanaka and Wanaka township at the end of the lake. The guide tells us sometimes he takes people up to the glaciers, landing at 2500m and skiing down past big crevasses and long runs

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even further west that we are now.

But the wind had effected the snow, so we we’re skiing the Buchanan Mountains with more than two dozen peaks over 2000m high and ten times that number of runs. Another group is skiing the North Harris Mountains and a charter group has flown into the Minarete region to ski and have a five star lunch at a luxury tent camp with fresh crayfish (a good way to spend a lot of money!).

But Mt Alta is the most amazing snow we have every skied and much steeper than the first run. We decide on a second nearby and after the fourth 800m run we stop at the bottom, the guide builds a table from snow, lays out a table cloth and displays a smorgasbord of lunch, hot soup and drinks. It’s amazing how warm it is and we take off our jackets and enjoy the peaceful lunch break in the mountains.

It’s so different to resort skiing. No noise, no tracks, no cues and it’s easy

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to see how you could spend all of the kids inheritance in a few winters.

After lunch, we load back up and fly to Dragonfly Peak (2165m) and ski the aptly named ‘Million Dollar’ run. Then during the sixth run in a run called Chamois Basin we’re offered an extra run, so we head over to Molieffe’s Relief for two amazing runs in boot deep untracked powder, skiing towards the green farmlands of the Matukituki Valley on wearing legs.

After the final run, we have a few minutes to take in the view, snap photos and talk about the peaks we can see. Our guide tells us he’s climbed the nearby Mt Aspiring 26 times, has summited Mt Everest and sailed on a 20m yacht to Antarctica to take clients skiing. Which starts us dreaming of future trips, more helisking and appreciate how lucky we are to have shared an amazing experience in one of the most beautiful places in the world...

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The Great KIWI

SNOW GO ZONE

By Kris Herbert

I

arrived in New Zealand 15 years ago - a last-minute decision to jump on a plane from Sydney for a week-long freeskiing competition. After seven days in Wanaka, we were hooked. The next year we came back for a season.

And never left. We’ve spent the last decade and a half getting to know New Zealand, and by now our favourite ski fields are just like old mates…

Its 1am and it’s been snowing for the last six hours. There’s a foot of light, dry powder everywhere and in the distance is the faint hum of a tractor motor in fourth gear. A line of skiers is being pulled past fuzzy floodlights and

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into the darkness above.

From the wooden deck of the hut, you can’t hear the motor. It is drowned out by the thumping of house music and the stomp of people trying to dance in ski boots.

Suddenly, the sky clears almost in synchronisation with the moon rising over the ridge. The bowl of fresh snow is bathed in light and a handful of redfaced revellers abandon the dance floor to seek the newly lit freshies.

Suddenly there are whoops of delight bouncing out of the darkness.

Skiing at night is like skinny-dipping - the joy of fresh snow is compounded

by the sense of forbidden pleasure.

Stoically presiding over it all is Hayley Green. The Broken River snow safety officer is sitting quietly on the deck of Palmer Lodge with a cup of coffee in one hand and a hand-rolled cigarette in the other.

The fresh air and hot mulled wine has made this scene downright surreal.

We keep waiting for someone to tell us we have to stop skiing, stop dancingto turn the lights out and go to bed.

This is a ski hill, after all, and not a wild teenage house party.

But it feels more like the latter.

Especially when enthusiastic skiers

start building and sliding handrails onto the deck and even skiing onto the dance floor. Or earlier, when the sunny day encouraged someone to bring the pool table and bean bags out onto the deck.

We wonder what limit there is to this madness and ask Hayley: “How long are you going to run the lifts?”

He smiles, shrugs and answers, “Until no one wants to ski anymore.”

Uh-Huh. “And how long will the DJs be playing?”

“Until no one wants to dance

Broken Hill

anymore.”

You can’t argue with the logic so we don’t. We just ski away with grins like teenagers on a late night toilet-papering mission. In the morning the sunrise will reveal all our deeds.

The mountain will be littered with our tracks – carelessly strung up and down the mountain.

New Zealand’s Craigieburn Range is on the eastern edge of the South

Island’s defining mountainous spine, the Southern Alps. In the 1950s, a club of eager mountaineers set up a ski field in the heart of this range. You had to walk 90 minutes to the lodges and another 20 minutes to the base of the field’s one rope tow.

It was a place where men could be men and women – well, they had to www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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stay home. The Craigieburn Ski Club had a men-only policy, which soon prompted the establishment of Broken River Ski Club just two basins south. It was the “family” option.

Craigieburn’s no-women rule didn’t last long (New Zealand was, after all, the first country to give women the right to vote, in 1983) but the original spirit of club skiing remains along with the rope tows. Gear freaks and fashion victims are rare. Not everyone is ripping it up in vintage equipment but no one is likely to care if you are. Because the clubs were set up for mountaineers who loved to ski, the founders didn’t mind earning their turns.

If you’re into ski touring to get fresh tracks, you may not have to venture beyond the boundaries for a couple of days after each snowfall. There is a great freedom in being in the company of more powder than you can ski in a day. The urgency disappears and you find yourself lingering on the sunny balcony of the day lodge for another cup of coffee – or to watch the local entertainment in the form of the kea, the world’s largest – and most

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Roundhill

mischievous – alpine parrot. Kea are so intelligent, they even outsmarted recent university-designed intelligence tests set up in the Southern Alps.

They love to get their breaks into everything – especially ski gloves, boot liners and roof racks. Backpacks and candy bars left on the deck are open

slather. When absentminded guests are about, personal battles of wit and on-snow agility ensue.

If the chutes and bowls of Craigieburn and Broken River aren’t enough, there is a limitless amount of touring available from the clubs – the most popular being a route which

Ruapehu

links the two fields. Separated by only one bowl, the clubs joined forces several years ago by allowing skiers to use their passes interchangeably. Now they market themselves as New Zealand’s largest off-piste ski area.

Skiing in New Zealand is a self0styles adventure with something for everyone. You can lush it up in five-star accommodation or roll up your sleeves to help peel spuds at the clubbies.

I arrived in New Zealand 15 years ago – a last minute decision to jump on a plane from Sydney with my thenboyfriend, now husband for a week-long freeskiing competition. After seven days in Wanaka, we were hooked. The next year we came back for a season. And never left. We’ve spent the last decade and a half getting to know New Zealand, and by now our favourite ski

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Mt LakeLyford Wakatipu

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fields are just like old mates – lovable, imperfect and, most importantly, there when you need them.

The characters I love the most are the “clubbies.”

“Clubbies is the term for New Zealand’s own special brand of clubrun ski areas. Founded by hardy pioneers as early as the 1930’s, ski clubs have minimal facilities and little or no grooming. They are non-profit and survive through the volunteer efforts of their members. Many fields are accessed by walking tracks and the lifts are often rope tows that require skiers to wear harnesses with metal “nutcrackers.” Clubbies are open to the public but overnight guests are usually asked to help with food prep or dishes – and this backpacker-style approach is reflected in the affordable price.

Each ski club has its own distinctive personality and is guaranteed to be populated with interested characters.

We love club skiing because it’s a friendly social experience with crowdfree off-piste skiing.

Club-style skiing won’t be for everyone, but luckily there are still plenty of choices for the five-star fans.

In the North Island, the grand Chateau Tongariro at the foot of Whakapapa Ski Area gives access to the country’s largest ski area as well as famous trout fishing and thermal resorts.

Further south, the country town of Methven sits at the base of Mt Hutt in Canterbury, and the ever-growing resort town of Wanaka is home to three large, commercial ski fields in the Central Otago region.

Christchurch

The most cosmopolitan of New Zealand ski designations is Queenstown. The town sits on the shores of Lake Wakatipu and is gemmed by spectacular southern peaks. The mountains are home to two commercial resorts while the town is packed full of pumping bars, excellent restaurants and impeccable accommodation.

Whether you book in for a sold week or two, or decide to road trip around the country, there’s always plenty of off-snow adventure in New Zealand.

The little island nation is rife with outdoor activities – from soaking in thermal pools to get-boating, bungee jumping, fishing and mountain biking.

North Island Broken River

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MANGANUI Mt Taranaki was the location double for Mt Fuji in Tom Cruise’s The Last Samurai, but all the similarities end there. Taranaki is a sparsely populated region of New Zealand, famous for surf breaks and its violent volcanic history.

Manganui is Taranaki’s only ski area, and getting there is an adventure in itself. The beautiful 20-minute walk from the car park takes you across an avalanche gully, which is sometimes scattered with avalanche debris. The little club field has three rope tows and a t-bar. You can ski right into the warm, bright Manganui has a great mix of family-friendly and expert terrain – all within reach of Taranaki’s famous Surf Highway and some of the best breaks in New Zealand. They don’t call it Taradise for nothing.

RUAPEHU New Zealand’s two largest and most developed ski fields sit on the slopes of an active volcano, Mt Ruapehu. The High-altitude plateau of the central north island is rich with geothermal activity – mud pools, geysers and hot springs. Using some local knowledge, we found a hot river in Taupo for an evening dip. The lakes are famous trout fishing destinations and the region is rich with Maori history. Mt Ruapehu is particularly good in spring, when the snow is often less wind affected and the longer days make for softer snow conditions.

Whakapapa Is one hour and 15 minutes from the Taupo. It has all the amenities of an international ski area, including 14 lifts, 30 groomed trails,

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plenty of off-piste terrain as well as ski school, ski hire, restaurants and cafes.

Compared to its neighbouring field at Turoa, Whakapapa has more terrain for the hard-core – cliffs and chutes – and being a bit shadier, it’s a better choice for dry powder. We always love a stop at the Chateau Tongariro, tucked into lush subtropical forest at the base of Whakapapa. Sipping cocktails in the velvet-clad piano bar has a sort of Euro-charm that’s rare in the New World.

TUROA At 2,322m, Turoa is the highest ski area in New Zealand. Its 500ha of skiable area includes a four-kilometre run and three terrain parks as well as snowfilled bowls and steep chutes. We took a 90- minute walk to the crater of the volcano – an unforgettable experience.

Turoa is serviced by Ohakune, a thriving little ski town marked by a giant carrot sculpture. Ohakune is the place to eat, drink, sleep and party.

For the best of the latter don’t miss the Mountain Mardi Gras in June.

South Island RAINBOW The spectacular Southern Alps are the

backbone of the South Island. At the northern tip of this snow-peaked spine is Rainbow Ski Area and the Nelson Lakes National Park. Rainbow sits above St Arnaud, a village of traditional forest branches (holiday homes) on the shore of Lake Rotoiti. We’ve had some great holidays at Rainbow, with seven or eight families hiring or sharing baches around the village. The field itself is a club field with a t-bar, platter, terrain park and one short rope tow. The ski area is family-friendly, has great views down to the sandy beaches of Golden Bay or the famous Marlborough wine region.

CANTERBURY Mt Lyford Mt Lyford sits between the thermal resort of Hanmer Springs and the coastal paradise of Kaikoura. Once a high country station, Mt Lyford was developed into an alpine village and ski area by local farmers in the 1980’s. Log chalets were built on oneacre sections and the ski field had developed over the years to include a t-bar, two platters and a rope tow as well as a restaurant and tubing area. It’s a family friendly hill with good touring views to the sea. Mt Lyford

often gets large dumps in the early season from coastal sou-westers. Hire a log chalet or stay in the log lodge at the base.

Surfing, whale watching and dolphin swimming is only 30 minutes away in Kaikoura, while Hanmer Springs Thermal resort is 30 minutes in the other direction.

Christchurch Christchurch is New Zealand’s second largest city. In February 2011, the city was struck by a massive earthquake – 184 people died and thousands of homes were damaged beyond repair.

We’ve endured more than 1000 aftershocks. The city has proved its resilience, though, and new bars, restaurants and shops are springing up around the city.

The lonely Planet recently called Christchurch one of New Zealand’s most interesting cities. Our shaken city boasts eight ski areas within reach of a ski trip. On down days we go surfing, walking and mountain biking. Christchurch is also home to New Zealand’s only ski manufacturer, Kingswood Skis. Visit the factory by appointment to get a pair of handcrafted, custom-made skis.

Independent Mountain Guides Queenstown in conjunction with Small Planet Sports 15-17 Shotover Street Queenstown

Check us out for the following winter activities, guided climbs of Single Cone and Mount Larkins, winter alpine skills and avalanche courses, snowshoe adventures, ice and mixed climbing trips, backcountry ski and riding tours.

All trips led by qualified guides who are members of the New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association or the New Zealand Mountain and Ski Guides Association.

Cell: 027 414 0544 Email: imguides@xtra.co.nz www.independentmountainguides.co.nz

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Hanmer Springs Hanmer Springs Ski Area is a club field near the thermal resort of Hanmer Springs. The ski area can get great snow and on a powder day, you might just have it all to yourself.

Ask the locals about a hidden run on the backside that traverses back to the tows. There is on-field accommodation and wacky dress-up events including the Bacardi Cup. With nearby jet-boating, bungee jumping, trout fishing and golf, Hanmer Springs could be considered a poor man’s Queenstown, but the real draw for this region is the largest thermal resort – we never say no to a good hot soak at the end of a day’ skiing.

Porters There are big plans afoot for Christchurch’ newest ski filed. A $500 million development has been approved for Pointers, to include new chairlifts and New Zealand’s first gondola from the main highway. Eventually the development will include a 3400-bed alpine village with hot pools and hiking and mountain biking trails for summer. For now, Porters remains a small-ish commercial field with great family skiing as well as famous off-piste runs like the steep Buff Face and the long thigh-burning Big Mama.

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Cheeseman From Christchurch, Mt Cheeseman is the next ski filed along the alpine Highway 73. Cheeseman is a family-focused club filed with a few groomed runs and t-bars but for those who look a bit further, there is easy access to the backcountry and we always try to grab a few end-of-day runs down the access road and through to the beech forest Cheeseman has an on field Café and accommodation part way down the road at Forest Lodge.

Broken River Sheltered from the wind, the Broken River gets great snow and plenty of it. We like the joke about its “snow guns” – when the northwest wind pumps dry windblown snow over the ridge and onto the main bowl. Broken River is a classic clubbie, complete with rope tows and a decent walk in. An inclinator gets you most of the way up the mountain but Treble Cone

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CARDRONA. FUN GUARANTEED. PRISTINE groomed slopes, parks ‘n pipes & challenging chutes Whatever your level we’ve got the snow for you EASY drive or bus ride from Queenstown or Wanaka 35 Shotover St, Queenstown / 18 Dunmore St, Wanaka p: +64 3 443 7411 e: info@cardrona.com WWW.CARDRONA.COM

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we find “Stairway to Heaven” still keeps the crowds at bay. The accommodation at Broken Rive is amongst the beech forest a sun-soaked balcony complete with barbeque. The locals are friendly and the beer is cheap.

Craigieburn Craigieburn is known as “the big one” and is renowned for its steep chutes and bowls. Extreme skiing pioneer Glen Plake is a lifetime member. Craigieburn gets loads of snow from the northwest and we find it’s a good option for foggy days with those famous chutes providing some definition. Middle basin is one of our favourite runs – long with a consistent pitch followed by a short walk back to the tows. Craigieburn also has a bar available on the mountain.

Mt Hutt Mt Hutt is Canterbury’s premier commercial ski field.

Sitting an hour and a half south-west of Christchurch, the field receives reliable snow falls (but has snow making just in case). From large groomed runs to chutes and terrain parks, Mt Hutt has it all, with the backdrop of amazing views across the Canterbury plains to the sea.

Nearby Methven is also a base for heli-skiing operations, and comes alive in winter.

Helipark Helipark revolutionised heli-accessed skiing when it opened a few years ago. THE $325 Helipark Access Pass includes your first run on a 660ha of backcountry terrain. After that, you’re charged $75 per run. You pick your own lines and decide how many runs you do. Mt Potts Lodge has accommodation available and is also the base for Mt Potts Heliski, which flies into the Two Thumb range to access some of the best terrain in the country.

Temple Basin Temple Basin is the only ski field that sits in the middle of the main range. With views of glaciers and hanging ice falls from the lodge, it’s a real alpine experience. The club filed is accessed by a 50-minute walk through the Arthur’s Pass National Park. A free goods lift carried gear up the mountain. It’s all worth it to wake up at the top of the world, with amazing terrain at your doorstep.

The lodge sleeps 120 people and serves great food.

Temple Basin gets huge dumps from the northwest. We have been asked to help dig out the lodge or tows at the start of the powder day.

Mt Olympus Mt Olympus is known as the playground of the Gods and is a wide open, south facing bowl 2 and a half hours from Christchurch. Nearly an hour on a shingle road that twists up and around the Ryton Valley always makes us feel pretty far from reality. So do the club’s fancy dress box, hot tub and tradition of partying into the wee hours. The brand new sleeping quarters are quiet, though, and the hut Is a true skiin, ski-out experience, which is handy for night skiing.

We also love that the ticket office/bar serves cocktails and proper flat whites. There are always a few good

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characters soaking up the sun in the Beer Garden outside the hut. When the sun gets too low, we just pack up and ski over to Rum Rock to catch the sunset. Traditions like these have given Mt Olympus the tagline: “a drinking club with a skiing problem”

blue glaciated lake in the dramatic landscape of the Mackenzie region.

The area is known for its excellent fishing, boating, hot pools, ice-skating and stargazing at the nearby Mt John Observatory.

Mackenzie District

OHAU We love Ohau for its friendly atmosphere, good lodge, wacky events and spectacular views over the lake. It’s a small filed with just one chairlift, a platter and a snow mat, but there are groomed runs s well as some good off-piste terrain and access to the backcountry. Ohau is uncrowned so we find it a good choice for powder days. The Lodge is lakeside and in 15 minutes you can be carving the fresh powder on this amazing boutique field.

Fox Peak Fox Peak is a true club field at the highest point of the Two Thumbs range, near the town of Fairlie. The wide-open faces are free of crowds and weekend accommodation is available on the club’s cost 40-bed lodge.

Roundhill A few years ago, we noticed that Tekapo’s Roundhill went from one of the shortest ski hills in the country to one of the longest overnight. This was due to the addition of the Heritage Express Rope Tow in 2010. The 1440m long tow gives access to the Two Thumb range’s chutes, gullies and high-alpine snow. Roundhill also has a terrain park and a café/bar. It’s a great family ski area with a large beginner zone. Tekapo sits on an ice-

AWAKINO A weekend at Awakino is a classic kiwi adventure.

This tiny club field outside of Oamaru is only open in good seasons and only on weekends. Awakino doesn’t even appear on most lists of New Zealand ski areas so we always arrive to a warm welcome and plenty of room to move.

DOBSON South-west of Fairlie is Mt Dobson, a family owned ski area with triple-chair and all day sun. Mt Dobson has the highest alpine car park in the country, which leads to rolling terrain and a natural half-pipe. This field can be skiable when many of the other fields are closed or have high winds – a gem not far from a number of other attractions and adventures.

