Bellview Wetlands and a memorial

About a month ago my GKB and I went for a trip through to the Fruitlands area to buy stone fruit from the orchards. We thought we'd arranged to meet our eldest daughter's partner for lunch at his place but he never arrived. Someone had their wires crossed, not sure who, but never mind. We had drinks and snacks in the car. 

We thought while we waited for him we'd carry on down the road towards Gabriel's Gully and have a look at the memorial to Gabriel Read, the first man to find gold in the region and who consequently started the Otago Gold Rush. Unfortunately Mr Read died penniless even as others made their fortunes. It's a very simple monument but befitting. A miners pick and shovel on a stone cairn with a brass plaque.

We were away for about quarter of an hour then headed  back to Steve's place and I took a few pictures of the wetlands. I was watched very closely by a neighbour as I went up the drive to the house to a higher vantage point. The house is up on a rise and overlooks the wetlands. They're  not open to the public yet so I didnt want to actually venture further on to the property, especially as I was being watched :)

Steve (daughter Jacqui's partner) has developed the wetlands over the past 20 years including  building the structures on it, (bridges, tracks, waterwheels, ponds etc). Every now and then he has school groups come in and they help with the planting out of natives plants and learn a little about conservation - plants, animal life and such. I think they all enjoy that. 

I know I enjoy walking around there but haven't been for a while and it's been developed further since I was there. I'm looking forward to having another look around sometime.

 Steve never did turn up so after half an hour or so we went on our merry way and left Bellview Wetlands for another day.

Bellview? Because you have a good view of the church bell from the property.

That's it from me for now. 

Enjoy your week and the upcoming weekend.

Diana

 

Road trippin'

On a blue sky day.

We had a couple of messages to do up the street before we left but were still away by 10:45am as we had planned. Whilst up the street I decided to change my clothes as I was already too hot and it was going to be hotter where we were going. No I didn't change while I was out, we went back home and my GKB also picked up a light jacket - just in case. Luckily going home was in the same direction as we were going so no time lost really.

We were on our way through the Manuka Gorge when I thought maybe I should take some pictures. So below is part way through. It gets quite rugged in places with a bit of bush overarching the road but the road itself is well maintained.

Coming out of the gorge into farming country.

Lawrence is a gold mining town and very proud of it's heritage buildings and mining equipment from back in the day. They hold an annual Heritage carnival which I've been to once. A family day with family friendly activities.

We were to have met up with Jacqui's partner for lunch but he never arrived. He was away working and we're guessing he just plain forgot :) We sat outside Bellview Wetlands, ate chips (crisps) and  had a bottle of ginger beer each then went on our way.

But not before we headed up to the Gabriel Read memorial. Gabriel Read was the man who discovered gold in the gully and so started the Otago gold rush.

On the road again until we arrived in Ettrick and stopped at what used to be our favourite wee cafe until it began to get rundown. It has new owners now so we thought we'd drop in for lunch and have a looksee. This is where we sat. It is so nice now and we'll definitely be making it our stop once again when we're up that way.

After lunch we were back on the road again. We were looking for a fruit stall selling peaches, we'd already stopped and bought plums, cherries and apricots from another roadside stall. We were in Fruitlands, orchard country. Stone fruit and berries in the summer, apple and pears later in the year. We bought a box of peaches that had been on the tree while we were eating our lunch - they were still warm from the sun.

Heading home again, sheep on one side of the road

and cattle on the other, not sure whether they're beef or dairy

 but look quite young.

There weren't a lot of campervans on the road, most people 

travelled home at the weekend I imagine, but we sat behind

 this one for a mile or two.

Crossing the new Beaumont bridge over the Clutha River.

Two horses looking hot in the mid afternoon sun in 

a paddock beside the river.

Look closely and you can see both the old bridge and the new one. The new bridge is only about a year old.

Back through Lawrence, the road heading home :)

A stop at Milton for ice cream, a family tradition when travelling from Central Otago, and only about half an hour from home.

The fruits of our trip. Some still in the fridge and some shared with a friend. Most family have just recently been through so didn't want any.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day out and I hope it's not too long before we do it again :)

That's all for now.

Until next time

Diana

A day trip

 A few days after I got home from my holiday we decided to take a day trip up to Roxburgh to buy some stone fruit. So after breakfast and the essential housework, dishes and beds, we got on the road. It was a good day for travelling and we made good progress. 

Our first stop was a comfort stop at Lawrence where the public toilets are guarded by a statue of a gold miner who seems to be looking to the hills and working out his route.

Then on to Roxburgh where we took a stroll along the main street and did some window shopping. Not a lot of the shops were open in this small rural town, we had travelled on a Tuesday which seemed to be when they closed for the day. But never mind, our favourite cafe was open and we went in for lunch. 

