Christchurch to Dunedin
NZDH Christchurch to Dunedin chapter
South Canterbury’s flat plains, flanked by the dramatic peaks of the Southern Alps,
stretch in a colourful patchwork of fields south to Timaru, the urban heart of the
Central South Island. A lively, colourful town with a striking piazza overlooking
Caroline Bay, Timaru has preserved much of its historical heritage in a collection
of Edwardian and bluestone buildings, local museum treasures, and Maori rock art
found in caves nearby. Further south, in Oamaru, a legacy in limestone awaits and
the town’s wonderful Victorian architecture – from banks to basilicas – is a rare
sight to behold. Oamaru is home to a large colony of blue penguins and in Dunedin,
where eco-tourism activities abound, visitors can get more than a glimpse of their
yellow-eyed cousins. We spend three days exploring the route from Christchurch to
Dunedin. We take a historic train ride aboard the world’s only Model T Ford Railcar,
and sample classic slices of kiwiana before Bob begins training for a tramp. We
explore Oamaru by foot; learn all about little blue penguins; and spy on ‘Paul’
as he squats atop a large pearly white egg.
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Day One
Dunedin to Timaru
“Well,” says Bob, as we leave Christchurch airport where we’ve kicked off the day
with an early morning visit to the Antarctic Centre, “those explorers are hardy
types but I bet they love those Hägglunds!”
Rather taken with our simulated ride at the centre, he continues to relive the experience
as we leave town and drive south on SH1 across the southern Canterbury plains to
Ashburton and on to Temuka, a small town whose famous pottery has made its way into
most NZ homes. At the Temuka Pottery Factory Shop we check out the stylish hand
decorated terracotta pottery and enjoy an early lunch at its new, airy café.
Further south, in Timaru, we’re greeted by a striking piazza overlooking Caroline
Bay’s popular sandy beach and fairgrounds. A flight of stairs cascade down to the
bay but we continue along the main street past several fine local bluestone and
Edwardian buildings to the information centre housed inside the historic Landing
Service Building. Here we decide to spend the afternoon in Pleasant Point, a 15-minute
drive inland, after exploring the highlights of Timaru.
Bob humours me with a walk through the Trevor Griffiths Rose Garden where we lose
ourselves in the heady fragrance of 529 named old rose varieties, and then we explore
Aigantighe Art Gallery’s amazing exhibits of NZ art and sculpture.
At Pleasant Point I agree, somewhat reluctantly, to accompany Bob on a trip down
memory lane aboard the world’s only Model T Ford Railcar. It turns out to be great
fun, but I tune out as Bob discusses the minute details of the restoration process
with our friendly driver. We disembark at Keanes Crossing, where we’re lead through
a museum whose highlights include a Steam Locomotive AB699, a Steam Locomotive D16
(circa 1878), and NZ’s only birdcage carriage, with pleated upholstery and a handcrafted
kauri interior.
While Bob pores over beautifully restored engines and equipment, I wait it out in
the Old Time Movie Theatre watching fascinating historical footage.
Finally I track Bob down. He’s outside caressing the Model T. “Well,” I say, “I’m
ready for a custard square.”
“A what?” says Bob distractedly.
“Flaky pastry, creamy custard, lashings of icing,” I say offhandedly. Vintage engine
abruptly abandoned, Bob propels me back into the railcar.
At ‘The Tearooms’ in Denheath House, Pleasant Point, we order tea and custard squares.
This classic slice of kiwiana originated here and I feel truly patriotic tucking
into my eight centimetre high tower of fl aky golden pastry and fluffy melt-in-your-mouth
filling, topped off with the creamiest icing.
“Oh my,” says Bob, “heaven on a plate!”
Replete we visit modern-day blacksmith, Gareth James, at the Artisan Forge, then
drive inland to Raincliff Reserve to admire Maori Rock Art on limestone overhangs.
We return to Pleasant Point via Upper Waitohi and the memorial to pioneer aviator
and inventor, Richard Pearse, who once made his home here. It’s claimed that he
flew using power before the Wright brothers, in 1903.
“Never!” exclaims Bob, triggering a debate that lasts all the way back to Timaru
where we relax at a café in the piazza and watch the sunset over the mountains.
“Richard Pearse…well I don’t know,” concludes Bob as we finish our desserts, “But
that Model T was something else!”
+ more +
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Day Two
Timaru to Oamaru
I awake to find Bob gone. He returns a little later looking sweaty but decidedly
pleased and announces that he’s been ‘jogging’ at Caroline Bay.
