Kiwiana 2006 is a collection of photos, pictures and some information from our latest tour of New Zealand. Between the end of November 2006 and March 2007 we travelled mostly by campervan and covered a lot of territory in New Zealand.
Over the course of nearly 4 months we have walked on an active volcano, seen numerous species of birds and marine mammals, climbed a mountain, been choppered up to Glaciers, walked many trails, rode on tractors/trailers, shot across a river on a wire, sailed the Pacific, rode a bike after 20 years, kayaked, snorkelled, and so much more - a list the length of our arms!!
Nearly all of the activities and tours we have done have been exceptional, but one in particular stood out mostly for its uniqueness. It also rated high on our fun-o-metre and we consider it an absolute "must do":
So first place in our ratings (the creme de la creme) goes to:
Gannet Beach Adventures: Based out at Clifton in the Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand, they are under-rated in the travel guides but we consider this... (... more information below the photos)
Black Reef Gannet Colony An Australasian Gannet prepares for take off at the Black Reef Colony on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Mt Cook New Zealand Mt Cook and the Southern Alps tower above Lake Pukaki in Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Nugget Point Lighthouse Catlins High upon a rocky cliff in the Catlins, New Zealand sits the Nugget Point Lighthouse. |
Penguin Bird Watching Sights A close encounter with a penguin during an evening out bird watching in the Catlins. |
Mt Taranaki Sunset NZ A look across the North Taranaki Bight during sunset to the North Island's second highest peak - Mt Taranaki, New Zealand. |
Ocean Landscape Sunset Picture The Kaikoura Peninsula features a dramatic rocky landscape which fringes the waters of the Pacific Ocean in Canterbury, New Zealand. A beautiful time to visit this area of the peninsula is at sunset. |
Adult Gannet Picture Muriwai Beach Sunset A solitary adult Australasian Gannet perches on a rock cliff overlooking the rest of the colony at Muriwai Beach near Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand during the sunset hours. |
Australasian Gannet Profile Muriwai Beach New Zealand A beautiful profile picture of an Australasian Gannet at its nesting grounds at Muriwai Beach near Aukland on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Colorful Sunset Castlepoint Lighthouse New Zealand The view from the Castlepoint Lighthouse on the North Island of New Zealand is very colorful as the sky is highlighted in an array of hues at sunset. |
Abel Tasman Sea Kayaking Adventure NZ A great family vacation adventure during a visit to New Zealand is paddling the pristine waters of the Abel Tasman National Park during a sea kayaking Tour. |
New Zealand Christmas Oamaru The magic of Christmas is alive as people decorate their homes throughout New Zealand. |
Ocean Picture Wairarapa Coastline NZ A dramatic coastline of rugged rocks, the Wairarapa is shaped by the rough Pacific Ocean as it surges up and down the shoreline and through the Cook Strait of NZ. |
Mission Estate Vineyards New Zealand Acres of lush green vineyards are the main source for the making of some of the best wines produced at the Mission Estate Winery in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. |
Auckland City Night Picture The bright night lights of Auckland sparkle in the after sunset light over the city situated on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Champagne Pool Wai O Tapu Rotorua The piping hot, steaming Champagne Pool always attracts visitors to Wai-o-tapu in Rotorua, North Island, New Zealand. |
Haematopus Unicolor The scientific name for the boisterous Variable Oystercatcher, a sea bird found around the coasts of New Zealand is Haematopus unicolor. |
Yellow Eyed Penguin Portrait A side ways glance by a cute Yellow Eyed Penguin provides a perfect portrait of these rare birds. |
Wildflower Pictures Yellow Tree Lupins are a wildflower which grows in abundance along the roadside in Central Otago. |
Abel Tasman Kayaking Vacation A guided kayaking tour along the Abel Tasman National Park coastline is a must do while on vacation in New Zealand. |
Elegant Decorated Christmas Lights And Tree Scene A beautiful Christmas tree scene on a verandah bordered by elegant wreaths and delicatly draping lights. This delightful Christmas Scene was taken in 2006 at a house in Pukeuri in Otago on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
Beautiful Bird Picture Australasian Gannets Hawkes Bay New Zealand A picture of a pair of beautiful adult Australasian Gannets as they reunite at the Cape Kidnappers bird colony in the Hawke's Bay of New Zealand. Tapping bills is part of their ritualistic greeting. |
Hippopotamus Behavior Auckland Zoo Auckland North Island New Zealand A Hippopotamus opens its mouth wide, and shows off its teeth at the Auckland Zoo in Auckland, on the North Island of New Zealand, a wide open mouth is typical behavior which signals that the animal feels threatened in some way. |
