Our travels

28th November 2024 at 15:41 - Damian

Today there's been a hot wind blowing and we've managed to visit a few spots on the way to Waikawa.

We backtracked to Matai Falls walkway then onwards to Florence Hill Lookout, Lake Wilkie, the Tautuku Estuary and Mclean Falls.

By the time we hit Waikawa the oven wind had turned to torrential rain. I suspect this is normal around here.

View from Florence Hill south.

Blasted rock slowly being reclaimed by nature. Part of a cutting in the derelict Catlins River Branch Railway.

The boardwalk at Tautuku Estuary

Mclean Falls

28th November 2024 at 15:29 - Damian

Yesterday we drove south to the Catlins and stayed overnight at the Papatowai DOC Campground (no phone reception).

We detoured to Nugget Point on the way. The weather wasn't great unfortunately but we were able to see a few fur seals down on the rocks.

Spitty weather at Nugget Point.

I only just cleaned this the day before!!

View from Papatowai down the tidal river and out to sea.

28th November 2024 at 15:21 - Damian

We spent a further three days in Dunedin. Mostly eating, drinking and catching up with relatives.

We parked up at the Otago Yacht Club not far from the stadium and only a short walk into town. The only downside of this location is the gull colony and the subsequent coating of gull shit on the van. On our last day we took the van to one of those self-service car washes and gave it a good wash.

We really like Dunedin; it's the Wellington of the South Island.

View from Signal Hill

The splendid railway station

Lunch at Ardø on George Street (which is now semi-pedestrianised and quite pleasant to wander down these days).

24th November 2024 at 16:13 - Damian

Yesterday we took a wildlife boat tour at the end of the Otago Harbour. We saw Hector's and Dusky dolphins, rare shags, a mean Giant Petrel, fur seals and, of course, the magnificent Southern Royal Albatross. They're incredibly well adapted to gliding without having to flap, using dynamic soaring to fly into head winds and using land features to gain height.

Today we took a small ferry from Portabello to Port Chalmers and cycled 32km around the harbour eating everywhere we could!

A still morning today at the mouth of the harbour. There was a fur seal on this groin yesterday. Freaked me out as I didn't see it until I was almost on top of it.

The ferry from Portabello to Port Chalmers.

Cute little bus shelter on the coastal road to Portabello.

22nd November 2024 at 18:34 - Damian

The ride from Roxburgh to Beaumont today was an easy 40km on smooth track following the Clutha (which is quickly becoming our favourite river).

$50 for a shuttle to transfer me back to Roxburgh to pick up the van, a quick scoff-down of a couple of Jimmy's Pies and we've made our way to Brighton just South of Dunedin.

Horseshoe Bend Bridge on the Clutha. Built in the early 1900s to replace a seat-on-a-wire that school children found difficult to operate due to one end being higher than the other.

21st November 2024 at 13:27 - Damian

This morning we drove from Wanaka to Alexandra and cycled the 10km section down the Roxburgh Gorge following the Clutha to Doctors Point (and back). Nice, easy ride with changing scenery.

Tonight we'll base ourselves in Roxburgh and cycle 40km down to Beaumont and take a shuttle back to retrieve the van. Weather looks good.

The cycle path alongside the Clutha.

Thyme and wildflowers (they close up at night and when there's not much sun).

21st November 2024 at 12:41 - Damian

Yesterday we drove an hour up to Raspberry Creek which is on the way up the valley to Mt Aspiring.

I have to say that the splendor of Milford has taken some of the sheen off subsequent tourist areas but the drive up the valley and 20km return walk to Aspiring Hut restored that feeling!

Kea sculpture at the start of the walk up the valley.

View from one of the swing bridges. Huge boulders and glacier-fed water.

The walk back down the valley from the hut is easy going. A friend recommended we take our bikes but their lack of suspension and skinny tyres would have made this a little too difficult. Besides, we needed the walk.

21st November 2024 at 12:24 - Damian

We've been based in Wanaka/Albert Town the last five days. It's been a nice break from Queenstown.

Wanaka has a huge selection of great eateries and breweries and we've done our bit attempting to get around them all!

Our park up at the Albert Town Campground. $20 per night and a cyclable distance into Wanaka.

Just one of many excellent meals. This one is a healthy example from Federal Diner. We also went to Francesca, Kika, The Albie, Pembroke Patisserie, Now Bao, Rhyme X Reason.

18th November 2024 at 15:31 - Damian

We ran out of LPG while we were at Cascade Creek and when we got to Queenstown the traffic was so bad that we put off refilling for a couple of days. Unfortunately it was a bit cold in the mornings but we were able to use the MSR pocket rocket to brew the essential morning caffeine.

A stovetop coffee maker on a camp cooker.

16th November 2024 at 11:37 - Damian

Naomi is using her magic powers to give strength to the Queenstown marathon runners.