We opted for fresh scones with cream and fresh apricot jam. Fresh as in we were in apricot country and the jam was made from this season's fruit from one of the orchards.

I also browsed the gift shop, the cafe and gift shop are combined, but didn't see anything that took my fancy. 

After lunch it was time to head home, checking out the roadside fruit stalls on the way.

We usually buy enough fruit  to share amongst the family but this time only got enough for ourselves and youngest daughter. Eldest daughter goes through once a fortnight and number one son has just been holidaying up that way.

Just the other side of Lawrence is the site of one of the Chinese goldfield camps. We'd seen the sign several times on our way through on previous years and decided to take a look on our way home. It was disappointing in that there were only a couple of buildings still standing. One was the renovated Joss House, or meeting house, which the locals call the Chinese church, and the old hotel.

Even so the information on the notice boards was very interesting and informative.

That's it for now.

Diana

I have had trouble commenting on your posts 

but hope I have it sorted now.

On the edge

Edge

Balanced on the edge

Loaf

Two grandkids loafing on the couch

Bridge

Chinese opera on a bridge

Mine

Replica mine entrance at a theme park

Black

Yellow lights on a black night

My choice

Beautiful silverback eating popcorn at

Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch

Bellview Wetlands

Back in December eldest daughter held her 50th birthday party at Bellview Wetlands in Lawrence. The wetlands are still being developed and there are walking tracks, picnic areas and a barbecue area for people to enjoy. There are also some old buildings being restored but we never got photos of them although you can see some of them in the background of some of the photos. A lovely relaxing place to visit.

 I'll let the pictures do the talking. Enjoy :)

And to finish off, some of the party goers feeding

the eels in one of the ponds :)

joining Debbie for

friday foto friends

Still 'heading to the caravan'

Last time I wrote about the trail to the caravan 

I think I left you at Ettrick in apple and pear country, 

where we had just had scones and coffee for morning tea.

Drive up the road for just quarter of an hour  and we come

 to the hydro town of Roxburgh in the Teviot Valley.

 This was once a thriving gold field town 

but now has only a small population of approx 750.

If we are leaving home a bit later we usually drive on to Roxburgh for a bite of lunch at one of the local tearooms. 

Like Lawrence it has become a service town and 

a stop for tourists, so has quite a few cafes 

and one or two boutique style shops.

Next door to the tearooms is a little shop I like to go into and browse (ahem). They have some beautiful stuff and I have been known to part with my money and come out with something 

that I like but don't necessarily need. 

Like Christmas decorations in May. Oh well.

The dam was built in the 1950's and is reputably 

a great place for trout and salmon fishing, 

although my GKB has never stopped to find out. 

Back in the car and now we don't stop until 

we get to Alexandra where we sometimes

 stop off to buy a few groceries. This was another major 

gold mining area and has a great museum of the era.

My grandparents were up here in the early 1900's as young marrieds and I remember my grandmother talking 

about the bitterly cold winters and the ground 

being frozen solid to a depth of 3 feet for months on end.

The land in the Teviot and Alexandra areas

 is so dry and barren and I always feel sorry

 for the pioneer women who first came through here.

The clock on the hill was a great marvel when it was first put up, and you can drive up to it and have a great view over the town.

The Clutha river passes through the town, flows on  down to Roxburgh, and has the most volume of water

 in any river in the country. I love the beautiful colour it is. Someone once described it as being turquoise and 

on a good day it is. You can't tell from my photo though.

We're nearly at our destination now but first a detour into Clyde.

This is where my GKB and I sometimes come to buy an ice cream and sit and just be. It is a sleepy little place apart from when it has it's wine and food festival. This is orchard country, stone fruit, with the odd vineyard thrown in for good measure.

A lot of the orginal buildings are still in use, 

like the hotel in the picture above. 

The city fathers have done a good job of 

preserving the historical feel of the old town while there

are also a lot of new homes being built on the outskirts.

Oh, did I mention this is where My GKB and I were married?

In a little stone church just around the corner

 from this street above.

I have a photo of the church, taken just recently,

 but do you think I can find it? No.

Now up the hill, past the Clyde dam and into the gorge. 

Twenty minutes driving beside Lake Dunstan 

and we arrive at our destination. Cromwell.

Set the caravan up, make a coffee and relax.

Orchards, vineyards and the lake on the doorstep 

and only an hour or two driving gets you to

 most of the southern tourist spots if you want to go.

What more do you need?

Well, I hope you've enjoyed your little trip through the gold towns. 

We always do.

Have a good week,

Diana