Oamaru isn’t much to look at when you first step off the bus, it looks like another basic NZ town until you reach the other side with its amazing Victorian-esque buildings, the cool and exciting steampunk artwork, the beautiful bay and the most adorable and smallest penguins in the world.
I arrived and walked to the I-site to see if they could hold my bag until it was time to check in at the hostel, unfortunately they were closed but luckily I was able to leave my bag at the hostel until I checked in. I grabbed what I needed and headed back out to explore the little town.
I headed first towards Steampunk HQ, which is a little museum with various steampunk creations: including cool space and sci-fi installments, several steampunk statues/animals, plenty of interactive parts to which you are encouraged to play with and enjoy, a dress up are to take your photo in Victorian/steampunk outfits and 2 cool trains that look like there straight out of ‘Mad Max’. For only $10 it is definitely worth the money.
Steampunk Steam Engine
I didn’t spend so long here before setting off to look around the Victorian edge of town, very different and unique Victorian buildings to the average New Zealand town. It includes some bars, cafes and there are also a few shops that sell various steampunk/Victorian items. I also saw a man riding a penny-farthing down the street, which was pretty cool.
Victorian Oamaru
I went back to the hostel, checked in and got settled before heading out again to catch the sunset. I walked along the bay towards the Penguin sanctuary.
Sunset on the Wharf
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is mainly for tourism but also used for research and conservation. There’s two viewing periods, one during the day that costs $25 and another in the evening that costs $40. I was there in the evening but from what it sounds like its definitely the better option. The option in the day is just to view penguins in their habitat whilst the evening option lets you view the penguins coming in from their day out fishing, the penguins are ever so small and come in together in groups called rafts. Unfortunately cameras and video cameras are not allowed in the viewing area due to disturbing the penguins.
When I was wandering back around the bay in the dark there was a few people huddled in a certain area, I went to see what the fuss was all about and there were more penguins whom obviously don’t appear to head back to the centre. I watched from a distance as these cool little birds made their way up the rocky bank and into the bushes, when I reached town there were more that headed across the street and into the back of some of the Victorian buildings.
After my long trek and first tramping experience on the Heaphy Track I booked a room in a hostel in Westport, had a look around and then lay down and relaxed and did some research as to what would be my first stop along the West Coast. I decided that I would first go to Punakaiki for 2 nights and then decide where to go from there.
I got the bus to Punakaiki the next day. It’s a small town with only a tavern, a café and an information centre. I checked into the hostel and then headed out to explore with an American guy I had met on the bus. My first stop was the very popular tourist spot, Pancake Rocks and it was pretty busy when We arrived.
Snuck over the barrier for that perfect shot
Pancake rocks Is a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through blowholes during high tides.
Pancake Rocks
Unfortunately We went at low tide and missed the blowholes.
Staircase carved into the Rock
We wandered back towards the hostel stopping at some caves to look around before walking along the coast to the hostel. We relaxed for a little and then walked North out of town to a small walking track that lead to a beach with a huge cove and some more caves.
The next day I ventured to the river and hired a kayak, I kayaked up the river having to get out at certain points to walk it as there were rough rapids and a low water level.
Relaxing in the calmer waters
I got about an hour away before I turned back and cruised back down the river, the rapids weren’t too big but I almost crashed a few times into large rocks. I relaxed on the beach until I managed to cut open my toe and then headed back. The sunset on the beach that evening was pretty nice to watch.
The next day I walked to the end of town to start hitchhiking, my aim of the day was to get to Greymouth, which was only 40 minutes away, but there were some sights I wanted to stop at along the way. I was only waiting around 15 minutes before I first got picked up by a local who told me there was some cool beaches to look for greenstone on, having nothing planned for the day I was dropped off and spent some time looking for greenstone, I found very little but it was a cool experience. I then hitchhiked to Runanga that is home to the Coal Creek Falls, I was dropped off not far from the entrance and then I headed down the track for 30 minutes before arriving at the falls and stopping to take in the views and to rest.
Coal Creek Falls
I returned to the roadside and got picked up pretty quickly by a couple heading in my direction, they dropped me off just outside my hostel in Greymouth.
