Leaving New Zealand

Today I left Manapouri and New Zealand. I had to drive two hours to Queenstown to catch the plane, and somehow I had got my timing wrong so I didn’t have any time to dawdle (in fact I got on the plane within fifteen minutes of getting through security)!

As we went out of Queenstown, there were few clouds.

And the flight over Fiordland had lots of puffy clouds, but I could really see the rugged landscape below. 

All too soon we reached the coast and I said goodbye to New Zealand.

Last Full Day in New Zealand

Today I decided to look at some of the places nearby that were included in the Lord of the Rings film. When I was last in the North Island, I visited some of the sites that had been used there. They weren’t necessarily the most popular places but they all had some dramatic appeal.

I got a respiratory infection on the train, so I haven’t been able to go very far, but I thought these were short walks that would be nice, and I didn’t necessarily need to go to the end of anything.

Firstly, I went along Supply Bay Road to the end, where it reaches the bay in Lake Manapouri.

Then I went back down the road to where the unofficial track to one of the Lord of the Rings sites on the Waiau River (that joins Lake Manapouri and Lake Te Anau). Although the track was fairly narrow, it was well marked, until it wasn’t. I searched for the next part of it but couldn’t find it. However, the beach forest was full of moss and the walk was an extraordinary experience and I was glad I’d chosen it!

Next I went to one of the two places you can join the Kepler Trail (a three day loop walk in the area, designed to reduce the traffic on the Milford sound trail). At this point, you cross the swing bridge across the river to join the trail, and can then go in either direction. Once you cross the bridge you’re in Fiordland National Park. 

I chose to go south towards Lake Manapouri. The trail was really well made but had a few switchbacks going up to a plateau. I decided that I wouldn’t continue down to the lake because it would be too much, so I turned back at that point. However, it was similar to the previous track except that, since it was close to the river, it was less enclosed and I could glimpse over the river to the farmland beyond.

I then went to Rainbow Reach, another short track to the river.

And finally to the Lake Te Anau control gates, which are the other point where I could join the Kepler Trail without getting a boat across the lake. 

The two lakes are part of a hydroelectric system. The New Zealanders strongly objected when it was proposed that these lakes were to be dammed about five years before the similar scheme to dam the Franklin River in Tasmania. It would have raised Lake Manapouri by 30 metres, and joined both lakes. Eventually, it was decided to put control gates on both lakes, and to leave them at their original heights.

Manapouri

Last night, I arrived in Manapouri and gave you a photo from the front of the cabin I stayed in. Manapouri is a small settlement where the native forest is still around. It’s on Lake Manapouri, which I found described as the third most beautiful lake in the world (by New Zealand tourism, who didn’t say what the two most beautiful lakes were - but I assume it means that this is the most beautiful lake in New Zealand). Today I took a few pictures from the shores of the lake.

I also changed abode because I couldn’t find one accommodation for three nights. This is the view from my new window.

Tomorrow will be my last full day in New Zealand. I’ll be leaving here early the next day, and driving to Queenstown to catch the plane home.

Invercargill to Fiordland

Today I continued my perambulations along the southern scenic route. Soon after I left Invercargill, I started to see tall mountains with a little snow on their peaks. As the land around Invercargill is fairly flat, I didn’t expect to see Fiordland in the distance quite so soon. The road continued around the coast, and when I stopped at Monkey Island, Fiordland was just the other side of the enormous bay. I could also see Stewart Island. 

At the turnoff to Monkey Island, several cars followed me, all with surfboards on their roofs, but the waves were pretty small, and they all departed quickly for another beach. 

Further along the coast, I lost sight of Stewart Island and the waves were reasonably sizeable. With the Fiordland mountains behind the waves, I thought this could be a poster for New Zealand tourism. 

Then there was Gemstone Beach, with grey sand and people collecting gemstones on the beach. 

The road left the coast just after Riverton. From there, the views were of Fiordland coming closer. I stopped to walk to an oxbow lake, which was very pretty, 

and again at a suspension bridge, and to view the river. 

Both were on the river flowing from Manapouri, where I was headed.

Owaka to Invercargill

It’s only supposed to take two hours to drive from Owaka to Invercargill, but I managed to take eight. Probably because I visited a lot of places on the way.

I began by backtracking to The Tunnel, a walk to and through the most southerly rail tunnel built in New Zealand. It’s dark, so you have to take a torch. 

I photographed both ends 

and then where the actual railway line went. It was all done with pickaxes and shovels back in the 1870s.

I then visited Kaka Point 

on my way to the Nugget Point lighthouse, which was quite a walk, 

but had splendid views all the way. 

There were even some sea lions.

I then stopped at Jacks Blowhole, which said it was only a 20 minute walk, but took at least 45 minutes each way. But, again, there was magnificent scenery and the blowhole was 55 metres deep, 144 metres long, 68 metres wide and 200 metres from the sea. It also had a number of steep uphill sections.

I also visited Purakanui Waterfalls.

Then I passed Caitlin’s Lake, where I saw a lot of birds including a lot of black swans. It’s actually an estuary, and the tide was low.

Matai falls and Horseshoe falls, which were above them, were next.

And there was a magnificent view from a pullout on the road.

You can see why it took eight hours!