Southern Lakes District Cardrona An hour from Queenstown and 35 minutes from Wanaka, Cardrona is a family-friendly place with four kids’ centres and two childcare centres.

Cardrona is known for its great beginner and intermediate terrain as well as having the most extensive terrain park facilities in New Zealand.

Treble Cone With 550 hectares spread across three large basins, Treble Cone is the largest ski area in the South Island. We never tire of the spectacular views across Lake Wanaka and into the Southern Alps. The mountain has a vertical rise of 705m and a 4km groomed run.

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MORE TO EXPLORE

Memories start here The South Island’s larg est and most spectacular ski area WINNER New Zealand’ s Best Ski Resort 2013

TREBLE CONE, WANAKA NZ

Treble Cone is the South Island’s largest ski area and offers the longest vertical in the Queenstown and Wanaka region. The mountain is made up of long groomed trails, challenging off-piste terrain, a reputation for the Southern Hemisphere’s best powder, and spectacular views over Lake Wanaka and the snow-capped Southern Alps.

Treble Cone is the closest ski area to Wanaka and a scenic 90 minute drive from Queenstown. Daily shuttles operate to Treble Cone from Wanaka and Queenstown.

www.treblecone.com

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Treble Cone is known for snow quality – dry powder and plenty of it. The great snow and infamous terrain of natural pipes and chutes means there are always plenty of Wanaka-based “Cone Heads” snaking up the mountain on a powder day.

Wanaka Tourism Wanaka has recently declared the region “The World’s First Protected Lifestyle Reserve” and published a charter designed to preserve and share the Wanaka way of life, an outdoor-orientated life in a spectacular mountain setting. When we first visited Wanaka in the mid-90’s, it was a laid-back hippy town. Over the last 15 years, it’s transformed into a more resortstyle destination, but there are still a few vestiges, like Cinema Paradiso, where you can watch a film from a sofa or an old Morris Minor.

Snowpark Snowpark is a freestyle mecca – a dedicated park resort. On their high-country farmland, the Lee family has built a standard halfpipe, a quarterpipe, large kickers, 40+ rails, hits, jumps and more. There’s even a beginner park. With 33 automatic snowguns, Snowpark can operate on snowmaking alone. There is a luxury or backpacker accommodation on the mountain as well as a great restaurant and thumping bar.

Queenstown Over the years, Queenstown has welcomed pioneers and farmers, gold seekers and adventurers thrill seekers and now holidaymakers. Bungee jumping was invented here by AJ Hacket. The bungee operators, along with jet-boating and skiing, have earned Queenstown the title “adventure capital” of New Zealand. But we like Queenstown for its cosmopolitan feel. They’ve packed a lot of amazing bars and restaurants and shops into this little walkable mountain village. Queenstown has an international airport which makes it an easy destination from the East Coast of Australia. Arrive in the morning and be on your skis or board by lunchtime.

Roundhill

Manganui

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PARNELL VILLAGE THE DREAM AND VISION OF ONE MAN

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here has been a sense of excitement brewing in one of New Zealand’s oldest suburbs as the late Les Harvey, fondly known as the patriarch of Auckland’s up-market Parnell Village, has ‘come home’.

The Harvey family honour their beloved father and creator of iconic Parnell Village with a statue of their dad outside Antoine’s on Parnell Rise, Les’ first tenant and the place where his dream began.

Parnell Village was the brainchild of one man, Thomas Leslie Harvey, Les Harvey, as he was known to all.

Popular with tourists, today Parnell is an up-market village, a vibrant shopping community featuring an international line-up of more than

40 restaurants, cafés and bars, Auckland’s largest art gallery precinct, international designers, boutique retailers, quality craft shops and a collection of Auckland’s finest jewellers.

Parnell Village reflects the magical world Les built with so much love and passion over 40 years ago. However, to appreciate the present, we first need to understand the past.

Parnell was the first suburb in New Zealand, established in September 1841. The purchase of land for Auckland was confirmed in 1841, and blocks of 3-5 acres were sold, quickly subdivided into 36 allotments and metamorphosed into the village of Parnell. Most of the early settlers were mechanics and tradesmen who

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congregated in Mechanics Bay, where the first European suburban and industrial development took place.

Early industry included boat building, a sawmill, brickworks, flourmill and Robertson’s Rope Walk.

For a time Parnell languished.

Industry, office, transient accommodation encroached.

However in the early 1970’s Parnell was unloved and consequently become run down and dilapidated.

Les Harvey could see something in Parnell that no one else could. A self-confessed custodian and clown, Harvey had vision with foresight well beyond his years. His dream involved Parnell re-inventing itself as ‘Parnell Village’, a community of old world shops, sunny courtyards and most

importantly had a heart. This concept became the catalyst for the regeneration of Parnell as both as a tourist centre and a prime residential area.

Following the war, bulldozers began ripping the heart out of old Auckland, smashing down the brick and timber buildings of the 19th century to make way for towers of glass, concrete and steel.

Les, a man who was passionately in love with the way the city used to be, fought to stop them.

A craftsman, fanatic, philosopher, artist, millionaire, lover of old bricks, enemy of progress, owner of dozens of beautiful old buildings in Auckland which he vowed to preserve for the future.

Les made it his mission making sure that the ruins of buildings being torn down all over Auckland city could be used and preserved in creating something unique and magical.

As many other Victorian buildings underwent demolition in Auckland at the time, period materials became available cheaply, and the buildings of Parnell Village emerged altered, extended and ‘tarted up’ in a

Dessert cafe and chocolaterie, Parnell

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somewhat fanciful but fun Victorian style. Les created the Village by using bits and pieces salvaged from these demolished buildings and much of the work he did himself. Les planted many of the trees up and down Parnell Road, laid bricks, helped convert old houses and back yards into one of Auckland’s iconic streets. The rest was done by craftsmen working to his design. A bow window from Dunedin, a carved door from Oamaru, somewhere else is a slab of kauri that was in the bar of an old country pub. Every fragment has been restored and recreated into what Les thought a suburb should be like.

Well renowned for his almost single-handed transformation of Parnell he became a public figure for many public battles with bureaucracy to save old buildings. Les scorned councils, planning boards, government departments, procedures, town planners and architects alike. Not adverse to controversy or letting any red tape stand in the way of his dreams, after years of battling, Les has finally received recognition for his efforts to preserve the past by creating a new future.

The remarkable part of how Les operated is that he never sold anything.

Farside Bar

Les believed however, he owned nothing. He was simply a custodian looking after beautiful things so they would be preserved for people to enjoy them.

Les was a man who didn’t ever really know if he was a multimillionaire or a multipauper, professing not to care either way.

He was proud to call himself a patriot.

Les was an unabashed romantic whose other love was his family, his late wife Zena and sons Kevin, Tom and daughter Nancy.

His family meant everything to him and his dream and vision continues with the ongoing ownership of the Harvey family’s company, City Construction.

Les’s son Kevin now runs the family business, whilst his other son Tom continues to tend to the beautiful village gardens, the majority of which were originally planted by Les himself.

Les passed away in 1994 aged 78.

If he was alive today, you would see him walking the cobbled pavements of his beloved village with a fresh flower poking out of a battered 40-year-old panama, wearing a grey suit wth pants and jacket that don’t

Cocktails, Fine Wine & Craft Beer

207 Parnell Rise

quite match. His striped shirt open at the neck and bulging at the waist.

A visit to Auckland wouldn’t be complete without a wander through the beautiful magical suburb of Parnell Village. The magic of delight, wonder and surprise.

We thank you Les for your love of the past and for seeing something ‘magical’ in Parnell. Whereas most people only saw grimy, peeling paintwork and crumbling bricks you chose to make the magic apparent for us all to enjoy. We can now celebrate with you - welcome home.

Late Night Lounge Wednesday-Saturday

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NEW ZEALAND’S

BIG CITY

8th Formosa

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by Steve Khatib

I

arrived in Auckland for a Kiwi golfing getaway and a chance to experience some of the charms of New Zealand’s biggest city. I checked into my hotel in downtown Auckland and headed for Formosa Country Club.

Formosa is a stunning resort golfing complex approximately thirty minutes drive from the city centre. Formosa includes an eighteen hole golf course, driving range, gymnasium, restaurant, corporate function facilities and luxury on course villa accommodation.

The resort itself is set in beach lands atop cliff side terrain scattered with palm trees and the panoramic views of Waiheke Island and The Hauraki Gulf are simply breathtaking. I was pleasantly greeted by the staff and decided to warm up on their world class practice facility to iron out my swing prior to tackling the 6600 metre Championship Sir Bob Charles designed course modelled on Augusta National. The course has been host to many major tournaments over the years including several New Zealand Opens.

I teed off and I immediately recognised the need to allow for the wind in my shot selection as my approach to the first green came up short. The open Formosa layout can be deceptive and hitting shots at the correct trajectory to compliment the breeze is essential to good scoring.

The front nine was a pleasant

10th Formosa

challenging experience, however nothing could prepare me for the cliff top stretch of holes starting at the par three eleventh a mid length hole that required me to punch a long iron into the breeze to find the green. The very next hole was definitely my favourite; a long par five dogleg right with a waste bunker that runs all the way down the left hand side of the fairway. I made sure that I didn’t try to 2cut the dogleg too fine and played safe down the left side to make my par. The par three fifteenth is a stunning short hole that also has a great ocean backdrop; a well calculated club

selection is also required here to avoid the impending. After bogies at the next two holes I concluded my round with some redemption holing a tricky twentyfive footer for birdie on the last green. As difficult as the course may seem due to the challenge of wind, sand and water, the quick sloping greens are certainly deceptive and a subtle challenge to leave yourself an uphill putt.

After a very tough day playing an inspiring layout a took the opportunity to have a delightful meal in the clubhouse and lookout over the course recounting my round again in my head as golfers all

12th Titirangi

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seem to do. Formosa was a great start to my Auckland swing!

The next day I travelled fifteen minutes north of Auckland over the harbour bridge for breakfast in the costal suburb of Campbells Bay. Then I was off to play Pupuke, a wonderful parkland course set amongst undulating costal bushland in the Centennial Parklands.

Founded in 1914 the course is nearly one hundred years strong and from the moment I arrived at the club its hospitality was overwhelming. I was paired with a really fun group of members that told me all about the history of their club and also assisted me in using my driver sparingly during the round. Pupuke is not a long course by any stretch of the imagination, although the real challenge is its undulations and any inaccurate drive can roll into thick bushland. I strongly recommend this course a must play if you are visiting Auckland and the views of the Hauraki Gulf.

With the afternoon in front of me I down back through Auckland to the Waitakere Ranges twenty minutes to the south west of the city to play one a course designed by one of my favourite

golf course architects Dr. Alistair McKenzie. Yes! Titirangi is only course in New Zealand to be designed by the good doctor, who also designed Royal Melbourne, Cypress Point and of course Augusta National.

Keeping with the environment, a McKenzie design trait, the par 70 championship course is gentling undulating set amongst natural bushland and is tough but fair rewarding good shot making but also punishing wayward approaches; with deep bunkering and trees strategically positioned trees. My favourite hole is the par three eleventh hole, which requires a carefully played tee shot over a valley to a green that slopes from front to back guarded by bunkers. Any Dr. Alistair McKenzie course will satisfy me to play anywhere in the world but Titirangi was a real treat!

After a experiencing some of Auckland’s much proclaimed night life

at Viaduct Harbour, I was a little dusty the next morning so I decided to take a cart around Gulf Harbour course.

North of Auckland Gulf Harbour is an undulating course with a moderately interesting front nine holes. However, when I reached the back nine I knew was at another fantastic Auckland region Kiwi golf course with some of the most spectacular views complimented by challenging magnificently design holes.

The back nine makes its way down to the beach and it is here where the costal stretch of holes begins.

I really enjoyed the par four twelfth hole, which is a classic short par four that I drove near the green a pitched and putted for birdie. The final four holes really do make a great culmination to your round. It all starts at the downhill par three fifteenth which has the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop. I did not find the long par four sixteenth hole easy at all

16th Formosa

14th Titirangi

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though, although I don’t think I would be the only golfer that has double bogeyed this hole. I did redeem myself on the last two holes with a birdie and par finish.

The eighteenth hole is a downhill par four with a unique double fairway shared with the first hole and has views of town from the tee. The views from the course at Gulf Harbour were certainly spectacular and the back nine has one of the best finishing stretches to a course I have ever played.

My final round in Auckland was back at Pukekohe, a quaint parkland course I played at a year ago and really enjoyed, so I thought I would head back to see if I could better my efforts of last year.

The course really gives you a feel of the land of the long white cloud as it is set amongst rolling farmland with a variety of established trees and ponds setting the challenge for golfers like myself who may be a bit ambitious.

I really enjoyed the par three fourth hole over a pond to a small green, accuracy is placed at a premium here. The unique finish of two par five holes back to back is an interesting way to end your round at Pukekohe, the eighteenth hole is a gem

16th Formosa

with a Karaka Road guarding the right hand side of the green; having played the course before though I managed to keep my second shot well to the left hand side. The hospitality that I experienced at ‘Puke’ last year was just as warm as I ventured into the clubhouse for a beer and a laugh with the members.

I left Auckland airport on my Jetstar flight bound for Melbourne, with thoughts of how much fun I had in Auckland with not too much time spent driving and how each course was so scenic in its own unique way. I can’t wait to get back to in a few months to play some of the course I had heard about from the locals but had not had a chance to play!

Steve Khatib founder of Golf Dynamics is an internationally respected authority on all matters golf, owing to his affiliations through many years spent with the worlds leading golf minds in the USA. Steve presents several popular radio and television programs throughout Australia and has been awarded PGA Teacher of the Year, PGA AAA Specialiast Coach and Master Clubfitter accreditations.

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Southland GLOWING SKIES -

RAKIURA

by Gary Cody

Southland

Arriving at Invercargill Airport and being checked in at Stewart Island Air Services was a real buzz. It has been 5 years since I flew across to The Island and was looking forward to renewing old acquaintances and making some new ones.

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T

he short flight was impressive, not a cloud in the sky, Foveaux Strait glistening and the Blue Cod down there begging me to come and catch them.

A three-point landing at Oban Airport and a shuttle down to the town depot was setting me up for another memorable experience.

Rakiura the Maori word for Stewart Island means “Glowing Skies” Rakiura remains the most intact – the least logged, burnt and built upon of New Zealand´s three main islands.

Glowing Skies are an understatement.

The Southern Aurora is often visible from Stewart Island if your lucky to time it.

I was uplifted at the airline depot by Phil Dove partner of Annett Eiselt who own Observation Rock Lodge. A short drive with a local pointing out points of interest and making me feel very welcome.

Set high above the township, I know I walked it a few times and often meandered off into the native bush to catch a glimpse of the abundant birdlife.

Observation Rock is a personal, first class accommodation property that is perfectly located, as the name suggests with native birds and vegetation which defies the big city lodges and accommodation properties. Annett’s culinary skills are beyond five stars with breakfasts and dinner options to die for. The most is made of local seafood and vegetables which is delivered in the dining room that overlooks Preservation Inlet.

The next morning it was down to the jetty to hook up with Andrew Leask and his original fishing boat Rawhiti. Fishing for Blue Cod off the Rawhiti is incredible. The Leask family are also an “original” Stewart Island family and Andrews knowledge of where to find the “Bluies” is vast.

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After a safety briefing we were off into the dazzling colouful sky to the spot we were told should furnish us with a catch. And it sure did. It was only minutes after the lines were dropped that the happy travellers were pulling up the sweet fish. Andrew dressed and filleted some of the catch for lunch which he cooked onboard for us all to enjoy. The Molly Mawks were forever present always looking for birds are amazing, a member of the albatross family, they are huge and quite aggressive toward each other when scrapping over the morsels.

The poor gulls have little chance when these big guys are around.

Not only did we enjoy the cod onboard but were given some to take back to the lodge which were prepared by Annett that evening as

part of a delicious five course dinner.

The next evening we dined at the local pub and enjoyed crayfish and local oysters. The Bluff oyster is arguably one of the worlds most tasty and satisfying shellfish however a local Stewart island company has been farming them in Big Glory Bay so that they can be enjoyed all year round. The ocean dredging season is restricted to quota and is only fished from.

The next day it was a relaxing spell in the gardens at Observation Rock and enjoying some of the native birds that abound. Some are so friendly they will approach and in some cases sit on ones hand especially if there is a breadcrumb or two as encouragement.

Later in the day I was taken to

Just a 20 minute scenic flight from Invercargill to this tranquil place where time almost stands still…where silence is broken only by the native birds calling in the trees…

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Phil’s launching bay for a full on sea-kayaking experience in Paterson Inlet. Phil is an experienced outdoor man with a background of river rafting and outdoor life in some of New Zealand’s most pristine areas.

Both Phil and his Wife are serious conservationists and take a lot of care in protecting the pristine surroundings that they both feel so privileged to live in.

Double seat or single seat kayaks

are available and the cruise around the Inlet is amazing. Phil knew where the Sea Lions and Seals are lurking. The names of all the native

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and sea birds. His local knowledge is extensive and his attention to the paddlers comfort and safety is his forte.

We did not have the time to visit Ulva Island however I have been on this amazing protected Island before where the pest free environment has given the native birds a home that has rid them of fear.

A wonderful experience assisted by locals and the weather. The anchor of New Zealand should be on your schedule if nature and fine fare spin your wheels.

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Fiordland

LAKE TO LAKE

Fiordland

Justine Tyerman learns to love snakes on the Kepler Track.

R

anger Robbie measures the wind at the top of the Kepler Track based on the reports of traumatised trampers as they stumble into the Iris Burn Hut in varying states of shock and relief. If the gusts are so strong, trampers have had to crawl along the ridge on hands and knees, Robbie estimates the wind at 90kmh, or if they have lain down on the track for fear of blowing away, he reckons 100kmh or so. We only roped ourselves together, lost a pack cover over the edge and staggered from one warratah track marker to the next, so the gusts were probably a mere 70 or 80kmh. During our five hours on the brutally-exposed

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ridge with drop-offs on both sides, the warning from Ranger Fay the previous night at the Luxmore Hut kept forcing its way through more pleasant thoughts about who to throttle for choosing this tramp in the first place. ‘‘Plant your feet firmly,’’ Fay said, after telling us about a young chap who had been blown clean off the ridge a few days earlier.

The 18-year-old had both feet off the ground at once, apparently running or jumping, when a wind gust threw him on to rocks below the track.

He suffered severe lacerations and had to be helicoptered out . . . but he was no doubt counting his blessings that he did not end up in a free fall to Lake Te Anau 1400

metres below. So I mastered a new shuffle-style of tramping which involved keeping both boots in contact with terra firma at all times.

