Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 - Reefton and Blackball

 Although there is a model (re-created) mining town very close to Greymouth, Nadine and I followed the recommendation of a friend and travelled an hour and a half to visit a couple of real mining towns - Reefton and Blackball.

An Old Mining Shack on Main Street, Reefton

The larger, and more developed of the two towns, was Reefton, which had a history of both coal and gold mining. The name of the town derives from a 'reef' of quartz near the town that held the gold that was mined between the 1870's and the 1950's.

The Bearded Mining Company on Broadway, Reefton

We thought it rather peculiar to call a mining company, 'The Bearded Mining Company', but we soon saw why.

One of the 'Bearded Miners' of Reefton

We were greeted by two men, who manage this reconstructed, traditional cedar slab hut, typical of the 1870's huts used by the miners. It is a Rotary project, created in the 1990's to allow visitors to see 'the way things were'. He explained that the gold, although it started as alluvial mining, was a full underground operation, digging into the quartz seam that held the precious metal. 

Gold Flakes in a Quartz Rock

He showed us the type of quartz that was mined, and it was easy to see the fragments of gold in it. He said this was low grade - had more value as a specimen than for the gold it held. He said he found it in an old slag heap, but won't tell interested persons where it was.

The Second 'Bearded Miner' we Met

The other man at this 'living museum' was much more retiring - he held back under the porch and wasn't volunteering any information. I sat beside him and asked if he had been a miner. He said 'no', his Dad wouldn't let him. My follow-up question, of course, was 'Why not?' His response floored me - he said 'Because he was carried home on a plank!' Clearly Dad had either died, or was disabled from his work in the mine. That shut me up and I had no more questions!

One of the stores in Reefton

The main street was charming, with little baskets of flowers hanging from the overhangs, brightening up the space. 

Yet Another Bearded Man! Reefton Sports Store

Lo and behold, when we entered that store, we found yet another bearded man! It must be the 'thing' in this town. He told us that he had recently cut it, as he works for the emergency service (local ambulance) in addition to this job and had to cut his beard back to be able to wear a mask for the ambulance job.

Example of the Underground Mine in Reefton

There was an excellent Visitor Information Center there, which had a 'model' of a mining tunnel. We learned also that Reefton was the first town in New Zealand and the Southern Hemisphere, to have electricity, when the Reefton Electric Light and Power Company built a hydroelectric plant in 1888. It ran from sunset to sunrise, providing light for the town.

Knitting Group at the Visitor's Center

I was thrilled to find a knitting group in action in the Visitor's Center. They said they meet here once a week from 10 am 'til 2 pm. We had a nice chat and agreed that sitting with other women offers a wonderful community experience.

The Town Was Nestled in the Hills
(Note the Gas Price is per liter - so multiply by 3.8 to get price per gallon!)

There is still an operating coal mine nearby, but our visit did not include that, so can't tell you much about it. I understand it is about 5 miles north east and is an open pit mine, so most likely not a pretty site!

The 'Grandest' Building we Saw

As was the case with Greymouth, things were unpretentious. Whatever wealth was created here, did not appear to have been put back into the town with any grand buildings.

This Was the Finest Looking Hotel

This hotel had an 'old world' charm. There are two others in town, but this was the nicest looking in my opinion.

Covered Sidewalk, Reefton

Overall, we found the town charming and were pleased we'd visited.

'Formerly the Blackball Hilton' Hotel

The next little town we visited is a very small town, with a big history. One of the most well known stories relates to this establishment - the 'Formerly the Blackball Hilton Hotel'. Weird name, huh?! It was built in 1910 and happily existed as is for many years, until the Hilton chain of hotels got excited about the use of 'their' name and sued them in the 1990's to make them stop using it. When you consider that the first Hilton hotel opened in 1925, it seems like a bit of moxy on the part of the multinational company.

An Easy Fix!

I loved to see the owner's response - they just slapped the word 'Formerly' to the left of the sign on their upstairs porch, and so now the full name is 'Formerly the Blackball Hilton Hotel'!

Blackball Museum of Working Class History

Next to the hotel was a most interesting outdoor museum, detailing the history of the birth of the Labor Movement here in New Zealand. Although the town began initially as a result of gold mining in the area, coal mining also began in the 1880's. The workers were all employed by the mining company, which owned the entire community. Even if people built their own house, they were required to pay rent to the company.