Variable Oystercatcher Ocean Bay Port Underwood South Island New Zealand A Variable Oyster Catcher, also known by its scientific name of Haematopus unicolor, stands up on a rock along the beach at Ocean Bay in Port Underwood in the Marlborough District in the South Island of New Zealand. |
Melting Glacier Ice Effects Of Global Warming New Zealand Part of a melting glacier on Fox Glacier turns into a spectacular blue lake that can been seen from the air on a Mount Cook Spectacular with Glacier Helicopters flight, in Westland, on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
Aerial View Te Pukatea Bay Beach Abel Tasman National Park NZ A beautiful aerial view of the curved sandy beach of Te Pukatea Bay in the Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. The Abel Tasman National Park covers an area of 22,530 hectares and is New Zealand's smallest national park. |
Pacific Ocean Lighthouse Picture Castlepoint Wairarapa New Zealand Facing the various moods of the Pacific Ocean on a daily basis, the Castlepoint Lighthouse situated along the Wairarapa coastline of New Zealand's North Island has been guiding mariners since 1913. |
Wave Picture Pacific Ocean Coastline Catlins New Zealand A spectacular show as a wave rolling in off the Pacific Ocean hits the coastline and splashes high into the air in the Catlins district of the South Island, New Zealand. |
New Zealand Native Trees Coastal Shores North Island Along the coastal shores of a cove at Matai Bay on the North Island of New Zealand, Pohutukawa Trees native to New Zealand show off their beauty while blossoming. |
Beautiful Scenic Waterfall Catlins New Zealand Matai Falls is one of the most beautiful waterfalls and scenic areas to stop at along the Catlins Highway on the Southern Scenic Route in New Zealand. |
Kaikoura Peninsula Aerial Picture South Island NZ An aerial view of the Kaikoura Peninsula and the coastline of the South Island is another way to sightsee and whale watch while visiting New Zealand. |
Bird Family Australasian Gannet Picture An adult Australasian Gannet amongst all the other birds, is very attentive to her chick and tends to her family with great care at the Cape Kidnappers Colony on the North Island of New Zealand. |
East Coast Lighthouse New Zealand The bright light of the Castlepoint Lighthouse guides the way for ships along the East Coast of New Zealand. |
Pancake Rocks Punakaiki New Zealand Sunsets along the lush coastline of Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand are exceptional especially when the rays from the sun glisten off the Pancake Rocks. |
Kaikoura Coast Sunset Fascinating cloud formations of extraordinary hues fill the sky at sunset over South Bay and the Kaikoura Coast on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Sunset Auckland City NZ The largest city of NZ, Auckland has a dense CBD (central business district) with a unique skyline of high rise buildings. The cityscape, which is punctuated by the iconic sky tower, is almost silhouetted against the bright sky during sunset. |
White Island Helicopter Tour New Zealand A helicopter with passengers aboard a tour, lands on an active volcano known as White Island in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand. |
Auckland Harbour Bridge New Zealand The 1021 metre long Auckland Harbour Bridge is a 'landmark' in the City of Sails situated on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Kaikoura New Zealand Pictures The seaside community of Kaikoura is a popular vacation destination for visitors interested in whale watching and great seafood restaurants. |
Christmas Lights Display South Island Christmas lights on display on a residential property in Pukeuri, Otago on the South Island of New Zealand shows some true Christmas spirit. |
Muriwai Gannet Colony Sunset A single gannet situs upon the rock cliff at the Muriwai Gannet Colony near Auckland, New Zealand as the sunset turns another day into a magical evening. |
Penguin Sign Oamaru A Penguin crossing sign along the road in Oamaru, Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Rocky Point Coastline North Island As evening approaches the coastline near Rocky Point on the North Island of New Zealand glistens in the sunset. |
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... as the most fun and informative tour - and we did it twice! As well as visiting the gannets at Cape Kidnappers to watch the antics of these sometimes unsociable and clumsy birds, you are taken along a piece of coastline where layers of sediment have collected over centuries and are now uncovered through tectonic plate movement, all clearly visible. The tours are conducted from old red tractors which pull a small train of flat deck trailers along a beach which changes on a daily basis - and yes there are adventures including bogged tractors and trailers! Be sure to look them up during your next vacation in New Zealand.
March 22, 2007 marks the end of our Kiwiana 2006 tour and we will farewell Aotearoa, God's own, Kiwiland, Down under - but we will be back for sure! The diverse landscape, stunning scenery, culture, and wildlife of New Zealand is simply irresistible.
Make sure to read our daily blog about this tour:
New Zealand Travel Blog - Kiwiana 2006/2007
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Fall Pictures