“I’m thinking about hiking the Kepler Track,” he says, much to my amazement, “but
I’ve only got a couple of weeks or so to get fit!”
Privately I have my doubts about the wisdom of a strenuous three to four day tramp,
but who am I to judge? “Great goal,” I say encouragingly, as we pack our bags and
leave for Oamaru. En route we make a detour to Waimate, the strawberry capital of
the south, where large brush wallabies roam in Hunters Hills behind town. We enjoy
coffee and berry muffins at Wildberry Café then, with the delicious aroma of freshly
baked wallaby pies wafting on the breeze, pop into Enkledoovery Korna where Bob
cuddles a tame wallaby and poses for a photo.
“Aren’t wallabies Australian natives?” he asks, as we drive away. I explain how
they - along with the pesky possum - were unwittingly introduced to NZ.
A short time later we arrive in Oamaru, which has the largest collection of protected
heritage buildings in NZ. Crafted from a creamy-textured local limestone known as
Oamaru Stone, these gorgeous Victorian buildings with their huge columns and extensive
ornamentation were designed by the finest architects of their time.
We head straight for the Harbour and Tyne Historical Precinct, reputed to be the
only intact Victorian harbour in NZ, where there’s a curved wooden wharf. We watch
craftsmen sculpt Oamaru stone, then drop in to sample a cheese platter at Whitestone
Cheese before (in the interests of Bob’s fitness regime) setting off on a self-guided
walking tour of the town.
We hike up the hill to the late nineteenth century St Patrick’s Basilica, with its
coffered renaissance ceiling and an impressive dome over the sanctuary, then continue
on to 56 Eden St where Janet Frame lived for 14 years. A number of extracts from
her earlier manuscripts can be seen in Oamaru. We admire the magnificent trees and
flower beds in the 1876 gardens, and relax at the Italian marble fountain. A stroll
along the train track takes us back to Tees Street, home of St Luke’s Anglican Church
(1866), the former Post Office building (1883), the North Otago Museum (1882) and
the old Courthouse built in 1882-3.
“I’m ready for a beer,” Bob declares, so we relax over a cold Speights in the Criterion
Hotel’s olde-worlde bar and dine upon their specialty pies – sausage meat with fillings
of cheese, tomato or mushroom. Earlier in the day we booked a blue penguin tour,
so after dinner we follow the waterfront past shag-smothered piers and the Red Sheds’
craft displays to the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. The evening begins with a behind-the-scenes
view and history of the colony, then we watch in the fading light as a hundred or
so birds ride in on the waves, awkwardly right themselves, then waddle up the stony
beach. At the top they stop to preen, then with an unconcerned air continue their
ungainly gait past where we’re seated and return to their cliff-side homes. “Let’s
go spot their yellow-eyed cousins tomorrow at sunrise,” says Bob, elated, “I’ll
walk and you can follow me in the car.”
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Day Three
Oamaru to Dunedin
Next morning, true to his word, there’s no sign of Bob except a note on the table.
I load our bags and drive to the top of a steep hill where I spot Bob doing stretching
exercises.
I pull up alongside and he hops in gratefully.
A little further along is the Bushy Beach Penguin Colony, where we huddle together
in the Dept. of Conservation hide with cameras at the ready.
Suddenly a penguin pops out of the grassy bank above the beach and lands on the
sand. Further up the beach another follows suit, and they both waddle to the sea
in unison.
“Their eyes are extraordinary,” says Bob, zooming in, “but I’d like to see them
closer.”
When no other penguins appear, we walk back to the car and head south towards Dunedin.
Thirty-five minutes later we arrive in the tiny fishing village of Moeraki and park
by the jetty, outside a popular café called Fleur’s Place. We set off briskly along
the beach to the Moeraki Boulders, accompanied en route by a mischievous pod of
common dolphins.
After marvelling at the perfect roundness of the large boulders, we head back to
Fleur’s where we have some deliciously fresh scallops and Thai fish cakes before
driving south along picturesque Katiki Beach and on through Palmerston, which gleams
with fresh paint.
As the sun dips low in the sky and the landscape changes to ranges and deep forested
valleys, we descend into Dunedin. A wealth of eco-activities await but our first
port of call is Penguin Place, where Howard McGrouther leads us through an intricate
network of burrows in the dunes to large cavern-like hides. Bob clicks off round
after round as a penguin known as ‘Paul’ carefully shuffles his white belly over
a huge pearly egg until it disappears from view.
“Unforgettable,” Bob whispers. “It’s absolutely unforgettable.”
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