The Old Blackball Post Office

The houses that still remain are simple, like this old post office. Although the 'company' was owned by British financiers, the town was run by local and loyal agents. Most of the workers came from Britain, Ireland or Australia. They found the climate cold and damp and working conditions far worse than they were accustomed to. They were a long way from home - the voyage taking around 100 days to make by ship! Boys as young as nine were employed to do some of the 'safer' jobs and the miners had to set up their own accident fund and finance the town's doctor. They were forced to work long hours when demand for coal was high, or laid off completely, with no other means of income when demand was low.

'Without Our Brain and Muscle, Not a Single Wheel Can .....(Turn?)'

 It's no surprise that 'disgruntled was the word of the day and it all came to a head in 1908. The spark that lit the fire was the issue of the 15-minute lunch or crib. (Can you imagine being down in a dark mine all day, working with your body the entire time and only having a 15-minute break to have your meal!)

It was on Monday, 27th January, 1908 that the mine manager stood over one of the miners with a watch in his hand and demanded that he return to work when 15 minutes was up. The miner had not yet finished his pie and refused to return to work. He and another miner were fined, but after that every one began taking 30 minutes, so in February, they sacked the original fellow and six others.

This Cartoonist Did Not Have Sympathy for the Strikers!

To cut a long story short, there were many attempts at arbitration, but finally the miners went on strike and were out for three months. At the end, the mining company yielded to their demands and the event puts Blackball on the map as being the birthplace of the New Zealand Labor movement.

Business For Sale

The town is now a shadow of its former self. The mines closed in the 1960's and the town would have died, except that it was discovered by hippies. It seems there was a bit of mismatch between them and the locals, and some buildings were torn down to prevent the hippies from squatting in them. 

Blackball Public Toilets

However, one of the signs told us that were it not for the hippies, the town would not exist today. There are a few stores, including a salami-maker, a cafe and the hotel, with a smattering of houses.

Public Trash Can Cover

We really enjoyed our visit to both these little towns - the experience provided us with a very real look into the suffering of those who built the world as we know it today. I read that retirees have also discovered Blackball and find the affordability of the housing here attractive. I hope it helps this feisty little town stay alive.

Tuesday, January 31st to Wednesday, February 1st, 2023 - Greymouth, West Coast, New Zealand

 

Greymouth - The 'Mouth' of the Grey River is the Gap to the Right.

It appears that this little town of Greymouth was well named, as we have seen no sun since we arrived, other than the briefest of glimmers! It is incredibly unpretentious, even though it is somewhat of a gateway town due to the train and river breaking through the range of coastal mountains here.

Mawhera Quay, Greymouth

This tower and 'sails' at Mawhera Quay were the most elaborate features I found in this little town. The origin story for how the region was created was described on a plaque at this quay on the River Grey.

Maori Origin Story

Normally, when I blog, I interpret signage for you, rather than letting the sign speak for itself. Just posting a picture of a sign seems boring and lazy. However, when you see the full Maori name of this area spelled out at the bottom of the story above, you might forgive me on this occasion. I love the very descriptive and fitting explanation for the hills on either side of the river. They really do look like two butt cheeks spread apart, especially when driving toward them from the east! LOL! I love the earthiness of the explanation - old Tu squatting on the hill!

Greymouth Claims Foundational Importance

Although he town is unpretentious and has little sign of ostentatious wealth, this sign I found reveals pride in its role in the development of New Zealand as a nation. The area drew people to mine coal and gold in the 1860's. Construction of the rail line began in 1880 to carry coal to the more populated areas to the east. The line was not completed until the 1920's when the steep, Otira Tunnel was finished. It was a tough project that bankrupted the company that was building it and the task was finished by New Zealand's Public Works Department. 

Wall Mural Near Mawhera Quay, Greymouth

 As a shipping port, Greymouth had treacherous currents offshore, so there were many shipwrecks. We found no remnants of that shipping history, but did explore a few of the old coal-mining towns about an hour inland - more about that another day.

Viewpoint Along the Great Ocean Road North of Greymouth

Our first outings had us headed north to Cape Foulwind, taking the very beautiful Great Ocean Road.

Viewpoint Along the Great Ocean Road, North of Greymouth

The drive was about an hour an a half, without stops for photos, but what visual delights we found!

Shags on a Rock

These shags were perching on a rock in the distance, most with their head tucked down almost under their wings. It wasn't particularly windy or cold ...... perhaps they were just sleeping.

New Zealand Pigeon - the Kererū

We also saw this rather large bird sitting on a post. We thought it looked like a pigeon and Google confirmed that indeed, New Zealand has their own native pigeon species - the Kererū. We saw him in silhouette, so it wasn't until I processed the photo in my computer that I discovered the lovely soft coloring of its feathers.

