Our morning started out peaceful enough, parked under the shade of a large tree. Our campground near Motupiko was a serene setting with a full set of facilities plus an extensive play area for kids. However, at 10am our peace was shattered by a noisy group of children who'd been transported out to the park-like campground in several cars by parents, obviously for a field trip. They immediately commandeered the merry-go-round and swings, yelling and screaming with glee. That was our cue to move on!
We headed for the pristine Nelson Lakes National Park. Two lakes dominate the National Park namely Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa which are surrounded by beech-clad alpine ranges. The small village of St Arnaud is the main base for the Nelson Lakes National Park and is situated on the shores of Lake Rotoiti. Several short walks are available from here - we chose the 15 minute Bellbird Walk which is a loop track. The Bellbird Walk has several interpretive signs along the way about the beech forest and its inhabitants. And yes, we walked to the beat of the Bellbird's song. The only draw back are little midget flies which just love to take giant bites out of visitor's bare limbs - be sure to smother yourself with insect repellent before heading off on a track!
Moving on we pass by the town of Murchison which was originally founded during the gold rush days of the 1860's although now it is mostly an important base for the farming community. We take a slight deviation towards Christchurch (not our ultimate destination) from here to see the spectacular Maruia Falls which resulted from a massive earthquake in 1929.
Next stop as we head back towards the West Coast (rather than Christchurch) is the exciting Buller Gorge Swingbridge - the longest swingbridge in New Zealand. The bridge crosses over the mighty Buller River and there are several loop walks available once on the other side. We found that the times stated on the track maps are not exactly accurate but a really cool way to finish up the visit is by speeding across the river on the Cometline (you are harnessed in, connected to, and suspended on a cable - go tandem and go faster!! The guy who sets you up in the harness and launches you over the river has some great stories to tell just before you go, about a few accidents which have happened with the ride .... he's joking of course ... we hope ... ha ha??!! It was a lot of fun and we highly recommend it.
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| Title: | Lakes Waterfalls And Gorges Of The South Island From the peaceful Nelson Lakes National Park to flying across a gorge over the Buller River. |
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| Author: | Michelle Coats | ||
| Date: | 14.12.06 - nzk3s4374 Lakes Waterfalls and Gorges |
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