This made progress rather slow but ensured I did not get airborne. To keep me plodding — or shuffling on — in such grim conditions, my husband dangled snake lollies just beyond my reach. It worked! I toyed with thoughts of turning back but my tramping mates managed to convince me it was all a grand adventure . . . and those snakes were pretty damn good. Amid the swirling mist and horizontal rain which stung any skin left exposed, there were tantalising glimpses of alpine cirques left by ancient glaciers; foamy

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Doubtful Sound

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If you are considering exploring Doubtful Sound, then Fiordland Expeditions is defintely the best way to do it. Our overnight cruise was an absolutely magical experience. Tutoko II is a very comfortable vessel, catering for a small group of people. On this cuise you are guaranteed a personal approach in a relaxed environment. Our crew - David and Mandy were fantastic hosts, they made us feel comfortable and extremely well fed! I do not think I have seen Crayfish the size they cooked us for dinner! The scenery of Doubtful Sound is really amazing but what makes it even better is how peaceful it is. Over two days we were the only boat cruising around this spectacular part of New Zealand. Everything about this trip was just fabulous. I had my reservations about going on a cruise in the middle of winter, thinking it might be cold and uncomfortable but I could not have been more wrong. The boat was very warm and the scenery was breath-taking. Kayaking the Sound is a must! It will definitely be something to remember. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone who is keen to visit this part of the world.

Phone Email Web

0508 888 656 or +64 3 249 9005 info@fiordlandexpeditions.co.nz fiordlandexpeditions.co.nz/overnight-cruise

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MILFORD SOUND SMALL GROUP FIORDLAND TOURS

• Personal intimate tour with local knowledgeable guide • Pick-up & drop-off at your Te Anau accommodation • Scenic stops - Optional short walks • Morning tea, home baking, biscuits & chocolates • 2-hour nature cruise on Milford Sound • The chance to see seals, dolphins, the Fiordland Crested Penguin and enjoy native birdlife

www.fiordlandtours.co.nz 208 Milford Road, Te Anau, New Zealand P: 0064 3 2499368 fiordlandtours@xtra.co.nz

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waterfalls tumbling off sheer cliffs; deep, steep-sided fiords, and quite incongruously, the occasional brilliant rainbow. We were sadly denied the ultimate trampers’ reward for two days’ trudging uphill — a stunning alpine panorama of Mt Luxmore, and lakes Te Anau and Manapouri — but after all, this was Fiordland where wind and rain reign. The descent was as long, steep and arduous as the ascent with steps followed by 97 tight zigzags which turned already tired legs to jelly. But once safely below the bush line, we had the shelter of the tall, mossy forest to protect us from the elements and we could push back our jacket hoods and regain peripheral vision. A near-demented soul finally called out ‘‘Hut ahoy’’ as the Iris Burn Hut appeared like a beautiful mirage in an oasis of beech trees. Downing our packs, stripping off wet weather gear, drying ourselves by the roaring pot belly fire and eating our dehydrated

pasta with chopped up chorizo made us delirious with joy which raises some serious questions about the sanity of those hooked on this tramping thing. The evening passed companionably with tall stories about the force of the wind, erudite debates about the relative merits of merino, Gortex and polyprops, and examining the weight and type of food people were carrying. It’s hard to explain but wrestling all day with the elements and pushing one’s physical limits seem to strip life down to simple but sweet pleasures — food, shelter, dry clothes, good company . . . and a smug sense of achievement. The last two days were a gentle amble downhill in warm dappled sunshine through beech forest alongside the pretty Iris Burn stream. Our packs, now lighter due to the food we had consumed, grew heavier again as we peeled off layers of clothes. A breathtaking sunset over Lake Manapouri on our final night

almost made up for the spectacular views we missed on the Kepler ridge. The evening was mild and long — so armed with Fiordland-strength insect repellent, we ate the last of our supplies by a mirror lake as the fading light turned the layers of mountain ranges into cardboard cut-outs and the silver-gold pathway of the setting sun gradually shrank to nothing.

Bliss...

• The Kepler Track, like the mountains it traverses, is named after 17th Century German astronomer, Johannes Kepler. It is a 62km three-to-four day loop track from Lake Te Anau over Mt Luxmore to Lake Manapouri and back to Te Anau. One of nine Great Walks of New Zealand, the Kepler was opened in 1988 to take the pressure off the hugely-popular Milford and Routeburn tracks. However, as tramping fever takes hold and the quest for more remote experiences increases, the Kepler’s bunks are filling fast... be in!

Discover the beauty of Fiordland with a Te Anau Helicopter Services Scenic Flight.

Enjoy and be amazed at the rugged mountains and rushing waterfalls with a flight of a lifetime.

Hanger 1 Te Anau Manapouri Airport Freecall 0800 234 890 info@teanauhelicopters.com www.gotravelnewzealand.com www.teanauhelicopters.com

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Dunedin PARADISE PROTECTED, NOT LOST - ECO TOURISM AT ITS FINEST

By Brendan Cody, images Catherine Cody

Dunedin

Dunedin is a city of hidden treasures and if you know where to look you can find some amazing experiences. One of those is offered by Elm Wildlife Tours, a locally-owned business operating in Dunedin for 20 years now.

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t was a beautiful autumnal afternoon when we set off; the leaves on the trees looked like a golden fleece draped across the landscape set against a powder blue sky.

We were greeted at the Dunedin Information Centre by the tour bus, convenient given most of the major hotels are within five to 10 minute’s walk. Our guides John and Donna were friendly and helpful. In fact, the first impression was of a tour that was 48

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truly homemade like grandma’s jam recipe; what you see is what you get and certainly no pretentious window dressing. A great start.

Once all were on board we were given an information sheet, available in several different languages. It was approximately a 40 minute ride out to our first stop Taiaroa head on the Otago Peninsula, the Peninsula our guide John explained was the side of an ancient, long dead shield volcano that once spanned 40

kilometres in diameter.

We arrived at the Royal Albatross Centre at the edge of the Peninsula it was a rugged and beautifully isolated landscape.

Approaching the viewing platform, the group was told the Royal Albatross were not as active today, a disappointment to be sure. Then suddenly, like an angel descending from the heavens, a number of Albatross glided majestically past the platform.

Masters of their domain, these creatures glided above us surveying their territory and practising their flight as they prepare for an epic six-year odyssey at sea. Their journey will be long and one of discovery, a journey that would rival even Captain Cooks.

Our next destination, now this is the part of the journey that only Elm Wildlife Tours can offer you.

Headed off down a narrow gravel road, we were greeted by a couple of wannabe hitchhikers as two cheeky Pukeko stared at us as we drove past.

The view from our next stop, at the top of an emerald green hill, was worth the wait. A beautiful, never ending sea greeted us but the best was yet to come.

After a short descent down a small paddocked hill, avoiding the resident sheep who paid us know mind as they grazed happily in the sun, we came to the nursery of the fur seals.

It was quite a sight, seeing the young pups playing happily and lazing about, while they waited for their parents to return with dinner.

To witness this was to see that even nature parallels the human condition of teenagers lounging about while they wait for dinner.

The nursery surroundings were

breath-taking and the only sounds were the noise of the pups playing and the sea crashing against the rocks, stirring and churning as it went.

Time to move on to the grand finale of the Elm Wildlife Tours experience.

After a steep descent down a track that ran along a cliff, though as a nice touch those whom walking was a difficult undertaking were offered a ride with Brian the owner. We arrived at the beach the kingdom of the Yellow Eyed Penguins.

As we arrived at the edge of the beach we turned to our left to discover a penguin staring back at us, guarding his realm and making sure we were safe to be granted passage.

Once on the beach we entered a land that time had forgotten. Very little human presence was noticeable, other than us and the penguins.

Sea lions did their dangerous dance as the penguins did their best to avoid capture. This was a dance that seemed to have been going on since the dawn of time and was quite a sight to be witnessed.

Looking up we noticed a penguin atop a cliff-face making a pose as if to say he was the king of the world, this was a natural behaviour

we were told, though I am convinced he was displaying his own selfimportance.

The beach we stood on was of special significance. It is a reserve that is being looked after and replanted with native flora and forna

by Elm Wildlife Tours.

Brian has dedicated 20 years of his life and a portion of the company’s revenue to the up keep, protection and pest control of this paradise and it has to be said Elm sets the gold standard in New Zealand ecotourism.

So if you are a traveller who loves the outdoors and experiencing nature at its rarest and untouched, then this is not to be missed. Knowing a portion of your fee plays a part in ensuring the survival of this most rare and precious of species is certainly a comfort.

Elm Wildlife Tours is an amazing trip delivered in that uniquely personable way that only a truly Dunedin experience can offer. This tour is truly a paradise that is far from lost.

www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Arrowtown

BORN OF GOLD

by David Clarke

Arrowtown

Buckingham

Street 1905

Arrowtown circa 1878

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rrowtown is the historical heart of the Queenstown Lakes District. Nestled out of the prevailing winds beside the swiftly flowing Arrow River, it is one of the most photographed towns in New Zealand. With its preserved buildings, avenues of deciduous trees, walking and biking trails, it truly is a town that combines history with nature.

The Arrow Basin was formed when the great glaciers carved out the Wakatipu Basin.

Local Maori passed through the area on seasonal food gathering trips, to hunt native birds, and to extract pounamu (greenstone).

Waitaha, the first tribe, were later joined by Kati Mamoe who were driven south after fighting with Kai Tahu. By the 1700s the three tribes were locked together by marriages 52

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and peace alliances.

William Rees and Nicholas von Tunzelmann were the first Europeans to establish farms in the area. Rees’ cadet, Alfred Duncan, provides us with one of the first descriptions of the Arrow River ‘flowing like silver threads through the blackened [matagouri] scrubclothed plains.’

It was not the silver look of the river but the gold it contained that caused Arrowtown to evolve. Jack Tewa, a shearer for Rees, was the first to discover gold around May 1861. He was followed by either William (Bill) Fox or the team of Thomas Low and John MacGregor, late in 1862. Being a forceful character, Fox took credit for the discovery and for a while the town was called Fox’s.

Although there were attempts to keep the discovery secret, Fox

was followed when he left his hidden gorge to source supplies. The ‘rush was on. There were 1,500 miners camped on the banks of the Arrow River by the end of 1862. The first gold escort carried12,000 ounces (340 kg) of gold from the area in January 1863.

The Arrow gold rush was short lived. The strike on the nearby Shotover River lured some, as the Arrow gold eventually became harder to extract. The opening up of the West Coast goldfields in 1865 saw European miners heading for the riches there. This impacted on the Otago economy and in an attempt to stimulate it, the Otago Provincial Government invited Chinese miners to come to the Otago goldfields. The Chinese created a separate settlement in Arrowtown, remaining there until 1928. In 1984 the Chinese

settlement was excavated by archaeologists from the University of Otago. Chinese huts and a storehouse were restored and recreated and this is now one of Arrowtown’s most popular attractions.

Lakes District Museum

After the initial gold rush, a more permanent town began to be established. The avenues of trees were planted in 1867 in an attempt to make Arrowtown look more like the European towns the settlers had left behind. Churches, banks, masonic lodges and shops were built in the early 1870s. Arrowtown became a service town for the quartz crushing town of Macetown and for the surrounding farms.

Fire was always a constant threat.

A large fire in December 1896 resulted in the destruction of the Morning Star Hotel, Campbell’s Bakery, and the top storey of Pritchard’s Store. The store was rebuilt whilst the site of the Morning Star Hotel was left empty and is now known as Buckingham Green.

Lakes District Museum

After the Macetown mines closed down, Arrowtown went into a period of stagnation. The population dropped to 120 in the 1940s. In the 1950s a renaissance began as New Zealanders started buying sections to build holiday houses on. These houses were known as ‘cribs’ and were mainly used in the summer. With the opening up of

Lakes District Museum

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Buckingham Street, Arrowtown circa 1965

Arrowtown from the air

Lakes District Museum

Home of the famous Arrowtown Gourmet Pies Offering quality homemade fresh breads, sandwiches, cakes and slices Fantastic Coffee and great value menu and cabinet food available takeaway or eat in.

Phone: 03 442 1587 Email: awbakery@xtra.co.nz Open 7 Days

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Coronet Peak ski field in 1947 some were used year round. Many of the original miner’s cottages were also saved and restored. Tourism really started to take off in the 1970s as people visited to enjoy the town’s history. The council of the day were enlightened by drafting historic zones within the town and rules to protect buildings and trees. This protection has continued and has ensured the town’s amenity values have been preserved. The row of miner’s cottages in Buckingham Street is one of New Zealand’s most photographed street scenes.

In spite of fires, decay and more recently, development pressure, Arrowtown has retained around 70 buildings, monuments and features dating back to the gold rush era.

The charm of Arrowtown’s past continues to be its major drawcard but it is not a town stuck in the past.

By the turn of the 21st century Arrowtown had become a popular visitor destination and one of the fastest growing towns in New Zealand. This continues

today with over 20 cafes and restaurants, excellent shopping and accommodation, extensive walking and cycling trails, the district’s museum, the Chinese Settlement and three golf courses on its boundary. Throughout the year Arrowtown hosts festivals and many sports and cultural events which are extremely popular. To the permanent population of 2500 it is a working town based around a strong and close knit community. The locals share their piece of paradise openly with around 600,000 visitors annually.

Arrowtown is a town for all seasons. It has hot dry summers, stunning autumns, when the tree colours are the best in New Zealand, cold clear winters with snow lying in the town at least a couple of times a year. and green verdant springs which see the avenues of trees spring back into life. The town has several ski fields nearby and is very close to the wine growing area of Gibbston Valley. Visit Arrowtown soon.

winter holiday n . o c . l e t o h s n a e l r o www.new night Deluxe Room one rona ski passes Two Full day Card nks in the bar Two Ski Apres Dri

$299 NZD

27 Buckingham Street, Arrowtown, New Zealand | Phone: +64 3 4421748

www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Queenstown

SPRING INTO QUEENSTOWN

by Margaret Prince

Queenstown

Alfresco dining in The Mall

Some friends who’d settled in Queenstown suggested I come and visit them in spring so I could experience what the town and its surroundings has to offer outside of ski season. I thought it was a fine idea and decided it was time I treat myself to a well-earned break with a bit or pampering, a touch of adventure, some leisurely wine tasting, the odd walk or bike (but nothing to strenuous), some over-indulging in the eating department, and just a smidge of exploring and retail therapy thrown in for good measure.

Sounded like the perfect holiday cocktail to me‌

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s a keen skier I’d been to Queenstown more than once and spent my days going hard on the slopes and my nights enjoying the après ski buzz in its many restaurants, bars and clubs. But this time some friends who’d settled in Queenstown suggested I come and visit them in spring so I could experience what the town and its surroundings has to offer outside of ski season.

I thought it was a fine idea and decided it was time I treat myself to a well-earned break with a bit or pampering, a touch of adventure, some leisurely wine tasting, the odd walk or bike (but nothing to strenuous), some over-indulging in the eating department, and just a smidge of exploring and retail therapy thrown in for good measure.

Sounded like the perfect holiday cocktail to me.

Flying into the resort, nose pressed to the window like everyone around me, we descended towards the airport and I was spellbound by the snow-capped mountain peaks as far as the eye

could see the green valleys below, and the reflection of the plane passing over the shimmering lake.

Once I stepped off the Jetstar A320 to a view of the famous Remarkables Mountains and breathed in the pure crisp alpine air, I suspected I was going to be a fan of Queenstown in spring.

I’d read recently that the travellers ‘bible’ Lonely Planet had recently chosen the Southern Lakes Region as one of the world’s top 10 places to visit in 2013 for its year-round activities and spectacular scenery, so I set about putting as much of that to the test as possible. Although my friends had offered their spare room, I decided to splash out and treat myself to a couple of nights one of the loveliest new hostels on the outskirts of town, followed by a stay in more cost-conscience accommodation. There were plenty to choose from, from backpackers to ‘flash-packers’, motels and

sk

Steamer Wharf at du

Coffee in Glenorchy

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apartments, and all categories of hotels, but I figured that a five-star luxury on the edge of the lake was going to get me in the mood for relaxation and adventure.

Queenstown is quite compact which is one of the things I like most about it – the airport is only 10 minutes from town centre and everything is within walking distance or a short drive. After checking into my hotel, I found the perfect spot overlooking the water to soak up the sunshine with coffee in hand and just watch the world go by.

Next on the agenda was a bit of ‘me time; and within half an hour I was luxuriating in one of the best spa experiences I’ve ever had. Four blissful hours later I floated to my room, resisted the urge to curl up

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and fall asleep, got dressed and caught the hotel’s water taxi service into town to meet my friends.

As the boat pulled into Queenstown Bay, we slowed down to make way for the majestic TSS Earnslaw, one of the last remaining coal-fired passenger vessels still operating in the Southern Hemisphere, as it came steaming into dock. Affectionately know to locals as the grand old lady of the lake, she’s one of Queenstown’s great icons and her deep piercing ‘hoot hoot’ has become an integral part of the town’s fabric.

It was only Day One but I was already learning springtime in Queenstown combined the best of both worlds – long days, warm spring sunshine and bright blooms

everywhere completely transformed the scenery I’d previously only seen as a winter wonderland. And although I was definitely tempted by spring skiing, this time my Queenstown visit had a different agenda.

After strolling around town and sitting outside enjoying a sneaky glass of the famous local Pinot Noir, we literally had to toss a coin to decide where to eat.

There are restaurants everywhere; Queenstown is a veritable melting pot of nationalities, cultures and influences and it was just too hard to chose from Pacific rim, traditional pub, winery kitchen, stylish café bars, Asian, designer burgers, Japanese, Indian, Chinese, Turkish or Mexican. The coin toss decided

the menu for us – tapas by the waterfront – and after a delicious meal complete with million dollar view, we planned our days to come.

It’s no exaggeration to say you can experience more here in a day than most do in a lifetime, and on the adventure front it boasts a huge range of adrenaline pumping activities like skydiving, bungee jumping, jet boating and paragliding. For the next day’s entertainment, however we decided to bike the new gondola-accessed trails high above the town.

While one of my friends was definitely the equivalent of a double diamond skier when it came to the biking, I was relieved to find out that the bike trails ranged from the extreme to virtual novice. Falling

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Hiker above Wakatipu Basin

COME AND ENJOY THE RELAXED AND WARM ATMOSPHERE AT ONE OF QUEENSTOWNS OLDEST PUBS.

Closest location when hopping on/off the bus from the mountain.

Locally owned and operated

48 camp St, queenstown 60

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somewhere between the two, I put my trust in the sturdy bike and helmet I‘d rented from one of the shops in town, hooked it up to the gondola and cruised up to the bike park. While initially cautious, I gained confidence by the minute and couldn’t believe how much fun it was to ride down through the forest trails, and then catch my breath on the gondola ride back up to do it again.

