Lots of stuff happening in a short distance.
View Larger Map
Driving Creek Railway
Several attractions are the work of inspired/obsessed individuals, like the Eastwood Gardens we enjoyed a couple of days ago. Today we started at the Driving Creek Railway & Potteries, which is the work of one guy, Barry Brickell, who has twin obsessions with creating art pottery and doing civil engineering. In order to get clay and wood down from the steep slopes of his property he started, 27 years ago, to build a narrow-gauge railway. Now the elaborate system draws tourists to ride it, paying for the 79-year-old Brickells other obsessions. He was around this morning, said hello to us.
Marian: "I want to sit right up front."
And we're off.
Through tunnels that are works of art.
In order to get up the steep slopes the train uses "reversing points" where it runs up to a stop, the driver throws a switch, and the train moves off the opposite direction, climbing higher on a parallel track. One of these reversing points is out in the air.
The railway has a certificate of operation from the NZ Transport Agency.
There's a two-level bridge where, after reversing, you go back over the same bridge the other way.
At the top is the "Eyefull Tower," also designed by Brickell.
From it there is a fabulous view. Some days.
Not, alas, today...
Bird #500
Next to the train yard is Brickell's third obsession, restoring native vegetation and wildlife. He's planted hundreds of Kauri trees over the years, and now there's a predator-proof hectare of nature reserve. We asked about it and got a personal tour by a lady who's been working on it for years.
And, there in the preserve, was a bird we hadn't seen, our 500th, the New Zealand Brown Teal. Said to be the second rarest of New Zealand's ducks.
At the feeding station were some birds we've seen before, but not this close.
The Silver-eye
The Tui
Unknown Plant
Now it was 1pm and we set off down the scenic coast toward Thames. Right away we started noticing stands of a bright yellow roadside plant, which we don't know what it is...
Pohutakawa Coast
The Pohutakawa Coast road proved to be very scenic, kinda-sorta reminiscent of the 17-mile drive in Monterey.
It would be fabulous when the Christmas Trees were in bloom, but almost none were.
Rapaura Falls
We had tea at the Rapaura Falls Park, a private water-garden, that is, a garden that featured lots of water, as ponds, trickles and falls. Here are a few nice things from there.
Short-time Syndrome
In camp, cooked our last dinner in the van (fresh New Zealand lamb chops and asparagus from a farm stand); tomorrow night we'll eat out. Marian started throwing out stuff we won't use again. Feel like short-timers now.
No comments:
Post a Comment