Beaches - Southland - New Zealand

Exploring Southern Southland today. Visiting Riverton / Aparima, Waihoaka and McCracken's Rest.

Recommend visiting the Te Hikoi Museum in Riverton.  Great way to learn the history of the area.  Even learnt how to build a small boat with seal skins and branches.   

Visited Mores Scenic Reserve at Riverton/ Aparima. Looking across the bay towards Invercargill. So much kelp around the rocks.

There was a short walk up a hill, and the views South towards Solander Island were amazing.

Next stop was Waihoaki Beach, also known as Gemstone Bay.  Full of colourful rocks, that have been smoothed by the ocean.

Jasper, quartz, chalcedony, and other gemstones all piled on the shore.

I managed to get my shoes wet, and I picked up a few pebbles as well.

The trees indicate how strong the wind gets here. After a late lunch of a Southern cheese roll, we stopped at McCracken's Rest.  A lookout at Te Waewae bay.   The road goes inland from here, so this was the last stop before returning to Invercargill.

Stumpery & Tuatara / Queens Park Invercargill - Part 2

 

There is a tuatara enclosure at Queens Park.  Several tuatara live there, including 120 year old Henry.

On the south eastern corner of the park is the Stumpery. This old Victorian concept is a surprising scuptural delight of roots and stumps of large and small trees. It is relatively new at the moment and over time will develop a lovely complexity as mosses and ferns inhabit the space

This stumpers is quirky and delightful.  All the shapes of roots gives the place a fantastical sense to the park.

Invercargill - Exploring Queens Park - Part 1

 

Queens Park in Invercargill covers about 200 acres, so allow at least two hours to stroll around and explore.

Lots of exotic flowers and plants.  I don't know their names, I just like their textures.

Walkways lure you away to explore other parts of the gardens. Lots of things for children to do here.

Fountains! 

Bluff Southland

Walking the trail up Bluff Hill today. Bluff is about 30 minutes from Invercargill.  Stirling Point is the end of State Highway 1, and also the end of Te Araroa.

So much kelp. The trail takes an hour or so, and winds around the edge of the hill of Motopohue Reserve.

The wind blown trees and bushes certainly show how strong the wind can be.

After our snack at Lookout Point, we took the trail up the hill to the Hill Lookout.   It was straight up! I had to stop several times and catch my breath.  

Dog Island light house.  The 360 views from the lookout were fabulous.  Walk down to the Stirling Point signpost and the car took about 30 minutes. Next time though, I would just take the car and drive up.

The chain that keeps Rakuira / Stewart Island attached to the Mainland.

 

Oreti Beach Southland - Aurora - Southern Lights

Erik and I are having a short break, and thought we might explore Southland in Aotearoa New Zealand.

About 20 minutes drive from Invercargill, is Oreti Beach.  Made famous in the movie, The World's Fastest Indian, the beach is long and smooth.  You can drive from the road straight onto the beach.

I found some kelp

What I was hoping, was to see the Southern Lights, the Aurora.

Plenty of bird life on the beach.

I am sure these textures in the sand will show up in an artwork in the future.

Watched this bird drop shell fish from a height to break the shell. It took 4 attempts and then the shell broke on the beach.

The shells were limited to these molluscs.

Another bird dropping a shell to break it. I was surprised how how the gull is, before it drops the shell. Rakiura / Stewart Island in the background.

Waiting for the sun to set, and deciding where to set up for the Aurora, Southern Lights.  The temperature had dropped, so beanie and gloves, and coat kept me warm.

The sun seemed to take forever to set, and then we glowed.

The Southern Lights - Aurora.
 

Russia invades Ukraine

The neighbour has the Ukrainian national flower growing by their fence. I keep thinking about the Ukrainian Babushka who offered the Russian soldier sunflower seeds. "Take these seeds and put them in your pockets, so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here".

A Ukrainian woman’s insult to a Russian soldier about “sunflower seeds” is quickly becoming a symbol of Ukraine’s resolve in the face of a Russian invasion. An angry Ukrainian woman tells a Russian soldier he should carry a handful of sunflower seeds with him.

“Put them in your pockets,” she says, “so at least sunflowers will grow when you all lie down here.” She then urges other soldiers standing behind the man to do the same. "Guys, guys. Put the sunflower seeds in your pockets, please. You will lie down here with the seeds. You came to my land. Do you understand? You are occupiers. You are enemies. And from this moment, you are cursed. I’m telling you". The soldier says, "Now listen to me..." She responds with "I've heard you". The soldier reply "Let’s not escalate the situation. Please go this way". She tells them how it is! "How can it be further escalated? You fucking came here uninvited. Pieces of shit!".