We’d set aside the next day for a trip to the world-famous bungy bridge in nearby Gibbston Valley, and my first bungy jump (scary but an amazing rush!) was followed by lunch at nearby winery and an afternoon of wine tasting. For ease, we took a guided tour which was well worth every cent to have our transport taken care of and a knowledgeable guide to lead the way.

In fact I learned a lot that afternoon. Fine growing conditions in Central Otago mean the region has 200 vineyards in the vicinity and more than its fair share of awardwinning wines. At 300 meters above sea level and 45 degrees south, it is also the most southerly wine region

in the world, established buy a wine lover who believed the climate was perfect for producing what could be some of the best wines in the world.

I’ve now tested most of them and he was right. We spent what I would call a prefect lazy afternoon soaking up the scenery, drinking award-wining local Pinot Noirs and snacking on gourmet platters or local produce.

Day Three and it was time to hit the golf course. There are six courses within a 25 minute drive but given my poor level of play, I wisely tool some local advice on which one would suit me best. In the end, it didn’t matter that my skill level is particularly zero because I has the stunning scenery to blame for the fact that I couldn’t keep my eye on the ball.

Next it was time for some adventure and with a natural outdoor playground on its doorstep, I can see why so many adventurers and entrepreneurs have chosen Queenstown and its surrounds as a base for their tourism operations.

In fact, it was one famous Kiwi, Sir Henry Wrigley, who became a game changer for the region back in 1947. Famous for his foresight,

Haka at Skyline

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he developed a commercial ski area at Coronet Peak with the help of another innovative New Zealander, Bill Hamilton later Sir William). Bill used his technical knowledge, determination, ‘Number 8 wire’ mentality and more than a smattering of Kiwi ingenuity to build a tow rope for Coronet Peak from scratch, and almost overnight Queenstown became a four-season resort.

Bill Hamilton was also responsible for the particular innovation I was keen to try – the jet boat – and

Kawaru Bungy Bridge

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seeing I was in Queenstown, considered by many to be the adventure capital of the world, it seemed like the perfect place to take a spin.

Let me just say that the power and manoeuvrability of these boats and their ability to travel in less than three centimetres of water is phenomenal.

It was like a rollercoaster ride as our jet boat driver took us close to towering roc faces at speeds that had the hair whipping off my face and left me gasping for breath. I barely had time to recover before her signalled a 360 degree ‘Hamilton spin’ was coming up. Ask a local which is the spot on the boat NOT to sit in f you want to stay dry! Apparently I looked like the sort who wouldn’t ‘mind’ a dunking… and I didn’t. In fact, I had a grin ear-to-ear for about half an hour afterwards.

Later back up the gondola, my friends and I challenged each other to luge races before walking a bit

further up the hill and launching ourselves into the wild blue yonder harnessed to a pilot and a huge inflatable parapente wing that reassuringly filled with air as we ran off the mountainside. It brought us safely back to terra firma in the heart of town but not before my friends heard me squealing like a girl as we spun this way and that “just for fun”. I still haven’t lived that down.

Day Four and it was time to take a drive to what’s been called ‘a true slice of paradise’ – a spectacular 45-minutte drive west of Queenstown at the end of Lake Wakatipu. To be sure, the word ‘spectacular’ gets bandied around a lot these days, but it truly applies to this drive and to Glenorchy, our ultimate destination. Bordered by the South West New Zealand Wold Heritage Area, this tiny hamlet is the gateway to some of New Zealand’s most epic scenery.

A firm favourite with locals & visitors alike, Atlas is the friendly bar with the beautiful views, at the back of Steamer Wharf.

Famous steaks, delicious lunches, amazing tapas...

QUEENSTOWN’S CRAFT BEER HOME!

Open 7 Days Till Late Steamer Wharf, Queenstown 9300 Tel 03 442 5995 www.atlasbeercafe.com

TSS Earnslaw www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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QUEENSTOWN

LUXURY AT AFFORDABLE PRICES Wai Luxury Suites offers high end furnished suites and boutique-style hospitality services to sophisticated travelers.

FREE LUXURY AIRPORT TRANSFERS FREE WI-FI IN-ROOM CHECK-IN SERVICE

The prestigious properties in our collection cater to the discerning guest, who expects the finest in quality and service.

LAKE VIEWS LIGHT FILLED SUITES GENEROUS SIZED KITCHENS LAUNDRY FACILITIES LUXURIOUS FURNISHINGS QUALITY LINEN ONSITE PARKING res@waiqueenstown.co.nz +64(3) 450 9388

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While the drive to Glenorchy is officially 45 minutes, you can’t help but want to stop around every bend and send the camera into overdrive capturing breathtaking views, hanging valleys, glaciers, islands and towering mountains. It’s hardly surprising to learn that the area has provided the inspirational backdrops for many films including Lord of the Rings.

We wandered around the visitor centre and took advice on a couple of good short day walks, which led us along the start of the famous Routeburn Track, and also on a boardwalk around the lake’s edge to spot local wildlife. All that walking was guaranteed to make is hungry, so we stopped at a local café, sat outside and enjoyed the views and sated our hunger with delicious ham on the bone sandwiches and steaming hot coffee.

With my nose for retail therapy wherever I go, I managed to find the outlets stocked with the region’s famous possum fur products and New Zealand-made designer garments and gifts. I might even give some of my purchases to my family and friends as presents if they’re lucky.

While we didn’t have time to explore further this time around, I made a mental note to come back to “GY”

another time to check out some of its adventures like wilderness jetboating, horse riding, fishing and kayaking. If I had a spare three or four days it would be the place to go as the jump-off point for Great Walks such as the Milford, Routeburn, Caples and Greenstone tracks.

Day Six rolled around and it was time to head home, although not without a quick trip to the pretty township of Kingston at the opposite end of the lake to Glenorchy.

The road to Kingston is another 45-minute gorgeous lakeside drive and the laidback little town is a popular holiday hub. I even managed to squeeze in a ride on its most iconic and much-loved attraction – a vintage steam train called the Kingston Flyer which has just re-opened after languishing on its tracks for a couple of years before being given a new lease of life by its new owner.

I was too early for the annual jazz festival and the programme of events for summer looked hugely tempting, so as I flew out I made a mental note to come back soon.

With bells on.

C H A R T E R S

CHARTERED FISHING TRIPS

QUEENSTOWN, NZ

Wharf Lake Wakatipu

At Stu Dever Fishing Charters we understand how the need to fish can take control and make it impossible to go on with life until you can get your hook wet!

That's why we can provide you with Queenstown's best fishing boat for charter. Not just a great boat and skipper but also a fishing guide with an uncanny ability to sense fish and create exciting fishing experiences for all of our clients.

Fishing Boat Trips Stu Dever Fishing

17 York Street, Queenstown TSS Earnslaw

P. 0274 333 052 www.fishing-queenstown.co.nz www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Wanaka

MY HELI-SKIING EXPERIENCE

By Carla Munro

Ultimate Day - Harris Mountains Heliski

N

owhere wears white like Wanaka!

I have dreamed of heli-skiing in the epic mountains of Lake Wanaka for years. Bright blue skies, soaring white slopes, a cobalt lake rippling in brilliant sunshine and drifts of 66

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dancing snow teased into pirouettes by departing helicopters. A world of pristine extremes and audacious joy.

Being dropped to a precipitous peak in the middle of a landscape straight out of The Hobbit, and scribing the mountainside with my own personal signature - what more could a girl

ask for?

It is only fair to tell you that I am not the world’s greatest skier. I can hold my own, and – so I’ve been told – am more brave than skilled! And yet, the idea of heli-skiing is one of those special experiences, those ‘once in a lifetime, if you’re really lucky’ I couldn’t

stop thinking about.

Last season I took on the back country for the first time – on Nordic skis. Fun? A resounding yes! Hard work? Absolutely. Worth it? You bet your sweet self! Prior to that I’ve had two seasons on the slopes of Cardrona just thirty minutes from Wanaka, putting myself through lessons, humiliation, and finally jubilation at mastering a smooth turn.

Inspiring confidence and giving me that edge I needed to graduate to more challenging runs, Cardrona was the ideal ski area to learn at. I then graduated to Treble Cone – recently voted at the World Ski Awards as the Best Ski Area in New Zealand. Treble Cone separated the girl in me from the daredevil. Steeps and runs that just never end and the most prolific snowfall in the country! Claiming the longest thigh-busting 4km run with a vertical of 700meters, Treble Cone prepped me for heli-skiing better than an injection of pure adrenaline!

So, of course, I felt completely prepared for the thrills and spills of leaping from a hovering helicopter into perfect powder and carving a path of magic down an unadulterated slope.

Er, yeah, and then I woke up…

Fortunately there are options. I love options. In Wanaka there are so many! I could have chosen to blast the budget and really treat myself to four days in Minaret Station, heliskiing with Alpine Helicopters in the privacy of my own personal mountain.

Sounds like bliss. Of course, once you add your own glamorous tent

complete with possum fur throws, pure merino wool carpets and a private Jacuzzi, well, that simply adds up to Utopia.

I can also opt to invite the family, take the man, or better yet, go girls-only and stay at one of the awesome apartments in Wanaka. Selfcontained, ranging from luxuriously lush to meticulously pragmatic, Wanaka has an apartment to suit everyone – and every one boasts a stunning location! Whether you want to walk to town, be surrounded by vast country or be a blissful blend of both, Wanaka provides apartment living in an extraordinary environment.

Or I could choose any one of the multitude of gorgeous, sumptuous, and most importantly, welcoming, lodges scattered in exclusive pockets of beauty around Wanaka and its breathtaking surrounds. Every single lodge has its own charms and a host or two with a fascinating story to share. Inevitably, it is the people I am drawn to, their stories, their passions and their kindness. And in Wanaka, the people make the place – which is saying something when you consider the place happens to be one of the most beautiful places on earth, has been voted one of National Geographic’s top 25 Ski Towns in the world – the only one in the Southern Hemisphere. I love a good lodge, especially when travelling on my own. It takes mere minutes for me to discover unknown and unrelated family just waiting to welcome me home. And the insider knowledge and Treble Cone skiing

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th Messing wi your head since 1973

anaka’s W o t e m o lc We orld wonderful w s. of weirdnesoms of illusion

dings, ro ur Bizarre buil ill baffle yo ous maze w m s n o ti p e rc and our fa r pe allenge you ! g in brain and ch eliev eing is disb of reality. Se

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advice on where to eat, what to do and who to ski with, is priceless – and free! And believe me, the ‘what to do’ is more important than you can imagine! Yes, skiing, that’s a given.

Of course I’m going heli-skiing. But there’s something very special about a Wanaka winter.

This is something that really needs to be explained properly. Winter in Wanaka defaults to blue skies and sunshine. You will need sunglasses and sunscreen. Yes, the snow is outstanding and an entire day on the slopes will rock your socks off – but get down from the mountain, shrug off the layers and relax in an après environment of al fresco dining, street musicians and laughter till late.

You can jet boat into Mount Aspiring National Park, a World Heritage Area, and revel in pristine, otherwise inaccessible landscapes in winter in Wanaka.

You can spend the day on a fabulous wine tour in winter in Wanaka.

You can take a flight over glaciers, snowy peaks and wild oceans and native forest in winter in Wanaka.

You can ski in the morning, helicopter to the West Coast beaches in the afternoon and catch a crayfish for an al fresco dinner in winter in Wanaka!

You can even (sometimes) wear shorts downtown in winter in Wanaka!

I’m not kidding! It’s happened!

But I digress! I’m so enamoured

of the place, I find myself extolling Wanaka’s virtues long after my companions have either fallen asleep, or shoved my own rockedoff socks into my mouth. Heli-skiing!

The ultimate winter experience!

There is no other winter adventure quite as remarkably empowering, invigorating and utterly awe-inspiring.

Or adrenaline inducing. I’m quite sure my camera feels rather abused after my gleefully snap-happy first day. I’m also certain that if a camera could talk mine would be muttering, ‘stop the giggling – you sound positively unhinged.’

We were dropped, me delicately (read falling gracelessly into the powdery snow under the thwumping blades of my illustrious ride) onto our drop off peak. Needless to say, my camera was mortified. After shuffling out of the way of the blades and other skiers far superior in their exit to me, we donned skis, goggles and figurative Superman capes, and began our descent. I was in heaven. I carved it up. I felt lighter than the feathery snow falling onto my goggles, listening to nothing but my own excited giggling and my skis whispering hearty encouragement as they sliced the virgin snow like a hot knife through whipped cream.

Daydreams of grandeur and glory ran through my head as I made my way down the seemingly endless slope of untracked powder.

It was a day of utter bliss, complete

Lake Wanaka - the home of satisfaction and immeasurable pride as I nailed the last slope of the day. Fortunately, the heli-ski guides know the exact experience you want and where to find it. I needed an introduction to heli-skiing that would challenge, but not scare me. That would inspire me and make me crave more. Job done!

On our way home in the peach and

violet twilight, our pilot gave us the ultimate treat to end our day. We flew over a glinting sapphire lake – practically impossible to reach by land and so beautifully deep blue in the gentle dusk it looked like the heart-shaped gem from Titanic. What a bonus!

And what a spectacular end to an impossibly perfect, utterly Wanaka day.

A year of change for iconic attraction Throughout its forty year history a vital aspect of Wanaka’s Puzzling World has always been to encourage a theme of continual redevelopment so it was no surprise that instead of taking a break after their recent Illusion room extension the management team of Heidi and Duncan Spear went headlong into the next phase of development.

A complete re-paint of all indoor and outdoor areas included bright feature walls throughout the Puzzle Centre, Gift shop and Illusion Rooms. Updated AV displays included innovations in holographic and presentation software that offer New Zealand’s first Holoboxx and Virtual Assistant that have wowed visitors.

The oldest Illusion room, The Tilted House was completely overhauled, the popular Psychic Challenge was upgraded and given a new home while a large History Wall of film footage and memorabilia highlights

the growth and changes to the attraction over the years.

A complete re-clad of the iconic Tumbling Towers was next and with a mix of materials and colour along with the addition of a schist stone frontage the new version is set to remain a landmark for a long while yet!

What’s next for 2014? – you’ll just have to visit this winter and see for yourself!.

New Zealand’s National Transport & Toy Museum

The National Transport & Toy Museum is home to rare and unusual aircraft, cars, trucks, motorcycles, fire appliances, military vehicles and tractors, as well as a colourful array of automobilia.

And a wonderful selection of more than 50,000 toys

Email: wanakamuseum@xtra.co.nz Web: www.nttmuseum.co.nz Find us right beside Wanaka Airport.

Open daily 8.30am - 5pm Phone: 03 443 8765

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Mackenzie

BULL THAR & BERGS

By Gary Cody

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D

riving into the Mackenzie in 1953. The boutique museum at the hotel is named in his honor country always brings with memorabilia of Hilary’s many back the story I was conquests. told as a youngster.

Early to bed as the next day was Mackenzie the sheep-rustler and his something I was looking forward to loyal dog. The dog who is honored immensely. in brass outside the iconic Church I was to be flow around Mt Cook of The Good Shepherd in Tekapo.

National park by Heliworks. I was An earlier pioneer Mackenzie would early to the heli-port after a hearty steal sheep at night and drive them Hermitage breakfast and met a pilot hundreds of miles and sell them to that ended up being someone who farmers well out of the way of his I would fly with anywhere anytime victim’s farms. again. Mark Hayes knew this The drive along Lake Pukaki mountainous terrain as if he was heading into The Hermitage at Mt comfortably at home using his TV Cook lifts my spirit every time. I remote. have visited this sacred place many His attention to detail and safety times however I never turn down an was paramount. He could read opportunity to pay homage to our the valleys and guts in the rugged highest mountain Aorangi (Maori mountains so well he warned the for Cloud Piercer) Mt Cook. The mountain named after the first European Captain James Cook who mapped and claimed the country for Britain.

Checking into a room with a view of The Mountain is a must at The Hermitage.

The late Sir Edmund Hilary’s head and shoulders lightly etched into the widows is even special. Sir Edmund trained on Mt Cook before he conquered Thar statue, Everest with Tensing Norgay

LAKE TEKAPO. WINDOW TO THE UNIVERSE

Lake Pukaki

HOME OF AORAKI MACKENZIE’S INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY RESERVE MT JOHN OBSERVATORY

CAFÉ AND DAY TOURS Drive or hike to the summit of Mt John. Enjoy your coffee with spectacular views at the Astro Cafe. Imagine viewing day-time stars, then visiting NZ’s largest telescope!

MT JOHN TWILIGHT AND NIGHT TOURS Join us for our famous Observatory Tour.

We provide transport, equipment and guidance. Navigate your way around the Southern Sky using powerful lasers, while telescopes unlock familiar planets through to rich star clusters.

BOOKING IS ADVISED For more details call 03 680 6960 or email: info@earthandsky co.nz

www.earthandsky.co.nz www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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!

! !

CAFE-RESTAURANT-BAR Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner

A relaxed, yet sophisticated dining experience

Fine selection of New Zealand Craft Beers and Wines!

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! !

Shawty’s Cafe 4 Market Place, Twizel Open 7 Days, bookings recommended +64 3 4353 155 www.shawtys.co.nz

!

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passengers well before we even received a little turbulence. His willingness to assist and answer questions was more than expected.

Over to the West Coast side to see the sprawling river valleys over spectacular edges and suspending into mid-air was awesome.

One highlight was landing beside the Tasman Hut and leaving the machine, walk in the pristine white powder and breath the fresh thin air. The atmosphere in this theatre of nature is unreal. The odd squawk from a rogue Kea is the only noise.

Sometimes at the end of summer there are avalanches and the noise they make is spectacular.

Back in the machine and off to another rare highlight. Mark had spotted a Bull Thar and a young yearling a few days earlier; he was “right on the button.” Dancing like ballet dancers over the treacherous rock and shale these two animals were just breathtaking to watch.

Mark hovered for quite some time as these two hardy beasts turned on a display for the peering eyes

Iceberg experience

Tasman glacier

from the helicopter. This was turning into a production.

The Himalayan Tahr was introduced to New Zealand some 100 years ago primarily for the purposes of sport.

Lord Bedford had retrieved some from the Paris Zoo and had them at his English estate of which he shipped some to NZ. A statue was unveiled recently to mark Bedford’s contribution to hunting in New Zealand.

Heading back to the heli-port we flew across Glacier Explorers while they were showing travellers the icebergs in Lake Tasman. A terminal lake of the Tasman Glacier

Aoraki paradise

Glacier encounter

Explore on nordic skis...

small groups ~ cosy private hut

all equipment provided

Lake Tekapo ~ Two Thumb Range

0800 006 096

www.alpinerecreation.com

... or on snowshoes!

A lpine Recreation T R E K

•

C L I M B

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S K I

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where the ice regularly breaks off into this water shed.

Alighting from the machine with all my senses humming, feeling like I had just experienced something surreal. My profession fortunately has taken me in helicopters often however this one was the crowning glory. A competent pilot, beautiful helicopter with headphones for commentary, special natural treats and a National Park that turns it on.