The Weka Ruffles His Feathers at Us

Another native bird that has made its acquaintance in many places is the weka. It's a flightless bird about the size of a small turkey and likes to pick up table scraps. We have seen him at picnic spots. This one was at a cafe we stopped at and I loved the way he ruffled his feathers at us. We see them running into the brush and have found them as road kill, too.

An Unruffled Weka

This is what a weka looks like when its not ruffled!

Canada Goose! Really?

I was surprised to see a Canada Goose wandering along a beach on its own. Google tells me that they were introduced to New Zealand in 1905 as a game bird. It's no surprise that they are a pest to farmers, causing crop damage and leaving droppings in places they are not welcomed. Non-hunting New Zealanders don't like them! I thought it unusual to find one on the beach alone - in Fernandina we usually see them in flocks.

Tuaranga Bay - South End of Cape Foulwind

Our primary interest in Cape Foulwind, in addition to testing its name, was to visit a fur seal colony there. The Maori name for them is kekeno.

Where's Waldo?

At first I was a little dismayed - looking out over the grey and black rocks, I feared that 'everyone' was out to sea on a fishing trip. Slowly my eyes were able to discern the occasional grey shape of a seal from the high viewing platform. The colony was not heavily populated and seals were scattered here and there on the rocks. 

Hello There, Little Buddy!

With the help of my 18mm to 300mm zoom, and lots of photo-editing tools, I was able to come up with a halfway decent photo of one that was looking my way, even though I was at least 2-300 feet away.

The Baby Seal Can't Get to His Mother

We enjoyed watching a couple of scenarios between mothers and their babies, This little guy was not able to find a way over the big rock to get to the adult seal which we presumed was mother. She seemed very unconcerned, just lounging on her rock he entire time we watched. The pup tried climbing up to a crevice above her, then seemed to abandon the task as hopeless and instead found a little swimming hole nearby which he splashed around in.

This Little Guy Was More Successful!

The pup in this photo had emerged from the ocean on the opposite side of the promontory. Bit by bit he made his way across to this larger seal which had been sitting near the water. I was pretty happy to capture this 'loving?' reunion in good enough focus to share. We did notice that the pups had darker hair and white spots on their heads.

View From Pancake Rocks and Blowholes at Punakaiki

Another destination worth stopping at was the Pancake Rocks and Blowholes at Punakaiki, also on the Great Ocean Road. It was the most highly developed 'touristy' place we have encountered to date, as there was a cafe and a National Parks Visitor Center, along with a large tour bus.

Thar' She Blows!

There were many blow holes. Not the type that push the water up in the air like a geyser, but more of a horizontal crash. It was lovely hearing all the booms as the waves rolled in to the rock holes and reveal the drama of the surf.

Pancake Rocks

The Pancake Rocks are in the same location as the blow holes and the entire complex is quite extensive. Excellent paths have been built, with bridges over some of the chasms.  You can see how these rocks got their name - they look like huge plates of pancakes! They were really quite a spectacular collection of thin limestone layers interspersed with mudstone. The geological feature is called stylobedding and is 30 million years old. The different layers of rock erode erode at different rates, resulting in this somewhat unique appearance.

Southern Breakwater Viewing Platform, Greymouth

Before leaving Greymouth I went out to their Southern Breakwater, which detailed those who had lost their lives in the oceans, lakes and rivers of the area. Until a flood wall was built in 1988, the river flooded the town on a number of occasions, causing extensive damage. We visited a quilt shop a few miles out of town that had been flooded in 2022, but it appears that it was a local event caused by the nearby creek breaching its walls.

Seagull on the Southern Breakwater

I had hoped to see Hector's Dolphins from the Sothern Breakwater. This is a rare variety of dolphin which is smaller than other species. Unfortunately they were not out that afternoon - all I saw was some kelp across the river that I stared at for a long time in hope that it was really a pod of these dolphins. They have black faces and a dorsal fin shaped like a Mickey Mouse ear, so I thought that would be fun to witness. Instead I enjoyed watching the ubiquitous gulls and rather liked this photo of one perched on the fence with the shadow of a crashing wave in the background!

So with that I leave you - next we go inland to visit a couple of small mining towns.

Thursday, January 26th, to Monday January 30th, 2023 - A Loooong Journey to the Land of the Long White Cloud.

 I spent some time in New Zealand in the early 1970's when I was a University student. Friends of mine were avid outdoors people and had organized a very adventurous backpacking trip which I was invited to join.

In those days, I could not afford the cost of film and printing, so did not have any of my own photos. These images were from friends years later, to give you an idea of the land we traversed back then.