I checked in before heading into town to explore. It’s a pretty small town local shops and businesses. I looked around and then headed back to the hostel to chill out. The hostel provides free bikes and kayaks so the next morning at high tide I took a kayak onto the river, through a lake and then down to the harbour side.
Reflection in the lakeDown in the Harbour
It was peaceful and pretty and a good view of the surrounding hills. I returned hoping to grab a bike and head out for the day but unfortunately there wasn’t one available that was working, I attempted to fix one but didn’t have any luck. I then decided I would just take a walk to the beach.
I walked around 2km out of town before hitchhiking to Hokitika, I got picked up after about 20 minutes of waiting. I arrived in Hokitika and went to the I-site to see what I could do. I had planned that morning to meet my friend Jessie who I had met back in Palmerston North as I was heading South and he was heading North we thought it would be a cool spot to meet up. He picked me up and we headed 25km out of town to visit Hokitika Gorge, the walk was extremely short once we had arrived and lead over a swing bridge to the beautiful views of the gorge and the amazing milky blue color of the water, we spent some time here before returning to town and checking in at the hostel.
Hokitika Gorge and swing bridgeJessie and me
When we arrived at the hostel we were shown to our room. I then bumped into my friend Janna whom I had met when I was working in Tauranga. I knew she was on the south island but wasn’t exactly sure where about’s she was, so that was pretty cool.
Large driftwood sign
I headed out with Jessie and we went for a swim in the sea and a walk along the beach. We then retuned to the hostel to chill out. Later that evening Jessie, Janna, 2 others and me headed out to watch the sunset at Sunset Point and see the Glow Worm Dell once it had got dark.
Sunset Point
The next morning before we all headed off in our different directions we went for an early morning swim in the sea at 7am.
I checked out of the hostel and walked over the bridge out f town and started hitchhiking to a small town called Heri Heri, practically in the middle of nowhere. The guy who picked me up offered to drop me on the roadside or in this little town, I opted for the town as it was a lot further down the road but first we had to drive to a farm as he was working as a farming consultant. Once he had finished he dropped me off. I waited maybe 40 minutes before getting picked up again by a farmer who was heading home, he took me all the way to Franz Josef which was my destination for the next 2 nights.
I dropped of my gear at the hostel and then headed out to treat myself for my tea. I had a large burger and chips and then took a walk around the small town before heading back.
The next morning I headed off to the Glacier, the start of the track is about 45 minutes walk from town, I could have booked a shuttle but chose to walk. I arrived at the head of the track and headed down towards the glacier. It only took about 30-40 minutes to get there, I then sat down and took in the views for around 30 minutes before following the track back, I then took another track down to Peter’s Pool where you can see a cool reflection of the mountains. Unfortunately you can no longer see the glacier from the pool as it has receded back to far up the valley. I then walked back to Franz Josef to which I relaxed in the sun for a while.
Franz Josef GlacierPeter’s Pool
Unsure of where I was heading next I did some research and decided to head to the remote town of Haast next, I chose to get the bus to Haast, as the weather didn’t look too promising for the next day.
I took my bus the next morning, the driver was pretty cool and it felt more like a guided tour as he explained the local area and we stopped off at some awesome lookouts and beaches. When we arrived in Haast it was raining pretty bad so I headed straight to the hostel. It carried on raining most of the afternoon so I decided to stay indoors. The next morning I had 2 hours before my bus arrived and the owner of the hostel offered me a bike so I could head out and see the beach, the only reason I planned to stop here. I took the bike out but it was still pretty overcast but had a good ride to the beach and back.
Haast Beach
When the bus arrived I jumped on, left the West Coast behind and headed for Wanaka.
Today I decided that I would go to
Red Rocks, an area on the south coast that is usually full of seals bathing but
unfortunately I think I came at the wrong time of the year. I had a choice to
either get the bus or to cycle. I chose to cycle, as then it would be more of a
day trip rather than an hour or two out of the hostel. I hired a bike from a
rental place on the waterfront, the guy there gave me a map and informed my of
a more scenic route to the Red Rocks. He also explained to avoid some tracks
due to possible difficulty, of course I just nodded and said I understood, but
more on that later.