Wow I’m back for that one anytime!

After coming down from the Heliworks flight it was off to boat on the lake we had flown across previously to experience the icebergs.

Booked from The Hermitage Aoraki/Mt Cook

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Hotel Glacier Explorers run 2 trips a day. However this is seasonal and operates in summer and autumn.

Taken by their transport from The Hotel we walk into a jetty and don our lifejackets and receive a very intense safety briefing. It would be minutes if one fell in this ice-fed lake before hypothermia would engulf the body and the rest is history.

The bergs are amazing and the patterns of crystals differ and glint in the sunlight.

We approach the terminal however it is safety that we only go as close as 100 meters as the ice can break off and cause mini tsunamis and threaten ones safety.

Our young guide Claire was well

versed on the whole geological and scientific information that made for a very informed and enjoyable trip.

It was with regret I left this sacred place however Lunch at Shawtys in Twizel was just something else Twizel is 30 minutes from Mt Cook and was built as a construction town in the sixties for hydro schemes.

Twizel is now a resort town that boasts this amazing cafĂŠ/restaurant.

I started with a coffee a traditional Flat White, then another. The show stealer was the hearty Gumbo
Prawn and Chorizo spicy, served with crusty bread and at $12.50 was a deal from heaven. The Mackenzie Country is just another exciting region with a character like no other.

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West Coast THE MOST ON THE COAST

Cave adventure

CHRIS BIRT went searching for the Holy Grail of adventure in New Zealand and found it in the West Coast of the Southern Alps.

O

f all the visitor destinations in New Zealand, there are few that can offer adventure below the ground as well as on its surface.

The long thin ribbon of land that sits between the towering peaks of the Southern Alps and the wild rushing waves of the Tasman Sea is such a place. And as I found to my amazement, there are numerous adventures to be had in both spheres.

Within the space of a couple of hours drive, there are more visitor experiences than you can poke a stick off, passive as well as active.

And there’s certainly a lot to be said for heading to the subterranean

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world.

My game plan on this visit to ‘the Coast’ - the locals call it - is to travel less and see more. It’s a decision that turns out to be absolutely the right one.

Travellers often look at the 600 kilometres or so that is State Highway 6 on a map and assume they can to ‘do the Coast’ in a day or two. It’s possible, if you drive a Formula 1 racing machine, but an entire, diverse, interesting and educational world would pass by in a blur.

The West Coast should, in fact, be savoured. The more days one spends among its scenic delights and hospitable people the better off they will be for the experience. And

that’s how I’ve planned this journey.

The West Coast can be approached from the north - the raging waters that drain through the Buller Gorge from two of the region’s biggest lakes themselves provide all manner of water sports, from kayaking to rafting to patient attempts to snare big trout with fighting temperaments. A number of commercial operators are based along this stretch of a waterway that empties into the vast Tasman Sea at Westport.

Entry from the far south is also possible, broaching the summit from Wanaka near the Gates of Haast, before arriving at the small settlement of that name that carries the title of Whitebait Capital of the World.

West Coast sunset

There’s certainly no right or wrong way to enter. What’s important is that you take the first step - and that you allow sufficient time to get the most from the Coast.

On this trip I drive in from the east, departing the swaying golden pasturelands of the Canterbury Plains, to enter a scenic wonderland of green hues, passing over the massive Otira viaduct en route to Arthur’s Pass and the wild, wonderful coastline beyond. My destination is the adventure playground that lies to the north of the Coast’s largest town, Greymouth.

The pancake rock formations at Punakaiki have been revered by travellers ever since the early Maori voyagers arrived to call this country Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud. Nature at its rawest and most powerful is on show here, with the crashing waves thundering in from Australia sending huge plumes of water soaring into the air through giant blowholes. This is, undeniably, a sight to behold, with photo opportunities at every surge. High tide is the best time to visit Punakaiki, but any time is good.

Half an hour further to the north is yet another of the Coast’s series of iconic natural formations, one that Norwest Adventures, the local operator based in the historic settlement of Charleston shows off

to best effect. No matter how young or how old you may be or what your abilities are, this long-established operator will have an experience fit-for-purpose among its repertoire of underworld adventures.

Cave rafting is a big hit with many of the Coast’s visitors and just getting there is an experience in itself. The train journey through primeval rainforest is stunning, but there is more to come. No-one can help but be in awe while exploring the enormous calcatic cave, complete with its swath of stalactites and stalagmites. And floating down the Nile River through glow-worm grottoes en route to the bouncy rapids is amazing - and really good fun.

For those seeking a touch more action, the adventure caving offered in these parts is a must, but be warned, too much chocolate cake for morning tea may present a range of issues when it comes to squeezing or crawling through gaps designed for less rotund creatures.

From Charlestown and its veritable array of fun and funky things to do - an overnight stay in this delightful little coastal township is also highly recommended - it’s only a hop, skip and jump to Tauranga Bay, the site of one of New Zealand’s most impressive mainland fur seal colonies.

Watching the young seal pups being

Denniston M

useum

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“With a backdrop of the Southern Alps, Glaciers, rainforest and the ocean, it’s hard to imagine a better place to jump out of a plane than Fox Glacier” The Lonely Planet

1 0080 0800 75 ive fo x.c o.n z ww w. sk yd

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herded out of harm’s way by their mothers sends even the most macho of macho men into raptures. Hundreds of more photos to add to the travel diary! With such magnificent coastal vistas to be had, the walk to Cape Foulwind - leave three hours for the return trip - is another must amid a long list of musts on the West Coast.

Westport, at the mouth of the Buller River, is a short drive further on and for history and heritage buffs, its Coaltown Museum is yet another must-see destination. This region was built on coal and gold mining and timber extraction and this visitor venue provides an illuminating window look into how the West was won.

For those intent of delving more deeply into the history of this northern-most stretch of the Coast, getting to ‘do’ the Denniston Experience must not be missed, at any cost. Set on a plateau, the coal mining operation based there from 1879 to 1967 sought to prize one of the richest, highest quality seams in New Zealand from the bowels of the Earth. That black gold was sent by small carts to the port at nearby Westport, down an incline recognised the world over as a remarkable feat of engineering. So spectacular is the Denniston Incline that it was widely referred to as the eighth wonder of the world.

Yet another small settlement nearby acts as a magnet

for me, and thousands of others who take the time out and away from the blue ribbon route through New Zealand to discover an entirely different world. Karamea - population 423 at last count - is a great place to stay a few days, and a very handy jumping off spot for more adventures, once more under the Earth’s surface.

The Oparara River runs close

by Karamea and the large natural arches through which this waterway runs are spectacular and a popular destination for those with a thirst for backcountry experiences. The

tourism operators at Karamea are always willing to share their local knowledge, as well as recommending other local treasures and great sights, many of which are known to but a privileged few.

As usual, I’ve had a dilemma in choosing where to go and what to do on the West Coast of the Southern Alps on this visit. There are literally hundreds of magic little spots that Mother Nature has created in her bid to captivate and enthral. There are also hundreds of activities to indulge in. No two are the same and every one of them has its own degree of attraction and challenge.

That’s the thing about the West Coast. It’s a region of divergence

and difference with a spectacular view or an interesting experience at every turn. The thin strip of asphalt that runs down its length, and the endless side roads that join it, without doubt provides one of the most spectacular journeys in the world.

With that in mind, my recommendation is to do the Coast in bite-sized chunks, a little at a time. Only then will you get to sample the richness and variation of this little piece of paradise nestled on the edge of an ocean that stretches far beyond the horizon – indeed all the way to the great arid continent that is Australia.

Westport is a town built on coal extraction from wild and remote places like Denniston, Shockton and Millerton where daily life was a struggle and comfort a luxury.

The various displays focus on formation of coal, maritime history, unionism, the communities, transport and men underground. We are a colourful and modern museum that brings the past to life, and links the past to the present.

123 Palmerston Street, Westport Ph: 03 789 6658 www.coaltown.co.nz

www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Hurunui

SAVOUR A WINTER LUNCH IN WAIPARA Lazy summer afternoons spent outdoors at Waipara’s wineries and cafes give way soon to cosy indoor settings as the region moves into winter mode reveals Patricia Hamilton.

Hurunui

Platter at Waipara Springs

L

ong lunches are still to be enjoyed in this beautiful valley, but instead of sunshine, they will most likely be eaten in front of a roaring open fire, in a stylish warm interior with great ambience, some really tasty hot food off new autumn/winter menus warding off the frosty bite outside.

You can probably walk in anywhere mid-week, but it’s advisable to book if you’re planning a weekend lunch.

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Pegasus Bay, awarded New Zealand’s best winery restaurant

by Cuisine for the fifth consecutive year, loves the change of season, and Edward Donaldson, its marketing manager, says the food reflects the move, as much as possible gathered from their own garden.

Pegasus Bay’s “feasting

y Tasting

a Pegasus B

Room

Pegasus Bay Winery

menu” for groups, is a popular choice when the temperatures drop.

“It’s a two or three course option, with four different entrees, three different mains, and four desserts and it is a great casual, interactive way of dining which people really enjoy.”

Shared dishes, like the Pegasus Platter for two, are always popular, but every dish on the menu is designed as both a meal for an individual, but

also suitable for sharing.

Wine lovers will discover between five and 10 vintages of each variety on offer and also an older vintage and a current vintage available “by the glass.” Or you can select a half glass of each – for example a 2001 Riesling and a 2010 Riesling, which allows for some great discussion and comparisons. The Tasting Room and Cellar Door is open from 10am-5pm

daily and the restaurant from 12-5pm every day.

At Waipara Hills Winery and Café there’s a mouth-watering Osso Buco – Waipara Hills-style using venison shanks – on the new winter menu, and a chicken stack with mushrooms, pesto and camembert to tempt, plus winter desserts like Sticky Date Pudding and Chocolate Tortes. Jenny Anderson, manager, says they’ve just www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Luncheon guests can enjoy a released the Equinox range, their complimentary wine tasting.

Waipara Hills Premium range, just Waipara Springs welcomes the the thing to accompany a fabulous colder months, offering lunch by lunch in a splendidly grand setting. the fire and an earlier opening time, Waipara Hills is open seven days a (10am-4pm) perfect for brunch week from 10am-5pm, and there’s – anyone for Eggs Benedict with a wonderful fireplace roaring out a hollandaise sauce or French Toast. welcome for guests as they arrive.

Marketing Manager Dee Atkinson The stylish Black Estate, eighteen says other daily specials include months old, has become “a really Soup of the Day with Homemade busy place” says marketing manager Bread and Gourmet Pizza. Lighter Penelope Naish. Open from meals include homemade Quiche Wednesday to Sunday from 10amwith salad, 5pm, they’ve moved to a more substantial menu, whenever possible using fresh ingredients ills Winery Waipara H – organic or spray free spray harvested locally.

“We’ve got a simple short menu, with starters, entrées, mains and desserts, but we still have cheeseboards and charcuterie boards.

“We want people to come and have a really lovely winter meal and enjoy the beautiful view over the vineyard down the valley and across to the main divide beyond.”

There is always coffee and cake available, too if you’re pulling off the road to take a closer look at one of Waipara’s newer destinations.

and Chicken Terrine with chutney and crackers. Greek Chicken Souvlaki and a daily specials board provide more hearty fare.

“We have Devonshire tea for group bookings of 10 or more, available until 3.30pm on weekdays, and we will have theme nights, starting at $25 a person for two courses. Those coming up include Thai, Best of British, Asian Flavours and Indian.”

Waipara Hills courtyard 82

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Canterbury

CHRISTCHURCH

CASINO

C

hristchurch Casino, New Zealand’s first Casino, opened in November 1994 and is a boutique style Casino that provides a hospitable atmosphere with accommodating friendly staff. At present the Casino is the only Christchurch venue to provide 24 hour entertainment to the city on weekends and until late during the week. Located in the increasingly popular Victoria Street precinct in the central city they have a variety of R20 entertainment including table games, slot machines, live entertainment (bands and DJ’s) and three restaurants and four bars with a range of dining options to suit everyone. Their inhouse security, smart dress code policy and host responsibility program (for which they won the national award for

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excellence in 2013), all combines to create a safe environment for their customers.

If you are a visitor to the city they have a free courtesy shuttle that operates daily from 6pm to 2am if staying in city hotels or motels and have convenient car parking under the building on Victoria Street and across the road in Peterborough Street.

Inside the climate controlled environment you will also find free Wi-Fi and currency exchange for all major currencies without fees or commission at the cashier on the main gaming floor (take the stairs or lift to the next level from the lobby).

This area is also where you will find the tables games action with Roulette, Black Jack, Money Wheel, Baccarat, Tai Sai and Poker. If you’re

a novice at table games then you can join in a “learn to play” session or ask their friendly gaming staff for some help about the rules and table etiquette. There are also a variety of gaming machines on this level and upstairs next to the Monza Sports Bar which offer the latest in gaming technology and at a touch you can call a service staff member for food or drink orders, call an attendant if you need assistance or check out the latest promotions. Free tea or coffee is available from the drink stations and complimentary soft drinks are provided to anyone gaming. Entry to their VIP room, known as “Club Aspinall”, is by invitation only, however if you are a VIP member at another casino you can discuss access with a member of the VIP services team.

There is always something on at Christchurch Casino with promotions most days/evenings of the week and usually something special on Friday nights. You can join the Players Club loyalty program for free (photo identification is required) and they have many promotions that are exclusively for members. As a member you are rewarded for your patronage on both gaming and food and beverage with bonus points. You can then use your points for play or discounts and purchases. You can see at any time how many points you have on the gaming machines, or at the customer kiosks located on the main gaming floor next to the Players Club desk, and if you have any questions the friendly Casino hosts located here can assist you.

Their main restaurant, aptly named the Grand CafĂŠ, is to the left of the main gaming floor and has dishes created by award winning (and

member of the New Zealand Culinary team) Chef Richard Hingston. He uses locally sourced ingredients wherever possible and provides a modern twist on some classic Kiwi favourites.

All the bars have a snack menu available and they feature some classic items such as their salt and pepper squid, thick cut fries with your choice of tomato sauce, gravy, aioli or tossed in garlic butter; be warned however their teriyaki chicken nibbles are sticky, sweet and sensational and will have you making satisfied murmuring noises to yourself before you know it.

If you want to catch some great sporting action then head upstairs to Monza Sports Bar which overlooks the main gaming floor and has a 146�

TV screen and relaxed atmosphere with classic menu items such as sliders, sea food chowder, BBQ ribs and Pizza (available to take away too).

Escape to a world of peace and tranquility. Hot Air Ballooning is a magical experience and a flight with Ballooning Canterbury offers panoramic views across the fertile Canterbury Plains to the Southern Alps. There is nothing quite so romantic and exciting as floating effortlessly over an ever changing landscape.

P: 0508 422 556 www.ballooningcanterbury.co.nz

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There newest multi-purpose venue is Mashina with a separate entrance on Peterborough Street with a theme that’s a combination of industrial, with the concrete floor and pillars, to luxurious in the velvet and embossed furnishings in the private booth areas. There is 500 square metres of floor space, a 10 metre bar lit with 15,000 LED lights, all in a contemporary atmosphere. They have regular entertainment from Salsa nights, themed parties, great local bands and renowned DJ’s, and have held comedy shows, the Peek a Boo Burlesque Show, Tang Dynasty (Chinese pop band), Music Quizzes, Singles nights and on 24th June will host The Beatle Boys tribute show.

There is an impressive array of vodkas, the jet plane infused is a must try; many local and international boutique beers and their one metre pizza has meant Mashina has become the hottest place to be and be seen in Christchurch. So if you are looking for somewhere to go and dance the night away, avoid the queue (after 10pm on the weekends) and get in early for dining from 5pm or you can book your own private celebration in a reserved VIP booth.

With a full service kitchen Mashina also facilitates dinners, has hosted “meet the player events” for the Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Phoenix (the venue does allow minors for private functions) and has

Exuding warmth and cosy comfort, the charming Tudor-style Heartland Hotel Cotswold is the perfect choice for a relaxing stay in beautiful Christchurch.

88-96 Papanui Road, Christchurch

To book call 0800 NZ OWNED (69 69 63) or book online at www.heartlandhotels.co.nz

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the ability to hold up to 430 people.

They can provide catered dinners for up to 300 guests, with a variety of room set ups and dining options available. Christchurch Casino’s experienced culinary team will work with you to meet your budget, dietary requirements and expectations.

So if you are in Christchurch make sure you visit Christchurch’s premier entertainment destination: Christchurch Casino!

It is highly recommended you stay at The Heartland Cotswold Hotel which is only a 10 minute walk from the Casino.

The Cotswold has all the facilities of a top inner city hotel and very spacious rooms.

www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Kaikoura

EARTH, SEA AND SKY

by Patrick Smith

Kaikoura

The beds at Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses – like much else around this unusual property – are custom-made: two layers of hypo-allergenic pure latex with a wool overlay, we were told, on a Swedish slat-bed base. Not too hard and not too soft, Goldilocks would have found it “just right” and we were finding ours quite difficult to leave.

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W

e’d arrived at the lodge 12km north of Kaikoura that afternoon and duty manager Mike had shown us to our suite high in the trees. Here’s the complimentary mini-bar (bottle of Hapuku Lodge wine, beers, juices, water, milk); here’s the remote for the aircon; this is how to light the woodstove; here’s the spa bath (make sure to fill it above the jets!); the iPod dock’s over here and if you want a DVD we have a large library downstairs in the lodge.

Since we were booked on Hapuku’s Earth, Sea and Sky package, we were having an early dinner, after which we’d drive into Kaikoura to meet Hussein Burra and join his Kaikoura Night Sky experience. It had been one of those bright, cloudless autumn days – the kind you often get at this time of year in the South Island – so things were looking promising for a spot of stargazing.

But, first things first: that big, deep spa bath was calling to us. While my wife ran the hot water I opened the wine and poured a couple of glasses of Gewürztraminer: we’d need to keep our fluids up. Hot water, soothing bubbles… soon a wee snooze before dinner seemed in order.

We were still drowsing on that custom king when the phone rang and Tui, the receptionist, informed us the stargazing trip was off: high cloud over Kaikoura, apparently.

Disappointed but hungry, we made our way downstairs and along the gravel path to the dining room, choosing a table for two in front of the open fire. At the other end of the room, head chef Jeremy Simeon was busy in the open kitchen.

Dinner at Hapuku is a three-course affair with a menu devised by executive chef Fiona Read. The à la carte

Gourmet Seasonal Escapes at Hapuku Lodge & Tree Houses from just $679 for two (twin share) Includes luxury accomodation, a fireside three-course evening meal, complimentary mini bar & delicious Hapuku b breakfast

Visit us at Hapukulodge.com or phone (64) 3 319 6559

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menu changes nightly and with the seasons. Ingredients come from Hapuku’s kitchen garden, its olive grove, its free-ranging chooks, the Hapuku Deer Farm and, wherever possible, from local suppliers. Dinner and breakfast are included in the tariff, although Kaikoura crayfish, a dinner menu staple (whole, grilled, with a chilli, horseradish and lime butter), costs an extra $75. I went for the lamb backstrap and crispy fried spinach starter followed by pan-fried turbot on a pea puree with

duck fat potatoes, spicy chorizo and gremolata – delicious – and rounded it all off with a killer dark chocolate pudding with strawberry Cointreau preserve and pouring custard.