In particular I remember the sting of the cold glacial water during river crossings, the 80-90 lb backpacks laden with several weeks supply and my astonishment on discovering that our first day required a 4,000 ft climb. 

Forgotten River Col, Gateway to Olivine Ice Plateau

At the end of this trip, after traversing glorious woods and forests, slipping up and down steep scree slopes and several days atop a glacier in an igloo we built, I will never forget the profound sense of beauty and awe I felt when sitting under a bivvy rock and reflecting on the view depicted above. It has been a long enduring image in my heart and mind that this land was a 'spiritual home' for me.

Rosemary Porter and me, Canberra, 1960's

So when a long-time friend, Rosemary Porter, contacted me in mid-2022 about the possibility of meeting in New Zealand to sing with a small group of friends for 10 days, I didn't hesitate to decide to return to this glorious isle. When each of my sisters also were keen to meet me here for our first post-Covid time together, it was all on!

Bags were packed, and on Thursday 26th, 2023 (Australia Day) off I went from Jacksonville to Dallas, relishing in the ease of there being no more connections until Auckland, a mere 15.5 hours away. I enjoyed some decent airline food and settled in to my seat in anticipation of sleep for a long night........

Auckland International Airport, January 27th, 2023

............ until five hours out of Dallas, the pilot came over the intercom to announce, in a very measured, calm voice that they had received 'unfortunate news'. Due to severe flooding, the airport in Auckland was closed and we were going to return to Dallas! You can imagine how I felt after flying ten hours and being back in the same place!

The best my airline could offer was an arrival late the following week, which would leave my plan to meet my sister, Nadine in Christchurch completely awry. Happily I had purchased travel insurance, and their concierge service helped me find an alternate route through Sydney, which got me into Christchurch on Sunday night - only 1.5 days later than planned. I felt very fortunate. However, it meant that I would be travelling almost 3 days without a break from airports!

Final Destination - Christchurch

I arrived OK, but my suitcase didn't! LOL! After that journey, somehow I wasn't surprised! It's sort of like childbirth - one gets through it and it becomes a distant memory. 

TranzAlpine Train Route

Of course I was tired, but very pleased that I was able to meet up with my sister, Nadine and head to the TranZalpine train that we had planned for early Monday morning. This train crosses the Northern Alps of the South Island from Christchurch to Greymouth on the west coast. 

TranzAlpine Train, Christchurch Station

Knowing that they had an observation car with no glass had pleased me greatly, so I was keen to get my camera out to capture the beautiful mountains.

Tranzalpine Observation Car in Action

You'd think by now that I should have known that plans and reality do not always match up, so you can imagine my dismay to find that every available spot in the observation car was crammed!

Traffic Jam Eases

Happily, before long the lightweights had left and it became serious business, with people rushing from one side to the other as the scenery changed. There were many tunnels, so the train car was designed to prevent enthusiastic photographers from leaning out too far and getting injured. It was a bit frustrating working around the bars.

Somewhere......

As it turned out, this was not one of my best photography days. I did not accommodate for the speed of the train, and much is blurry. I chalked it up to tiredness! LOL! Sometimes my enthusiasm outweighs my skill - I start clicking without thinking, or checking the results......this was one of those days!

Backpackers Setting Out....

You can imagine my envy as I saw this group of backpackers setting out on their journey. In New Zealand it is called 'tramping' - a great descriptive word in my opinion.

Photo by Nadine Hood's Mobile Phone

One of the best photos of the day came from Nadine's camera, showing the treacherous scree slopes streaking down the mountainside, with the grassy plains at the base. 

The train takes an 8.5 kilometer tunnel to avoid the highest peaks, so there were no snow covered peaks on this day. The Otira tunnel, as it is called, has a 1:33 gradient, and the train staff took it very seriously, closing down the dining car and the observation deck so that passengers were not moving around during the steep descent.

A Delightful Journey

The train ride was a lovely, easy introduction to this land, that feels like a step back in time. The very pleasant 'hostess', was keen to explain every time there was a delay, making sure that we understood that permissions had to be obtained from the signal managers and there were reasons for their stops etc. In particular they made it clear when it was to protect workers on the lines.  It was a great delight to experience such clarity and courtesy.

Things to Look Forward To

However, you can imagine how pleased I was to arrive in Greymouth, get our rental car and settle in to our AirBnB where we will stay for four nights. Just a few steps from the ocean, I was thrilled to see this sign that promises more things to come. I'm keen to run into penguins and seals on my path!

The End of a Long Day in Greymouth.

02/01/2023 UPDATE: My suitcase was delivered this morning. The journey is now complete!