Invercargill & Surrounds Southland South Island 2023
Invercargill & Surrounds
Southland South Island 2023
New Zealand
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Gore
Gore Racing Club
We stayed for 3 nights it was so hot getting up to 33 degrees, the A & P show was on at the showgrounds where we have stayed in the past. It was nice and quiet here with only one other motorhome for one of the nights.
We stayed on power since the price was so low to stay
Town Centre
We had a walk around the town centre.
The town clock has a window to look in to see the workings
Famous brown trout
The world capital of brown trout fishing
New Zealand's capital of country music
Croydon
Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre
20km drive from the racecourse with a cafe next door for lunch.
The Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre houses mostly aircraft from the 1920s and 30s, including one of the largest collections of different types of de Havilland aircraft.
It is unique in that nearly all of the aircraft on display actually fly.
This nationally significant museum is dedicated to preserving and celebrating New Zealand’s civil aviation heritage – both the stories of pioneer aviators and their equally colourful machines.
Many of the aircraft on display have been restored and
are maintained by the Mandeville-based Croydon Aircraft Company.
Admission:
Standard Admission: $12
Students (with ID) & Senior Citizens: $10
Groups - Tour Guides can be arranged with prior booking
Children (12 and under): FREE.
Please note: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
They are doing a great job here and raising money to build more tracks
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Rodgers K92 steam locomotive
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These two photos are the same plane yet to be restored
There are several model replicas
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This one took off and went 0n a flight with a passenger
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Bannerman Park
We had a short walk around Bannerman Park which is under 2kms, they have been doing a lot of work and planting, and it seems like spring would be a better time to visit for the show of hostas that will do better once the newly planted trees give shelter from the sun.
We then drove to the Gore Public Gardens for another short walk photos are in the links at the bottom.
They keep deer here
Winton
The council takes great pride in their little town the gardens are beautiful and very well-kept.
We were going to stay awhile in Winton but after a stroll around town, the rain set in that is a nice relief from the heat.
In the morning we decided just to head for Invercargill nzmca camp as the wind was up making it uninviting to venture out, well for us anyway.
Great old tree
We did the town ones but left before we finished this trail
Invercargill
So here we are at the bottom once again we rather like Invercargill and this time around we will focus on what we haven't managed to do yet. We have done a lot here in the past visits check it out in the links at the bottom.
Carol and Glen arrived the next day and had some days with us before heading back to the North Island.
Christie's Road End Beach Walk
We drove out to do this 3km loop walk but it was such a beautiful day on the beach
we walked to the Oreti River mouth and back.
Frog and Glen
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Return walk from Christie's Road End
Otatara Scenic Reserve Loop Walk
Monday we walked this track to avoid the busy weekend time, it is a jewel of a bush walk so close to town and only 3.8 km to drive from the nzmca camp.
This is a well-cared-for track the photo shows the entrance and there are plenty of established trees, ferns and bird life to look at.
Easy short loop walk
Daffodil Bay
We were on our way to do the Daffodil Bay Loop track and came across Petrie's and Rover's tracks so we did them first.
Bird life out here is good the Kereru are doing well in the Otatara area
View from the lookout
Frog
Me
Then there were three
We were able to do a loop track by joining both tracks easy walking along forestry roads
Daffodil Bay Loop Track
There is a bit of everything on this well-kept track with plenty of steps and two lookouts so good exercise with bush and views, lovely on a hot day to be in the shade.
Noki Kaik Beach
View from the lookout
View from the second lookout
Enjoyable loop walk
Colac Bay
Beautiful free camping beside the water, might be a bit hairy staying here in rough weather.
Camp is all along the foreshore
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| After lunch, we went for a walk around the rocks Monkey Island Today we went for a drive to Monkey Island and then all the little bays on the way back to camp. The freedom camp at Monkey Island was packed, so we will give this camp a miss as we have stayed here before at a less crowded time of year. |
Monkey Island
Cosy Nook Cove
Cosy Nook Cove
Back at Colac Bay
Colac Bay
Colac Bay to Te Araroa Trail
This walk is basically along the beach we couldn't find any other path to take
Colac Bay Walk
We decided to walk the other half of the beach today.
Return
Riverton
Moving on we stayed at the Riverton Golf Club to explore the town.
It says showers but there is only one in the men's toilets
Riverton Lookout
We were on a mission to finish the Colac Bay to Te Araroa Trail, starting at the other end to do the other half.
View overlooking Riverton from the lookout
Several walks to do
Drive to Howell Point
Templeton Flax Mill Heritage Museum
We were lucky to find the owners of the Museum doing repairs and they opened up for us.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
We moved to Clifton Freedom camp
Clifden Caves
The caves are just up the road from camp, we are interested in getting wet or crawling in caves so just had a peep in the entrance.
Lake Hauroko
We drove out to Lake Hauroko from Clifden Camp, very remote and peaceful.
I tried to do the lookout walk but had to turn back because the elevation was too much for me.
The loop walk was lovely, with wild orchids I had never seen before.
This little one was trying to get in the Jimny
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| The aborted lookout walk with the loop at the end |
Tuatapere
We had a stopover to have a look around but we had done pretty much everything here before, nice place to stay we had a couple of meals at the club.
Nice short walk
We went for a drive along the coast
Manapouri
We thought we would try out the new nzmca camp at Manapouri it is very nice, we paid for 10 nights and left after 2 nights.
Not because of anything to do with the camp.
4WD out to Lake Manapouri's Southern Arm
Beautiful views with a bone shaker road and a heap of sand flies.
Useful Links