Well fed and back in our treetop suite, we sat out on the small deck and looked at the stars. We didn’t have a telescope but we recognised the Southern Cross and watched a satellite flit across the Milky Way. The rising sun poured through our floor-to-ceiling windows next morning and lit

the snowcapped Seaward Kaikoura Mountains, looking close enough to touch. Deer grazed contentedly down in the paddock. From our bathroom windows we could look across rows of olive trees to a shining sea.

Breakfast is another gourmet event at Hapuku Lodge, with a menu of tasty-sounding dishes culminating in the full-Monty Lodge Country Breakfast. But after a bowl of the most brilliant toasted muesli, fresh fruit and yogurt, I was happy with

New Zealand’s Ultimate Year Round Marine Experience

Freephone 0800 655 121

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scrambled eggs on toast and coffee.

The “sea” segment of our package was a trip with Kaikoura’s awardwinning Whale Watch, a Maori-owned enterprise that really put the town on the map when it was launched in 1987.

Kaikoura has had a long association with whales, thanks to the great underwater canyon that lies offshore, 1,500 metres deep in places and stretching for 60 kilometres. Cold and warm sea currents collide in this deep trench, drawing huge quantities

of plant and animal nutrients to the surface. These provide food for small fish and crustaceans, which in turn attract larger marine life, including the giant sperm whale. Male sperm whales come here to gorge in preparation for their journey to warm tropical waters where the females live.

Once hunted for their oil and other valuable by-products (the last whale was killed here in 1964), the great mammals now attract more benign hunters – who flock to Kaikoura to

Waterfront Location 5 Star Premium Spa Studios 4 Star Deluxe, Family and Garden Studios Adjacent to cinema & Dolphin Encounter 10 minutes walk to shops & restaurants

RESERVATION & ENQUIRES Free Phone within NZ: 0800 803 666 Phone: +64 3 319 5014 Fax: +64 3 319 5015 E-mail: info@whitemorph.co.nz Web: www.whitemorph.co.nz

92 Esplanade, Kaikoura

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catch a glimpse of one of these 50-tonne behemoths.

Whale Watch Kaikoura does it well: a sighting is pretty much guaranteed and if you don’t see a whale you get 80 per cent of your money back. We boarded one of the company’s five purpose-built catamarans at 11am and headed out to sea. Soon passengers were out on deck watching for the telltale spout or “blow” that would indicate a breaching whale.

An excited shout went up and we headed for the long black shape sending up periodic gouts of water as the whale re-oxygenated after its 45-minute dive. This, we were told, was Tiaki, an old friend who’s been visiting these waters for some 20 years. Ten minutes later he arched his back and that fabulous tail rose high into the air as he plunged down to feed once more. We’d see him again later.

Our skipper, Captain Chevy, set off in search of another whale, but without luck. There was plenty more to see, however – greatwinged albatrosses and pretty storm petrels, Hutton shearwaters and mollymawks, seals and pods of

playful dusky dolphins that leaped out of the water or sped in formation under the bows.

After another sighting of Tiaki, we headed back to Kaikoura, happy with our experience and ready for a warming bowl of chowder. We found it on the way back to Hapuku, at Koura Lodge, where a nine-hole golf course, bar and restaurant sit high up between the mountains and the sea.

It proved an excellent choice and we even managed to squeeze in nine holes before returning to Hapuku Lodge.

The weather had turned cold, and low cloud meant there was no chance of stargazing that evening.

But we’d known the Earth, Sea and Sky package was weather dependent and general manager Chris Sturgeon confirmed that guests are reimbursed for such noshows.

Back in our tree house, I lit the woodstove and, as the spa bath filled, we settled back in a pair of leather recliners with a drink and thoughts of Tiaki disappearing into the dark waters of the Kaikoura Canyon.

Another memorable dinner, another sound sleep and another breakfast that would last us until teatime. We said our goodbyes to Hapuku Lodge’s charming, friendly folk and headed back down State Highway 1. The stars will surely wait for our next visit.

TM

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Marlborough

A ROYAL VISIT TO

MARLBOROUGH

By Jane Orphan

Marlborough

If one word comes to mind to encapsulate my reaction to several days spent on the wine-growing province of Marlborough, it would be ‘surprise’. The locals tell me that this is not an unusual reaction from visitors to this popular sun drenched region at the top end of the South Island. Most New Zealanders have a bit of an idea of where Marlborough is and that it is entered via Picton harbour when taking the ferry from Wellington, bound for what they like to call, the Mainland. But Marlborough is so much more than you’d expect in every way.

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ost of us agree that this tiny province produces some of the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc but I was unprepared for the scale of the wine industry in the region. You’d struggle to comprehend that there are some 150 vineyards here, unless of course you get yourself airborne, as I did, in a vintage aeroplane! The rush of fresh air from the open cockpit and the crystal clear skies was quite an eye opener. It also allowed me to gain a sense of the vast spread of parallel rows of colour, seen at their brilliant best on this beautiful autumn morning.

Venturing to the north you find yourself over the spectacular Marlborough Sounds. Most visitors get a glimpse of this aquatic wonderland as they sail into Queen Charlotte Sound aboard the ferry or fly into Marlborough on one of the small commercial flights that provide regular services into Blenheim Airport.

If however, you are able to fly over the ‘Sounds and spend some time venturing around these beautiful waterways, you are once again prone to pleasant surprise as you get the impression that this vast snakes and ladders board of waterways

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could keep a boat owner occupied for several lifetimes without ever becoming repetitive. It would be very difficult to find a more attractive maze to serve as a playground for those with a love of the water.

Now the vintage aircraft flights available in Marlborough operate not from the main airport but from the historic all-over grass covered Omaka Airfield to the southwest of the city. And here we find another of Marlborough’s unique surprises.

Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre is a museum like no other I’ve ever seen before. I have been to many museums, including aviation museums, but this is something entirely different. It is not so much a collection of old aeroplanes, that would not describe it at all, but instead, an immersion experience in which the visitor is taken on a four year journey back into The Great War of 1914-18, when aviation was still in its infancy and the war was a proving

ground for radical new technology.

Entering the main display building affords another surprise, as the visitor is plunged into near darkness, allowing dramatic theatrical lighting to highlight the individual displays.

I was literally gob-smacked by the mix of over 20 aircraft from the WW-I period, some of them originals in ‘time-capsule’ condition, and others replicas, not just capable of flight, but actually flown at times, especially during the biennial ‘Classic Fighters’ Easter airshow that occurs here during the odd years. Other aircraft are displayed in wonderfully creative dioramas that depict in very powerful realism, some of the challenges that these young airborne adventurers were asked to face in the skies above France and Belgium a hundred years ago. These displays are remarkably realistic and the many mannequins that feature within the scenes are so realistic as to be almost scary. No surprise then to learn that these were supplied by Sir Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshops, supporting the theatrical displays produced by Wingnut Films.

It transpires that one of the founding Trustees of this organization was Peter Jackson (long before adding the ‘Sir’) and the aircraft belong to

OMAKA

THE

AVIATION HERITAGE CENTRE SIR

Presenting

PETER JACKSON’s KNIGHTS of THE SKY EXHIBITION

Open 7 days, 10am-5pm 79 Aerodrome Rd, Omaka, Blenheim, Marlborough, New Zealand

Ph: (03) 579 1305

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Email: info@omaka.org.nz

Visit: www.omaka.org.nz

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PE L O R U

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the 14-18 Heritage Trust, of which Sir Peter is Chairman.

Perhaps the most astonishing aspect of this remarkable facility is the collection of utterly priceless original WW-I memorabilia that can be seen in the display cases.

Flying apparel, medals and trophies belonging to the greatest pilots of the Great War, can be seen beautifully presented in the cabinets. Museum staff told me that it is often the visitors from the USA, UK and Europe who are the most surprised by these exhibits, simply because they are

here in Marlborough, New Zealand, rather than in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. or at the Imperial War Museum in London.

That theme of surprise was wonderfully well illustrated by Prime Minister John Key when he first visited the museum in 2012. After a whirlwind visit on a tight timetable he emerged from the display hall with a huge smile on his face and uttered the words “I had no idea!”

More recently, Mr. Key returned with his lovely wife Bronagh and gave her a tour of the displays as the couple

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formed part of the entourage that joined their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their visit here on 10th April. Sir Peter Jackson was there in person to serve as tour guide on this occasion, taking the Royal couple through the facility and explaining what was behind the aircraft and other displays.

This one museum in small-town New Zealand attracted quite a gathering of significant people and now I have seen the Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre for myself, I can totally understand why.

As I leave Marlborough, there is one more element of surprise that I can’t ignore. I’d planned to be here for just a couple of days but I have stayed for nearly a week. There is a surprising range of things to do here

in Marlborough, and the quality of food, wine, accommodation, activities and attractions will ensure that I shall be returning before too long, to be surprised all over again!

Prince William and Kate with Sir Peter Jackson

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DO YOU WANT A FISHING CHALLENGE? “After 20 years of trout fishing with Roger all over the South Island, ....without reservation I reccommend to people seeking a fishing experience, that they need look no further.”

- Lindsay Brown, Bendigo, Australia

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or

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Wellington

GREAT BEER: NEVER FEAR Drinking beer on a visit to Wellington is inevitable and Sarah Shuttleworth finds out why.

Wellington

Bin 44

Every Kiwi knows you don’t come to Wellington for the weather; instead you come because the windy city is the craft beer capital of New Zealand. On my most recent visit to town I intended to see what all the fuss was about.

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he vibe on Wellington’s iconic Cuba Street is buzzing. Although the wind threatens to blow the water pouring from the bucket fountain all the way to Parliament, the atmosphere on the street is warm and calm. Wellingtonians are well known for being confident, quirky and experimental. Combined with being the most educated bunch in the country, this has been a huge contribution to why a handful of brave souls are now brewing some outstanding beer. The local craft beer culture has been thriving successfully for several years, since Grant from Regional Wines and Spirits took the leap almost 20 years ago to support and stock craft beer in his store. Inner-city craft breweries are popping up in rapid succession

amongst the countless number of bars and restaurants in the city that are primarily devoted to craft beer.

It is not surprising then, that these eclectic Wellingtonians and their visiting friends are drinking one third of the entire country’s national craft beer output. I was ready to contribute to that statistic.

While the afternoon sun was still showing it’s face, we visited our first craft beer bar, The Hop Garden.

From the outside the building looks relatively unappealing, but on walking through the front door

you’re transported into the Secret Garden. Vines wrap the columns and walls and weave themselves along the wooden beams that lay across the glass ceiling. I instantly understood the vision here, being slightly away from Courtenay Place adds to the feeling of being far away from the outside world. And where else in Wellington can you enjoy the sun without the wind?! That’s a feat in itself. The cliental is reasonably professional; the barman tells me that The Hop Garden has a large number of Mt Victoria regulars who pop in weekly to try their frequently changing beer list. The focus here is definitely on food, the bar flows easily through to the restaurant, although vined columns give it a secluded feel.

We browsed the menu while sipping a local golden ale, Garage Project Happy Days. Well recommended as a first beer by the barman, plenty of hops, but goes down a treat.

The price of the food is reasonable for what sounds (and smells) like fantastic local dishes. We vouch to return for a meal another night, after the parmesan crusted soft shell crab caught my eye. If you happen to be in town on the first Tuesday of any month, head down and try Tuesday Fives. They put on a spread of five small courses matched with five craft beers (and sometimes wine) for $35. The brewer or winemaker is also usually invited along to explain and discuss the match. The bar is also close to the airport; if you want a quick beer and bite before your flight the barmen will organise you a taxi and you can be at the airport in 10 minutes. They are also working on an upstairs outdoor garden bar due to be ready for the coming summer, which is at the top of my list when I’m next in town.

Our next stop was at Fork & Brewer, a bar whose name clearly dictates their two passions, food and brewing craft beer. Their brewery sits directly at the top of the stairs on your way up to the bar, not a bad first impression!

“Beer is best drunk in the shadow of the brewery” is apt; the beer does not get fresher than this. The team brew 1000L at a time, including colabs with local breweries and even holding a local brewer competition to give the common man a chance to brew their own 1000L batch. The bar is home www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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The Hop Garden

Two great Wellington must-do’s right in the heart of the city!

Top of the Cable Car Open daily 10am – 5pm Late night: (Tues & Sat til 9.30pm) Admission charges apply

navi way gate you our s throug r h ou skiesthern

carterobservatory.org.nz

Queens Wharf Open daily 10am – 5pm [Free entry] museumswellington.org.nz

v of thoted one e o rld’ top w musefifty s ums Part of the Wellington Museum Trust Institution

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to 40 taps situated on a gigantic barrel including several of their own brews to try. $15 tasting trays are offered, and a quick chat with the barman about your taste will have you sitting down with four perfect pours to try. We started with the Green Hopped American Pale Ale The Hop Stepper, brewed on site as part of the inaugural Hopstock festival which was running during our stay. The fresh hops make for a punchy beer, full of grapefruit and goodness. Fork & Brewer also concentrates on using products and by-products of their beer in their “traditional pub food with a twist� menu. The Bohemian Hipster

(a F&B brewed pilsner) BBQ sauce is a house favourite used in several dishes on the menu. All dishes on the menu include a beer style match suggestion, showing

The Hop Garden

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these guys are all about combining in any way possible.

Just around the corner lies Hashigo Zake, a hidden basement gem designed for the true beer connoisseur. The atmosphere here is in complete contrast to the other two bars we’d just visited; the dim lighting and dark brick create a rich moody and mysterious feeling. The focus down here is truly on offering fantastic craft beer. With no resident tap beers and over 160 bottled beers, you could come here every day for a year and never run out of beer to try. The import their international beers direct from the breweries as well, so the beer is always cold and fresh, and many of them can’t be found anywhere else in town. Although their passion is quite clearly beer, they’re also slowly reinventing the image of cider in New Zealand. I was apprehensive but branched away from my usual order of an IPA beer and tried a Peckham’s cider. I was intensely surprised at the off-dry style and tannins that made up the drink. Nothing like it’s sweet stereotype. While sipping on my classy ‘cider’, the barman told me about The Pacific Beer Expo which is held yearly over labour weekend at

The Hop Garden

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Bin 44

t Unique venue in central city location - ideal for function-hire Locally sourced craft beer & wine Modern New Zealand cuisine Separate dining area Rooftop bar (Summer 2014/15)

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13 Pirie St, Mt Victoria, Wellington

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IT’S THE PERFECT

MARRIAGE OF

FOOD BEER

AND YOU’RE INVITED The Fork & Brewer is Wellington’s high temple of beer-infatuated cuisine. Make a date for lunch or dinner, book your function, or just pop in to enjoy a bite with one of our house-brewed specialties.

We’d love to see you.

Open: Mon-Sat, 11.30am till late Address: 14 Bond St, Wellington Phone: 04 472 0033 Website: forkandbrewer.co.nz

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the Boatshed on Wellington’s waterfront. If you’re in town over the 25th-26th October, their tickets will be on their website very soon.

For a more upmarket, away from the students type craft beer bar, I’d absolutely recommend Bin 44.

It’s the only craft beer bar situated on Wellington’s beautiful Queen’s Wharf; and the wind had calmed so we very much enjoyed the walk there from Hashigo Zake. Bin 44 has an air of relaxed class, a professional cliental but not in any way pretentious.

By this point we were getting a little peckish, and a bite before the next beer was definitely a good idea.

We ordered a Pollo pizza; chicken, bacon and the most deliciously rich Yeastie Boys “Pot Kettle Black” BBQ sauce. As with Fork & Brewer, Bin 44 creatively adds beer to their dishes, teaming up with local breweries to produce a wonderful menu. Before moving on we tried an Epic Epicurean Coffee and Fig Oatmeal Stout, which instead of just having coffee notes as many stouts do, actually was made with beans from Wellington’s local coffee roaster L’affare.

One of the newer craft beer bars to enter the scene in Wellington is Rouge and Vagabond, an alternative, eccentric live music bar. I had heard that this was one not to miss, if not for the local jazz and blues bands playing six days a week, then absolutely for their icon, Bruce Robert Vagabond. This man is the most chilled, down to earth British Bulldog you’ll ever meet.

Over a deliciously hoppy local Panhead Vandal, the

bartender told us about their art and music influence. The bar is host to a commission free, monthly changing exhibition space which when we visited was filled with beautiful cartoon-esk paintings of women. The bar is situated in Glover Park, just off Cuba, and if you visit in the summer they apparently have licensed a large area of the park and fill it with beanbags for an afternoon tipple.

This is definitely one to visit if you want a snapshot of what Wellington is all about.

After a full afternoon sampling a generous amount of the region’s finest beer,

we decided to end the evening at a new restaurant called Grill Meats Beer; a clearly suitable way to end our hop-filled adventure. Over grilled ribs, freshly ground beef burgers and one last beer we discussed the huge and ever growing success of craft beer in Wellington. Despite having started almost two decades ago, there is no sign that craft beer popularity will decline in the near future. New craft brewers and bars continue to appear almost monthly in the capital and with countless more still left to visit, a return trip is already in the calendar.

The Rogue & Vagabond craft beer bar, nestled just off Wellington’s vibrant Cuba St, has an amazing vibe which has been described ‘like having a beer at your mates place’.

It’s an easy going venue with original live music 6 nights a week. There is always an eclectic assortment of music to be seen – 24 piece Jazz Big Bands, Blues, Funk, local acoustic singer songwriters and everything in between. During summer the Rogue has Wellington’s biggest lawn area for you to laze away on a bean bag in the sun. The Rogue has 19 dedicated craft beer taps with the best brews both local and international. You are also encouraged to bring your pooch to this friendly bar and introduce them to Bruce the doggie bouncer!

18 Garrett Street, Wellington P: 04 381 2321

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Taupo THE HUB OF THE NORTH

By Lisa Laity

Taupo

There is something truly magnificent about driving over the brow of State Highway One as you enter Taupo from the north, it’s a view that never fails to disappoint.

T

he sapphire waters of the great lake, the majestic peaks of Tongariro National Park to the south and the sleepy silhouette of Mount Tauhara to the east provide a panoramic feast for the eyes.

What’s not to love? This is the central north island’s hub and it delivers the goods in every sense.

Whether you’re an adrenaline junky in search of your next heart-pounding experience, a shopper with a wallet burning a hole in your pocket, an avid coffee drinking, people-watching enthusiast, nature lover or just on

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the hunt for a culinary experience worthy of five stars, you won’t be disappointed with a visit to New Zealand’s events capital.