I had hired an e-bike, something that
I have wanted to try out for some time now, unfortunately this one kept coming
up with an error code, I had a choice to go back and get a new one or just
carry on, I decided to carry on and maybe hope that it would start working
again after a while. (I got it working again from time to time on my route but
it would always come up with an error code and just switch itself off)
Climbing up Brooklyn Hill was pretty difficult with the weight of the bike and the fact the electric part wasn’t working but when I reached the top it was definitely worth the effort. There are some old army bunkers at the top with ridiculous views over the city and some pretty cool graffiti art. I would definitely recommend it.
Such an amazing view…
Further on along a track after a lot of steep ups and downs you get to the Wellington Wind Turbine, something I had seen from the city below but never thought of coming up close to it. Wellington is known to be windy but from up here you can really feel the wind. It was pretty cloudy and there wasn’t a clear view over the city at that time, so I rested and then continued on my way. The rental guy explained that I could follow a mountain bike track or the road down towards another track that would lead to the Red Rocks. I chose the mountain bike track, it wasn’t a difficult ride, and it had some pretty nice views over the hills and of some residential areas in the distance.
Wellington Wind Turbine
I continued on the track through some bush and then along the side of the hill. At this point there were some great views of the sea and the track continued along the ridgeline. The track was pretty rocky and steep in various areas but it was a really nice ride and would definitely do it again.
Cycle track
I was close to my destination when I got to a junction in the track, one went up and one went down, I presumed that I would need to go down as the track going up looked as though it would just lead to a viewpoint and the track going down would presumably lead to the beach. However I was very wrong, the track up hill was the track the rental guy told me to take but I had totally forgotten this, anyway I ventured down this grade 4 mountain bike track, it wasn’t all that difficult to be honest, until…
I was stopping in various places to take photos of some flowers and the hill sides, anyway, I got to a point and took some photos of the track which was pretty thin and close to the edge of the hill side which was almost vertical.
Looking prettyTracks on the edge
At this point I remember thinking to myself that it wouldn’t be difficult to fall down. I think it was just inevitable for me not to fall off after taking photos of the edge of the track, anyhow I continued for around 3 minutes before slightly going of track and then flying head first over the handlebars and falling down the side of the hill until a tree and my back broke my fall. I was only around 2 metre’s down and it wasn’t difficult to grasp my way back up the hill. Unfortunately the tree that broke my fall was right next to a very prickly bush. However the only injuries I came out with were a few prickles stuck in my leg, a medium sized cut on my arm and some skin torn away from the palm of my hand. So all in all I was fine, I took a minute, dusted myself off and carried on.
Where the bike landedWhere I landed
Around 2 minutes more along the track I came across a stream, and this is when I remembered why the guy said to go the other way. I didn’t fancy my chances of getting across the stream and up the other side so I took off my shoes and socks and pulled up my trousers before crossing. I got to the other side, walked up the hill and left the bike before going back down to the stream to relax for a while.
Didn’t think I’d make it
I was just having a drink and dipping my toes in the stream when a family of ducks arrived, they came pretty close to where I was and it was nice to watch them tackle against the current and then just glide down the stream. The area was full of wildlife, from insects to birds and it was very nice to just be at one with nature.
Ducklings
I continued down the track until I got to some big drops, which I knew for a fact I would not be able to conquer, so I got off and clambered down them and across another stream before seeing the end of the track and the beach.
The beach was very pebbly and difficult to cycle across so I decided to walk along it, I relaxed and took in the views before cycling around to the Red Rocks where unfortunately I couldn’t sea any seals. I carried on along the coast, round some very pleasant bays and back towards Wellington CBD.
Bike photoshootRed Rocks
The whole ride took me around 5 hours so I got a good day trip out of it. Even though I went the wrong way and fell off, I am so glad that everything turned out the way it did, I guess it made it feel as though it was more of an adventure, not knowing where I was going or just getting lost.
“Some beautiful paths can’t be discovered without getting lost”
Joe Bloggs 