Giving out the high fives

16th November 2024 at 10:11 - Sally

Met this guy at Cascade Creek. Love the Robins. Surely it's time they had a win in the Bird of the Year election.

13th November 2024 at 20:20 - Sally

But, all and all, the feeling of being exhausted but waking up to do it all over again wins out and it really is worth the aches and pain. We saw heaps of birds, a Kea working the camera being the highlight, and not seeing the Whio being the low light. We had a 72 year old Japanese man in our group and the joy on his face the whole way around was delightful. We met so many interesting people and saw so many beautiful vistas and waterfalls and rivers and plants. Highly Recommend!

Kea posing for the camera

13th November 2024 at 20:12 - Sally

The DOC rangers were great and had a hard week with the floods just before we came in and
some walkers on our 2nd to last day who came in after 9pm causing a bit of angst. They all had interesting info to give us and good advice such as going up to McKinnon's Pass on the 2nd day). The huts are a hotbed of sandflies, rustlers, midnight toilet goers and snorers (me included). So, a good night's sleep was not that easy.

13th November 2024 at 19:58 - Sally

Our fellow walkers were great and it was interesting getting to know them over the 4 days. There was a large number of doctors, from Mexico, Belgium, UK and NZ so we were in safe hands. We met some wonderful people from all around the world. Lots of Aussies and quite a few people now living in NZ who came from different countries (please stay!).

13th November 2024 at 19:50 - Sally

The Milford was amazing but quite different to Hump Ridge. The first day was great, after catching the boat from Te Anau Downs we had a leisurely 5km walk to our hut. There were not too many people on our boat so we thought we might not have the full quota of walkers (we only had 1 other couple with us at Hump Ridge). This was quickly disproven as the full 40 walkers arrived by the end of the evening.

13th November 2024 at 19:37 - Sally

And now the truth according to Sally........ We have been spoilt with the weather, and even more spoilt by the facilities on the Hump Ridge Track, not having to carry food or linen (because we had our own room) or cups and plates, and having the bonus of being able to shower was magnificent. 2520 steps on the first day was a lot but they were predictable and therefore much simpler than navigating rocks.

13th November 2024 at 15:08 - Damian

Day 4 (and last) of the Milford Track.

The walk out from Dumping Hut to Sandfly Point is basically flat and 18km long.

Lots of beautiful looming mountains but we're tired by this point and, after the Mackinnon Pass, it's a hard act to follow.

All in all an incredible walk and well deserving of the hype. That's four Great Walks off our list. Seven more to go!

A still river crossing in the early morning.

Parts of the track have been blasted into solid rock to avoid the requirement for a 3km boat journey.

More spectacular waterfalls along the way

The end!

13th November 2024 at 14:58 - Damian

Day 3 of the Milford Track.

Despite rain forecast for this day it was fine and so I had the opportunity to have a second viewing from the top along with Sally (and our packs).

It's a bit of a slog and avalanche warnings were still in place so we had to use the emergency route down the other side which is a bit of a goat track.

Once down we took a detour to Sutherland Falls (highest in Australasia).

Then onwards to our last hut of the tramp, Dumpling Hut.

View back along the Pass

This sign is not kidding. Just beyond it is a sheer drop (one of the rangers said it's a 23 second fall). Made me feel ill. Edit: there's no way this is true; 23 second's free fall requires around 2500m of clear air. Lies!

A family of four kaka were messing around in the trees above our heads on the way up the Pass. Intelligent creatures.

The Sutherland Falls. Impossible to take a picture of them from the base as they create their own typhoon wind and everything gets drenched. They sound like a fighter jet continually ripping past above.

13th November 2024 at 14:44 - Damian

Day 2 part 2 of the Milford Track.

The weather forecast wasn't great for day 3 and so I decided to squeeze in a hike (sans pack) up to the Mackinnon Pass at the end of day 2 just in case.

I have no words for how breathtakingly awesome the view was from the top so I'll just post some photos which definitely don't do it justice.

Tarn with reflections of the mountains from the top of Mackinnon Pass.

Along the Pass a little towards the Mackinnon Shelter.

View back down the Clinton valley that we'd walked up that day.

Mt Cook lily (actually a member of the buttercup family) with the ampitheatre at the head of the Clinton valley in the background.

13th November 2024 at 14:35 - Damian

Day 2 of the Milford Track.

At 18km a decent walk to Mintaro Hut following the Clinton River gradually uphill.

Lots of brown trout lazing the the current and although we kept our eyes out for whio (rare blue ducks) in the rapids we were out of luck.

The mountains close in the closer you get to the end and plenty of waterfalls line the way.

The Mackinnon Pass is day 3 of the hike but I decided to add 8km to my day to get a view in case the next day was cloudy. See next post.

The track alongside the Clinton River.

Not easy to see in the photo but around a dozen brown trout hanging out in the current.

One of the many waterfalls along the way.

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