For many, it’s the lake that beckons. Heralded as the trout fishing capital of the world, it’s no wonder people visit from the four corners in search of landing the big one. If you’re a seasoned pro or complete novice you can be assured there will be an experience just right for you.

And while the crystal waters do draw the masses, the lure is not only confined to the great lake.

The surrounding rivers only serve to amplify what’s on offer.

A trip down the Tongariro River with the crew from Tongariro River Rafting is a must do. Not only does this grade three trip leave your heart pumping, it also offers an environmental and scenic treat with a stunning backdrop and the sounds of nature as your musical soundtrack.

Further north, the waters of the mighty Waikato River can also be enjoyed and for many this is an experience best served from above.

Stand on the 47-metre-high platform at Taupo Bungy, New Zealand’s

highest water touch bungy and add your name to the list of those who have bravely dived headfirst into the clear waters below. If, like me, you’re a safety in numbers kind of thrill seeker, grab a buddy and opt for the tandem experience. Either way this is by far one of the most exhilarating ways to explore New Zealand’s longest river.

If sheer speed is more your thing, then an action-packed spin on Hukafalls Jet is just another way in which you can explore the iconic waters of the Waikato River and perhaps more importantly the mighty Huka Falls. Sit beneath this beast of a waterfall and watch as the colours of the water dance, bubble and churn with unimaginable speed and force.

Get closer than you thought possible and feel the spray on your face as you reach for your camera and snap that unforgettable picture.

When you think you’ve seen it all, I’d suggest you take one last, allencompassing glance of this magical corner of the world and the best place to do that is from the air.

Rustle up some courage and book yourself in for one final treat, a tandem skydive above Great Lake Taupo. At either 12,000 or 15,000 feet, Taupo Tandem Skydiving can

guarantee a view that would rival any postcard and the perfect way to complete your visit to the North Island’s adventure mecca.

Taupo’s generous activity calendar expands throughout the seasons, offering visitors plentiful options year round. High class mountain biking trails, epic hiking routes, snow skiing in the winter, water skiing in the summer and luxurious natural hot pools mean no month is left untouched and you can be sure your trip to Great Lake Taupo will be one

the whole family can enjoy.

When the temperature drops and the days get shorter it’s a clear sign that winter is on its way and if, like me, that gets you buzzing enough to drag out the snowboard and start that all important pre-season tune, I’m picking you’ll want to head south and get amongst the action Mount Ruapehu has to offer. As the north island’s only commercial ski field, Mount Ruapehu offers a smorgasbord of terrain and two ski fields, ensuring a day of fun for

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beginners to die-hard ski bunnies.

When you’ve had enough heartracing action head north on State Highway One and pay a visit to the enchanting hidden valley of Orakei Korako. Steeped in natural wonder, this beautiful park pays homage to the central north island’s geothermal identity. This wonderland is home to New Zealand’s largest number of active geysers, with 23 in total performing a myriad of dances for visitors. Boiling natural springs, native bush walks and a remarkable colour pallet provides a feast for the senses.

When the sight, sounds, thrills and spills leg of your trip is over, a stroll through the Taupo Museum to unearth how it all began is well worth the visit. Home to a charming array of displays, the museum, nestled in the town centre, is a delightful place to recap on your Taupo adventure. Take a stroll at your own pace and explore the museum at your leisure.

One final recommendation is a stay at Taupo’s only five star hotel, the Hilton Lake Taupo. Sitting pretty beneath iconic Mount Tauhara, the hotel is a beautiful illustration of centuries colliding. The new hotel sits alongside the former Terraces Hotel,

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which has a proud and long-standing history in Taupo.

Enjoy an awardwinning meal at the hotel’s restaurant Bistro Lago and then finish off the day with a soak in the hot pools at neighbouring De Bretts Spa Resort.

The beauty of Taupo lies in its endless possibilities.

From a quiet weekend getaway to an action packed visit or the ideal spot for a family holiday, it’s central location, stunning natural Bungy over the Waikato River environment, impressive events calendar and various activities, attractions and play or kick back and just enjoy a experiences will leave you completely backdrop worthy of any coffee table spoilt for choice. book. This is undoubtedly one of the The hub of the central north island, country’s most stunning playgrounds.

Taupo offers visitors a unique and So what are you waiting for? unforgettable experience. Stay,

Hilton Bistro dining

Orakei Korako

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Taranaki

A TARANAKI TREAT

By Simonette Alder

Taranaki

Mountain view from near Eltham

When friends recently returned from a concert in New Plymouth buzzing that they’d discovered a destination awash with great coffee, and filled with gardens, shops and galleries to explore, a visit to Taranaki quickly grabbed the number one spot on my New Zealand travel bucket list.

A

few months later a long weekend escape was on the cards, so we piled the family - husband, three year old and seven year old into the car, and headed north towards the region that describes itself as ‘like no other’ to see just how far it had come since my last visit over a decade ago.

Heading for New Plymouth, our first stop in the region is the very unique Tawhiti Museum, just out of Hawera.

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the area’s history through an array of vintage machinery and artefacts, which are joined by hundreds of scale and life-sized models of local Maori, colonial and pioneering history. And while it was a tough job getting the family out of the museum to the adjoining Traders and Whalers exhibit, once they were there their jaws really dropped as they entered a series of underground lakes to sail through history in a boat ride that was about as far from what we’d expected to find as possible.

Back in the car, we hit Surf Highway 45 - the stretch of road that spans Taranaki’s coastline – and passed countless surf breaks and even more cars laden with surfboards, before stopping at the seaside village of Oakura for a coffee and then venturing through the eclectic mix of stress-free baches and million-dollar beach houses to stretch our legs on the black-sand beach.

The chatty barista ran me through how the once-quiet surfer’s community was transformed by the

Taranaki black sand beach

arrival of Tom Cruise, Billy Connolly and a Hollywood film crew in 2003 when blockbuster The Last Samurai was filmed, and suggests I return to explore the Oakura Arts Trail – it turns out this small beachy village is a hive of artists and a dozen of their studios are open for viewing.

When we arrive in New Plymouth, my seven year old begs us to be taken to the sprawling Pukekura Park in the centre of town. My surprise that he’s suddenly taken an interest in gardens is tempered by the discovery that his dad has been telling him about the brand new playground and next-door Brooklands Zoo. Fortunately both playground and park exceed expectations and offer something for the whole family. The free zoo features farmyard animals, otters, meerkats, a walk-through bird aviary and, to my three year old’s excitement, capuchin and cottontop tamarin monkeys. We all enjoy walking through Pukekura Park too – I can’t help but wish that my own town planners thought to put an expansive park with a gorgeous lake in the centre of my home city too!

On our second day in the region we

discover that fresh snow has fallen on Mount Taranaki. While the family head up to the North Egmont Visitor Centre to play in the snow for the morning – the kid’s first experience of real snow, and only half an hour from New Plymouth - I decide to check out the city’s shops.

Expecting a small town shopping experience, I am surprised by what I find in New Plymouth. The main drag Devon Street offers a great selection of interesting clothing, homeware and art stores that take my fancy, punctuated with more cafes than I’d expected, with each offering a fantastic array of home-baked treats and locally-roasted coffee. I’m in heaven.

I re-join the family for lunch at Chaos café in New Plymouth’s CBD, where excited tales of snowball fights are interspersed with periods of silence as the provincial stereotype of farmers’ portions is found to be alive and well. My husband is also busy plotting a return with his mates to tackle the local tradition of going skiing and surfing on the same day, with a decent café stop in between.

From the café, we discover more of

the region’s history at the impressive Puke Ariki museum and library complex on the city’s waterfront, before crossing the road to New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway to walk off lunch.

The first thing that you see on this beautiful 11km boardwalk is the 45 metre tall Wind Wand sculpture, designed by illustrious artist Len Lye. The kinetic sculpture, which like much of Lye’s work constantly moves, has become an icon for New Plymouth, to the point where a huge Len Lye Centre due to open as a part of city’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in mid-2015, prompting us to diary yet another return visit.

Strolling down the Coastal Walkway, I am surprised again by the number of people out and about. This community is certainly humming - even on an overcast Sunday afternoon everyone is out jogging, walking dogs, riding bikes with the kids or skateboarding – a very social way to spend the afternoon. The kids are pleasantly distracted by a couple of playgrounds along the way, while we take note of the grand houses that have understandably begun to line www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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the route.

On Monday, we plot our fat-toosoon exit from the region, stopping at yet another café – this time the fabulously retro Federal Store – for another lavish breakfast before heading a couple of minutes up the road to one of the region’s famous gardens.

Te Kainga Marire is Maori for ‘the peaceful encampment’ and is the result of a breath taking transformation of an inner-city quarteracre section into one of a handful of New Zealand gardens to have been judged to be of international significance. As the garden’s creator Valda Poletti leads us on a passionate tour of the garden, telling us of its humble beginnings as a collection of clay and weeds and her life-long hunt for unique and interesting native plants, grasses and more.

The kids are transfixed by the tui and wood pigeons who apparently call the garden home, and I left full of inspiration about how to redevelop our humble vege garden and the husband full of ideas about where to build the pizza oven.

Valda invited us in for tea made from ingredients in the garden, but we instead hit the road, bidding adieu to New Plymouth to head home via the Forgotten World Highway and the

republic of Whangamomona.

The highway, which heads away from the ever-present Mount Taranaki at Stratford, follows old Maori trade routes and pioneering farm tracks through some spectacular countryside. Passing through historic settlements and untouched bush it’s easy to see why it’s a favourite with international visitors, and you almost expect to come across a horse and cart laden with milk around the next corner.

Just as the chorus of ‘are we there yet’ begins to rise from the back seat we round a corner and reach Whangamomona, a heritage-rated village home to around 30 residents these days, though once far more bustling. We take a walk and explore the old buildings, stopping to talk with the locals who is tinkering with a golf cart with railway wheels – a tourism attraction on the disused railway line between Stratford and Taumarunui which has seen a reversal in the town’s fortunes.

Unhappy with local government manoeuvring, Whangamomona declared itself a republic in 1989, and celebrates with a hugely popular Republic Day and presidential election every two years in January.

As we gravitate towards the iconic pub in the centre of town to get

our Whangamomona Passports stamped, and delve into the local history displayed on the pub’s walls, the kids are shocked to discover that the village’s presidents have included a goat and a poodle, who was apparently forced to retire from the position after an assassination attempt left him a nervous wreck.

Lunch at the Whangamomona Hotel is typically hearty, and shared with tourists, members of a classic car club and a lycra-clad couple who are travelling the 180km Forgotten World Cycleway by bike. While that may sound like a curious mix for a Monday morning in the middle of nowhere, and must provide endless enjoyment for the locals who I can’t help but join in their enthusiasm for the town.

From there we return to Stratford and head home having circumnavigated and scaled Mount Taranaki’s perfect peak.

I once read that the things you remember most about a holiday are the things you least expected to see, and in the case of our whirlwind visit to Taranaki and its rich mix of activities, beautiful landscapes and friendly people, I’ll be remembering this long weekend for a long time – or at least until our next and longer visit.

Pukekura Park

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Rotorua

BEER, BIKES AND BOOB’S

Rotorua

The title was the first thing I saw and you can imagine my excitement when I was told that I was off to sample some of the best adventures that are on offer on the planet, right in New Zealand’s adventure mecca. Reviewing the nightlife was just the icing on the cake, I thought it was my birthday!

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ith my bags spread across my bed as I rummaged through draws to find my best threads for shredding the dirt, hitting the rapids and dancing the night away, I readied myself for my trip to Quee…..ROTORUA?!?

In classic cartoon fashion I had to double take as I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I mean, I had heard that Rotorua was the only mountain bike destination that Red Bull even rate in the Southern Hemisphere, and when it comes to things like that Red Bull just seem to know…. I know they have the “real luge” there too…. Throw in some people who poke their tongues out at you and I haven’t even mentioned the Maori culture yet….

But Adventure?!? Now, more than anything, I’m curious.

Once an exclusive experience for those who stand high on the pillars of social hierarchy, taking to the skies really is a beautiful way to travel. I never really realised just how close Rotorua was to everything, but from up high you get really good perspective. I counted almost 20 lakes in the region as we started our final approach as I took in the amazing views of White Island and the Pacific Ocean. We circled around the surprisingly circular Lake Rotorua with Mokoia island standing proudly in the middle. I can’t take the credit for knowing the name of the island, I was told this by my new friend and travel buddy Scotty, who had the pleasure of my showered company for this short flight from Auckland.

I was more than surprised to see a bloody great big jet that had plonked itself next to the main terminal as I landed at what is now the Rotorua International Airport. International?!?

Rotorua?!? Am I in a classic Star Trek movie, caught in an alternate reality?

My new friend Scotty also tells me that Rotorua now has scheduled flights from Australia. Boy have things changed. Being a wealth of knowledge I asked Scotty what the other plane next to that was. “We get those private planes all the time bro, all those rich fullas and movie stars keep coming here. Apparently they reckon it’s a really choice place to hang out”. My curiosity just turned to excitement as I get the feeling www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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that I’m about to see Rotorua as I’ve never seen it before.

Stepping in to the sunshine as I disembark with the sun glistening off the lake I look forward to meeting yet another new friend who can enjoy my superb levels of personal hygiene.

I was given a brief description of my host and he fit the bill perfectly; “You’ll be meeting Jordy, good looking chap with blonde dreads and always makes you smile”. They weren’t wrong. One of the loveliest and most genuine people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, the Rotorua born and bred local oozes personality and is instantly likeable, by both guys and apparently the ladies too. We collect my bags and head outside, I see a few nice looking vans (this is already promising) and I ask which way. He points at the Range Rover. I thought Jordy was joking but sure enough, we are riding with bling today.

As we cruise along, Jordy tells me stories of his escapades as a private guide specialising in Adventure and Cultural tourism. We talk about hosting Royalty, Hollywood Royalty and all sorts of people who, let’s say, are probably the other half that are so commonly talked about. Jordy seems to have guided people from almost every walk of life although now with Multi-Day Adventures he seems to mostly take care of the “luxury” clientele.

“I love it, the people are cool and are here to have a good time.

They love it here too because the people are real and the adventure is awesome, we never get bored around here”, tells Jordy.

Kaituna Falls

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Luge Skyline

It’s a big statement so I’m interested to see what our first adventure is. It’s pretty late on a Saturday afternoon so I had assumed we’d just be getting ready for tomorrow. Instead we drive just 10mins away from the airport to the Okere River. Apparently today we start at the top with some whitewater rafting action. As Jordy explains something about safety, in typical male fashion I pick up every third word or so. He doesn’t manage to string a full sentence together that really perks my ears up. I’m not the most confident around water but I do enjoy it. However as Jordy so eloquently describes “Tutea Falls, the highest commercially rafted waterfall in the world with a 7 metre vertical drop”, I feel the pulsation of certain muscles that can’t be described in this sort of publication. Yes, I’m excited, and maybe a tad nervous.

It turns out I’m better than I gave myself credit for. I managed to get down the whole river without going upside down. This seems quite a feat for my first time rafting and when one in five rafts go upside on the big falls I can only assume it’s my skill that keeps us upright. I’m pretty sure that scream as we came down was Jordy’s, surely not mine.

As we finish up the sun starts to tuck itself in after another wonderful day in paradise. Jordy lives close by to the river and says we should stop in to his local for a drink before heading to the hotel. Not one to be rude and turn down the offer of an ale, I oblige. Okere Falls Store is a humble place that wouldn’t be known to many, but it is popular with

those in the know. We bypass the very cool looking eco-store café that makes up the front half of the Store and continue out back. We arrive to the most amazing little beer garden I’ve ever seen in New Zealand.

With a band playing right next to the outdoor bar with two serveries of some of Germanys and our very own finest brews, I may have just found my new favourite chill out spot. Jordy opts for a Rotorua craft beer and “Beer of the Year” winning brew, Crouchers, while I decide to try another local brand to keep in theme, Volcanic Hills Wine. We sit back, relax, listen to music and even manage to meet some very lovely, both socially and on the eye, locals.

Jordy’s friends seem to be bred in to the Red Bull world. All local to Rotorua and based here, one is a professional kayaker and was rated as one of the hottest athletes of the last Olympics. She is accompanied by an entourage of equally over achieving friends; a 3 times world champion extreme kayaker, a professional downhill mountain biker, a 5 times world rafting champion, 2 other Olympians and me. The worst part, they were all so nice.

After feeling humbled without even lifting a finger, Jordy thinks it’s time for us to “make tracks” and get me to my accommodation to rest before dinner. I check in to the hotel, a boutique 5 star joint in the middle of town, and am surprised at the design. It is stunning and seems like the perfect setting to later come back to and try a cocktail or two in the bar.

I relax in my room for a bit before I wander down to meet Jordy. He’s

in the bar chatting to yet another person. Is there anyone he doesn’t know?

The aptly named “Eat Streat” is a new feature for the city. Just around the corner from a number of hotels, this inner city entertainment area is bustling with people merrily eating, drinking and enjoying the live music.

The covered walkway which lights up with stunning colours and links the two blocks of restaurants, cafes and bars together is a hive of activity.

I’m even told that the concrete floor is heated in the winter time to make those June alfresco dining nights comfortable. Jordy leads the way to a very popular pub, Brew. It turns out this is the anchor point for the ever increasingly growing Crouchers Craft Beer brand. Judging by the number of overly happy people here, it must be good. We are joined by more of Jordy’s work mates; Brothers Tak and Tu who own a group of companies in Rotorua including Multi-Day Adventures, the lovely Laura who also has a knack for this rafting and mountain biking thing (she is one of the Multi-Day Adventure guides), Melissa from OGO (apparently I’m meeting her later, to OGO of course), Adrian (all round nice guy and apparently a whizz at organizing events) and Julie with her partner Joe (both work for Mountain Bike Rotorua and are those sort of people who are instantly likable).

The next morning I feel surprisingly good. A wonderful jog around the lake front area and a delicious breakfast at one of the many cafes that now seem to fill the Rotorua CBD, I’m ready for my next

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adventure, Mountain Biking.

This really is a bike mad place and it’s no wonder. Once Rotorua’s best kept secret, I’ve just seen why this is considered the mecca of mountain biking. The trails are superb and there are just so many of them, 140kms of purpose built riding tracks, and only 5 minutes driving from the CBD. I’m falling in love with this place.

I’m pretty pumped afterwards so we keep the buzz going and make our way to see Melissa from OGO. It’s globing time… So much fun you giggle like a little school girl, just fantastic. Jordy has something special lined up afterwards too. All of a sudden, as I sit in the hot tub at the OGO site watching others roll their way down the hill distant thumping of the twirling rotor blades of a helicopter get ever increasingly louder. “Time to go my matey” says Jordy as Danielle touches down.

She’ll be flying us today and I’m quite excited. It isn’t my first time in a helicopter but I still love that feeling of taking off and having the ground disappear underneath you as you climb to hover effortlessly in the air. We are on our way to White Island.

We travel in tandem with another one of the Volcanic Air tours as we make our way out to the island. The active volcano is other worldy and gives me visions of Neil Armstrong taking those first few steps. I may have uttered the cliché as I stepped out of the helicopter too. We explore the hissing rocks and bright beautiful colours that make up the landscape and I’m in awe of the fact that I’m standing on one of mother natures most epic creations. Very cool stuff.

The day isn’t finished though as we land at Lake Rotoiti, just 15 minutes from Rotorua, and meet our next hosts and all round nice guys, the team from Pure Cruise. It’s an impressive sight landing on the lake edge next to a 52 foot luxury catamaran. Jordy has taken the liberty of inviting a few of the folks I met in the beer garden yesterday to join us for a wonderful sailing on the lake, and it couldn’t be any more perfect. Matt, the owner and skipper of Pure Cruise, invites me on board and introduces his lovely first 122

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mate, Louise. She offers a glass of bubbles, I say yes. She offers a bean bag to sit on the bow (I’m adpadting to my environment but for those who don’t know, this is the front), I say ok.

She then offers canape’s, how can I say no. Yup, life is tough.

We cruise on the lake sharing stories of past lives, taking turns at the helm as we explore the beautiful surroundings. We soon arrive at Manupirua Hot Spings, a tribally owned natural geothermal hot pool

only accessible by boat. That’s right, no driving in or walking access, just those who make the journey from one side of the lake to the other. This place is magic, lake edge thermal pools where you can either sit and relax or make the plunge of the end of the wharf in to the lake before heading back to the pools to warm up. Yup, life is tough.

Eventually tearing ourselves away from the relaxing thermal springs we hop back aboard our boat and enjoy

a delicious gourmet BBQ dinner before disembarking and heading back to the hotel to chill. One last day in Vegas to go.

It is Rotorua after all and it would be rude to not go and luge. Jordy along with some of his work mates and I make our way up the hill before my early afternoon flight. As I sit in the gondola, lazing our way up the side of Mt Ngongotaha, I look out and realise that there’s a reason I loved this place as a kid. Now as an adult, it seems like Rotorua has grown up with me, and that there is in fact a more mature side to it that still captures that essence of fun and adventure I remember as a kid visiting this place. Even the luge has changed, in a good way, and I feel like I’m in a place that can capture anybody who visits. I’ve dived a little deeper in to Rotorua and it really has delivered. I’m not just talking about the amazing activities either.

Don’t get me wrong, that really is the best mountain biking in New Zealand, by far, and the most fun rafting trip I’ve ever done anywhere in the world. More than that though, this place is real. Real people, real personalities and real experiences.

Rotorua, I heart you. www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Coromandel ARTS AND INDULGENCE IN THE

COROMANDEL

by Tara Kennon

Coromandel

Pauannui

Winter can be harsh. As the days get shorter and the temperature starts to drop, I find myself searching for two things: cosy comforts and inspiration. This year, I found both in abundance on a long weekend in The Coromandel, along with a vibrant arts scene, epic landscapes, hot pools and plenty of roaring fires.

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e headed out Thursday evening, cruising through farmland to Waihi’s Manawa Ridge Luxury Lodge as the stars came out. Our hosts Willem and Carla welcomed us warmly and I realized immediately that the lodge itself was a work of art. Our suite was a dream of cosiness with an open fireplace, under floor heat and a private outdoor spa with water from Manawa’s natural spring. It was the perfect gateway to our journey ahead.

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We woke in the morning to bright blue skies and a hint of frost in our garden. After breakfast at the lodge, we made our way to Waikino, home to a quietly thriving arts community. Mosaic artist Con Kiernan welcomed us to his studio set in native bush. I’ve always loved mosaics and couldn’t take my eyes off the representations of New Zealand trees and flowers. But I was especially moved by pieces depicting Waikino’s heritage and today’s social issues. I’d never thought about mosaic as a vehicle

for social commentary and left with a new appreciation for this powerful art.

Back in Waihi, time slipped by as we lingered in the Art Market, a charming gallery filled with remarkable work from more than a hundred New Zealand and Pacific artists.

We set off next for Tairua, a laidback and refreshingly real beach town, to find The Little Gallery of Fine Arts. What we discovered was an intimate gallery beside Tairua’s estuary, managed as a co-op of

Manawa Ridge

artists from The Coromandel and packed with world-class work.

After so much art inspired by The Coromandel’s landscape, we set our sights on Mount Paku, a twinconed volcanic peak at the edge of town. We left our car near the top and walked about ten minutes to the summit. From here, the sea stretched forever and forested islands dotted the horizon. Two tiny figures strolled along Pauanui’s goldsand beach below.

Full to the brim with inspiration, we had dinner in town then settled in at Sunlover Retreat. I couldn’t get enough of the view from this comfy haven and the lights twinkling in towns by the sea.

We woke to sunrise over the Pacific and started the day with our host Donna’s freshly-cooked breakfast before setting out to visit the artist studios we’d circled in the Mercury Bay Art Escape guide. (We called ahead when visiting studios

here and later in Coromandel town.)

In Hahei, we found painter Ginny Deavoll. I immediately recognized her striking work from a bright seascape I’d admired in a friend’s kitchen.

Ginny first came to The Coromandel as a sea kayaking guide, she told us, and grew as a painter by depicting her experiences in nature.

I can’t drive through Hahei without a detour to Cathedral Cove Macadamias’ idyllic orchard. After stocking up on dark chocolate Driving Creek Railway

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Miranda

macadamias, we carried on to Cook’s Beach. Years ago, I’d visited this stretch of white-sand beach for a lively summer weekend with friends.

Now it was a peaceful paradise for sea birds and, I learned, for painters like Jill Cameron. At Jill’s studio, we learned about her approach to using watercolours and inks to depict the landscapes that have brought her wide renown.

We carried on to The Lost Spring in Whitianga and spent the afternoon soaking in its hot mineral pools.

Happy and thoroughly relaxed, we savoured an early dinner at Motu Kitchen that was every bit as inspiring as a gallery visit. Then, on to our lodging at the tranquil Sea Escape. Between the fireplace and the spa under the stars, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect home on a chilly evening.

We made good use of the breakfast provisions in our lodge and set out to cross the peninsula in time for the morning train at Driving Creek Railway.

I was eager to see this area created by renowned potter Barry Brickell but wasn’t prepared for the feat of engineering we encountered.

The narrow-gauge railway -- originally created to carry clay for his pottery -- took us through native bush to spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf. His pioneering work played a major role in building Coromandel town’s arts community.

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nearby. We walked a few minutes to find Louis Kittleson’s “perfectly imperfect” creations. These sculptures, bowls and mugs seemed even more beautiful after I saw the brick kiln where they were fired for four days. Down another footpath, we were welcomed to Caitlin Maloney’s studio by the warmth of a roaring fire. I was captivated by her steady hand in painting intricate patterns on a ceramic vase.

On our way out of Coromandel town, we pulled onto a lane to Daniel Kirsch’s inviting studio. I loved his contemporary graphic take on iconic New Zealand themes and had a blast trying my hand at simple screen printing.

The gorgeous coast road led us to the Thames Society of Arts, a former

schoolhouse with a mesmerizing sea view and lovely collection of local art. In Thames, Café Sola tempted us with bright landscape paintings and hearty sweets. I wandered a few doors down to Debrasic, a workshop where Lauren Haynes forged earrings from recycled gold and silver at the back of a shop filled with treasures by New Zealand jewellery artists.

I was reluctant to get back in the car but perked up when I remembered our last destination of this journey: we were headed for Miranda Holiday Park for the night, where a natural hot pool promised one last soak under the stars. After an inspiring and indulgent weekend in The Coromandel, winter didn’t seem so harsh after all.

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Auckland Auckland

AUCKLAND

FOR ART

LOVERS

O

ur youngest son has flown the nest and headed off on his big OE. So we decided it was time to pack our bags too. My husband and I are making the most of our new independence and have planned three weeks away from our now-quiet home. And with some great deals on airfares, our first stop is Auckland.

Picking up our rental car at the airport, it’s not long until we’re at Ascot Parnell Bed and Breakfast.

I’m big on pre-holiday research and we’ve chosen Ascot in part because of its fantastic reviews on TripAdvisor.

The bed and breakfast is everything we’d hoped for – immaculate rooms, modern bathrooms, privacy, lovely hosts and a great location. Just on the fringe of the city centre, Parnell is actually Auckland’s oldest suburb, but it’s far from quaint – in fact it’s now one of Auckland’s most upmarket areas. The restored Victorian villas are gorgeous, and the compact village centre is lined with stylish boutiques, cafés and restaurants.

After freshening up, we take a walk to Auckland Museum, nestled in the lush green of the Auckland Domain.

The building itself is simply spectacular

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By Meredith Burilin

and the views from outside stretch across the harbour and out into the Hauraki Gulf.

It would be easy to spend hours looking at the collection of Māori and Pacific artefacts alone, from small, early tools and weapons to the huge waka, an ocean-going canoe that carried some of the Maori people’s Polynesian ancestors to New Zealand. Walking through the marae (meeting house) we marvel at the intricate carvings; you can only imagine the many hours that must go into their creation.

The Māori cultural performance is a must. On four times a day, the 45-minute performance is a good way to get a slightly deeper understanding of Māori history, culture, music and language. As an Australian, it is particularly powerful to see the famous haka in its original context – away from the rugby field – and we both have goosebumps by the end.

With lucky timing, the museum is also showing the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, on loan from the Natural History Museum in London. It’s on until 3 August, so if you’re in Auckland in time, make sure you put this on your itinerary. More than 100 images are on

display, and the large back-lit panels enhance every tiny detail. There is wildlife and stunning landscapes from every corner of the world – we come eye to eye with a beautiful lion cub in one moment, the next we see a polar bear about to emerge from icy waters.

The photographs, by both amateur and professional photographers, have been selected from around 43,000 entries from 96 countries, so these are truly the best of the best.

One of the museum’s most striking permanent exhibitions is Volcanoes, which delves into volcanoes in general, and more specifically Auckland’s own. Auckland is one of the few cities in the world to be built on an active volcanic field and you can see them dotted all over the landscape.

Many of the region’s 48 volcanoes still have remnants of early Māori pa fortifications. Perhaps the best part of the exhibition is sitting in the lounge of a real-scale house watching – and feeling – what a future eruption might be like in Auckland. Kids squeal with delight.

That night, we stroll up the road from our bed and breakfast to dine at Cibo.

We want somewhere local and a bit fancy – we are on holiday after all. The

Š Hannes Lochner

Auckland War Memorial

Flagstaff Gallery - Tony Ogle

Š Hannes Lochner

Ascot Parnell

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If you want to have some ‘REAL’ adventure then come riding with us. We are located in Woodhill forest, an easy and scenic 30 minute drive from downtown Auckland.

Our quad bikes are easy to ride. No previous experience is required, just a will to take on something different, challenging and above all great fun. Full instruction and tuition given. It’s very easy, 15 minutes training is all you need. Then it’s ‘Go-Go-Go! Just think of the excitement, roaming through towering forests and along a vast wild surf beach on your own quad bike.

Auckland Art Gallery

For more information visit our website and have a look at some of our videos or you can ring 0800 4TRACK(487225)

www.4trackadventures.co.nz

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The Blue Breeze Inn

menu is extraordinary and extremely varied; I have no doubt that everyone goes home happy from Cibo. After serious consideration, I opt for the roasted hapuka with slipper lobster, and Mr B. is thrilled with his liquoricedusted venison loin. We finish on a sweet note, sharing the coconut lime cheesecake. Divine. Although we don’t partake, Cibo also has a fantastic menu of cheese plates, something you

don’t see often enough these days.

We start the next day at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Right in the heart of the city and framed by large columns of kauri, it makes a striking first impression. The building itself is a work of art and was named World Building of the Year for 2013-2014 at the World Architecture Festival.

Another pleasant surprise: entry is free.

The gallery has more than 15,000 works by local and international artists, over four floors, and also regularly houses special international exhibitions. While it’s wonderful to see the masters, we are always keen to discover the art of each country we visit too. As well as permanent displays such as Goldie’s famous intricate portraits of prominent Māori figures, the Toi Aotearoa collection gives a wonderful insight into New Zealand art across 400 years. Modern mixed-media, paintings and sculptures sit alongside 19th Century pieces depicting early Māori and European settlement. We’re happy to wander around at our own pace, but the gallery also offers free guided tours.

After a few hours at Auckland Art Gallery, we take the short drive over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to the scenic seaside village of Devonport.

You can also catch a ferry from downtown and you’ll be there in just 12 minutes. Devonport has similarities to Parnell, most notably the beautifully restored Victorian villas and heritage buildings that line the streets. For all its popularity, Devonport has retained its

charmingly laidback atmosphere and is home to many artists, writers and poets.

If it’s Kiwi art you’re after, this has to be one of the best spots in Auckland.

At Flagstaff Gallery, on the main strip, the contemporary collections range from large New Zealand landscapes on canvas to abstract sculpture.

Also within easy walking distance are several other galleries well worth a stop, including Art of This World, Peter Raos Glass Gallery and Art by the Sea, where we purchase an exquisitely crafted rimu bowl and a hand-coloured etching by a local Devonport artist. Luckily, the galleries ship internationally, so you’re not limited to what will fit in your luggage.

Having worked up a decent appetite by this stage, we head to Châteubriant, an authentic deli-style French café.

The cabinets are brimming with pastries, baguettes, sweet treats and handmade breads, as well as heartier meals you can enjoy here or take home. People are relaxing indoors, but we have a picnic spot at the top of a volcano – Mount Victoria – with our names on it, so we stock up on fresh baguettes, brie and salami-like saucisson. It’s a cool day but the walk up keeps us warm. We pick a spot on the grass and tuck in.

Much like the museum’s location, from here we can see back across the harbour to the city centre and out to the Hauraki Gulf islands. On our way back we drive to the top of Devonport’s other volcanic cone, North Head. Not only are the views

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Visit Voyager Auckland’s waterfront Maritime Museum

even better, you can also walk through the fascinating military fortifications and underground tunnels, which were built during World War II but luckily never needed. If you’re visiting Auckland with the kids, North Head is a guaranteed crowd pleaser.

Back at Ascot Parnell we put our feet up with a cuppa in our lovely room and enjoy a few hours of R and R. For dinner tonight, we’re off to the Blue Breeze Inn in Ponsonby.

Serving ‘modern Chinese with an island breeze’, the extensive menu means we’re faced with some tough decisions again. We start with pork and prawn won tons and tropical concoctions. It’s not every day you can sip your pre-dinner drink from The Hilton

Cast off for a journey to discover New Zealand’s story. Try your hand at yacht design, relax in the bach, hoist the sails, hear the cannon fire, test your sea legs and batten down the hatches in the rocking cabin.

Harbour sailings twice a day, Tuesday – Sunday.

Open 9.00am-5.00pm, 7 days a week Corner Quay & Hobsons Streets Viaduct Harbour, Auckland Ph: +64 9 373 0800 www.maritimemuseum.co.nz

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a raw baby coconut. Afterwards, I savour the amazing flavours of my roasted duck, and Mr B. devours his red-braised pork ribs. Indulging our sweet tooth again, we finish with heavenly whisky and ginger soft serve with pistachio and gingernut crunch.

Our trip to Auckland has been one of fine food, fine arts, history and culture. It’s amazing what you can see and do here within a small window of time, and if you have longer there are many more possibilities – outdoor sculpture parks, guided art tours, heritage walks and live theatre every night of the week. And as for great views, the Sky Tower may be higher but I highly recommend a volcano or two.

...what else is there?

652 Great South Road, Manukau, Auckland, New Zealand +64 9 262 2435 | cafe@urbansoul.co.nz | www.urbansoul.co.nz www.gotravelnewzealand.com

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Cape Farewell

Whanganui Inlet

Farewell Spit

Golden Bay Rangitoto Ke Ke Tonga (D’Urville Island)

Takaka

Kahurangi Point

ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK

Tasman Bay

Motueka

Karamea

Queen Charlotte Sound (Totaranui)

Mapua

KAHURANGI

Karamea River

NATIONAL PARK

Picton

Nelson

Brightwater

Richmond Wakefield

Karamera Bight

Cloudy Bay

Blenheim Seddon

Westport

Lake Grassmere/ Kapara Te Hau

St Arnaud

Cape Foulwind

Inangahua

Ward

Murchison

Cape Campbell

NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK

PAPAROA

Reefton

NATIONAL PARK

Clarence River

Springs Junction Kaikoura

HANMER

Greymouth

FOREST PARK

Kaikoura Peninsula

Hanmer Springs

Kumara Hokitika

Culverden

ARTHUR’S PASS

Ross

Cheviot

NATIONAL PARK Hurunui River Arthur’s Pass

Waipara

Wanganui River

Amberley

Harihari

Whataroa

Oxford

Lake Coleridge

Pegasus Kaiapoi

Rangiora

Rakaia River

Franz Josef

TAI POUTINI

Methven

Mt Somers

Rakaia

CHRISTCHURCH

Lincoln Leeston

Southbridge

NATIONAL PARK

Haast River

Waimakariri River

Rolleston

NATIONAL PARK

Aoraki Mt Cook Village

WESTLAND/

Pegasus Bay

Belfast

Darfield

AORAKI/ MOUNT COOK

Fox Glacier

Leithfield

Ashburton

Lake Tekapo

Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora)

Rakaia River

Lyttelton BANKS PENNINSULA Akaroa Akaroa Harbour

Lake Tekapo

Jackson Head

Geraldine

Lake Pukaki Haast Pass/ Tioripatea

Ashburton River

Fairlie Temuka

MOUNT ASPIRING

Rangiata River

Twizel

Lake Ohau

NATIONAL PARK

Timaru Omarama Lake Hawea

Lake Wanaka Milford Sound/ Piopiotahi

Milford Sound

Wanaka

Kurow

Waimate

Waitaki River

Arrowtown

Queenstown

Cromwell

Oamaru

Ranfurly

Lake Wakatipu

Clyde Alexandra

Lake Te Anau

Doubtful Sound

Te Anau Manapouri

NATIONAL PARK

Palmerston

Roxburgh

FIORDLAND

Lake Manapouri

Lumsden

Resolution Is

Raes Junction Mosgiel

Dusky Sound

DUNEDIN Taieri River

Gore

Milton Balclutha

Preservation Inlet Puysegur Point

Clutha River

Te Waewae Bay

Invercargill Bluff

Codfish Is (Whenuahau)

Halfmoon Bay (Oban) Paterson Inlet

Doughboy Bay Port Adventure

South West Cape

Port Pegasus/ Pikihatiti

STEWART ISLAND /RAKIURA

Fly into Christchurch Airport

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