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)
Kaka Bird Picture An endemic bird to New Zealand, the Kaka dwells mostly in the depths of the forest throughout the country. |
Maori Games Wairakei Terraces A demonstration of Maori games at the Wairakei Terraces near Taupo on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Pohutukawa Trees North Island Brilliant red flowers blossom on the Pohutukawa trees that flourish along the banks of Maitai Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Beach Trips New Zealand Trips with Gannet Beach Adventures is an interesting way to explore Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Stratovolcano Ngauruhoe Tongariro National Park New Zealand is home to Mount Ngauruhoe which is a type of volcano known as a stratovolcano. |
Paradise Te Pukatea Bay South Island NZ Te Pukatea Bay is a paradise for any visitor to Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Waikato Marokopa Falls New Zealand The Marokopa Falls in Waikato on the North Island of New Zealand cascade over the rocky ledges. |
Dunedin Railway Station Otago The historic Dunedin Railway Station in Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Cape Palliser Coast New Zealand Cape Palliser is a vision of beauty along the Southern Wairarapa coast on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Kaikoura Peninsula Sunset New Zealand Unique rock formations are part of what makes Kaikoura Peninsula in New Zealand a radiant place to be at sunset. |
Australasian Gannets Colony Adult and their young are part of the colony of the Australasian Gannets in Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Castlepoint Lighthouse Sunset Photo Castlepoint Lighthouse shines at sunset as the sky turns incredible colors over the Wairarapa Coast on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Kaikoura Peninsula Canterbury Visiting Kaikoura Peninsula in Canterbury on the South Island of New Zealand at sunset is a breathtaking experience. |
Pictures Of Volcanoes New Zealand Pictures of the snow covered volcanoes of Mount Egmont-Taranki in New Zealand are spectacular at sunset. |
Taranaki Coastline New Zealand Far from the beaten track was this pull out along the North Taranaki Bight Coastline on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Russell Lupin Picture Fiordland The roadside is ablaze with colour as the Russell Lupins bloom from early to mid summer in Fiordland National Park. |
Russell Lupin Flowers Thousands of Russell Lupin flowers create a carpet of colour waving gently in the breeze along the Milford Road in Fiordland National Park, New Zealand. |
South Island Sunset New Zealand A threatening sunset of fascinating colors near Hopewell in Kenepuru Sound on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Destination Kaikoura New Zealand A clear day at the popular holiday destination of Kaikoura along the east coast of the South Island, New Zealand |
Gillespies Beach Art Sunset West Coast New Zealand A beautiful sand and pebble beach on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, Gillespies Beach is fringed by the rugged Tasman Sea and sand dunes - an art inspiring location no matter what the medium or time of day from sunrise to sunset. |
Coastal Wave Action Curio Bay South Island New Zealand Waters crashing against the Fossil Forest reef along the shore of Curio Bay on the South Island of New Zealand, create magnificently memorable coastal wave action scenery enjoyed by nature loving tourists. |
Abel Tasman Coastal Scenery Kayaking South Island New Zealand Kayakers take a rest along the Abel Tasman National Park beach front in the South Island of New Zealand. Sea kayaking is a popular tourist activity that offers spectacular views of the gorgeous coastal scenery of the park. |
Beautiful Mount Taranaki Coastal Scenery West Coast North Island NZ Dusk paints an orange glow over beautiful Mount Taranaki or Mount Egmont, which sits at the heart of Egmont National Park and dominates the coastal scenery of North Island, West Coast, New Zealand. |
Chasm Milford Sound Fiordland National Park New Zealand The Chasm in the Darran Mountains is found in Fiordland National Park along the Milford Road in Fiordland on the South Island of New Zealand. It has been described as an almost magical place due to the power of the water. |
Kite Boarding Recreation Orewa Beach North Island New Zealand Kitesurfing, also known as kite boarding is a common activity on beaches such as the one here in Orewa, which is north of Auckland on the North Island of New Zealand. This is a sport that requires lots of good wind, so here is a prime location. |
Mussel Farm Kenepuru Sound Waitaria Bay Marlborough Sounds New Zealand The ropes and buoys that can be seen on the surface of the water is a muscle farm in Kenepuru Sound near Waitaria Bay in Marlborough on the South Island of New Zealand. Aquaculture is a huge part of New Zealand's industry. |
Cape Foulwind Sunset Coastal Scenery Tasman Sea West Coast New Zealand Cape Foulwind is near Westport on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is a gorgeous place of exquisite coastal scenery, especially at sunset like in this picture - the sky is all soft colors, but the rocks here can be very dangerous. |
Cape Kidnappers Coast Pacific Waves Hawkes Bay New Zealand The constant waves of the Pacific Ocean wash along the coast of Cape Kidnappers as seen from the Australasian Gannet Colony in Hawkes Bay on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. This area has an interesting name and its own place in history. |
Black Sooty Mould Fungus Nelson Lakes National Park New Zealand Colourful leaves stand out against the Black Sooty Mould Fungus along the Bellbird Walk at Lake Rotoiti in Nelson Lakes National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. This black fungus is a black coating along the surface. |
Large Kauri Tree Trounson Kauri Park Northland New Zealand A large Kauri Tree that is about 1,200 years old towers above the forest floor of the Trounson Kauri Park, in Northland on the North Island of New Zealand. The height to the first branch is 7.6 metres and the diameter is about 3.5 metres. |
Skippers Canyon Queenstown Central Otago New Zealand Skippers Canyon near Queenstown in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand is a popular tourist destination and a place where people travel to experience some of the adventure that New Zealand has to offer in its wilderness. |
Snowcapped Mt Aspiring National Park South Island New Zealand The Majestic Mt Aspiring is found in Mt Aspiring National Park on the South Island of New Zealand and is one of the highest mountain ranges in the whole country. It is also a popular mountain to climb and many come here just to do that. |
Dusky Dolphin Watching Tour Encounter Kaikoura New Zealand Dusky Dolphins jump and play in the water around the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand as seen during a dolphin watching tour with Encounter Kaikoura, a tour company based out of Kaikoura, New Zealand. |
Hectors Dolphins Akaroa Harbour Banks Peninsula Wildlife Canterbury New Zealand Two Hector's Dolphins cruise the waters of the Akaroa Harbour of the Banks Peninsula in Canterbury on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. These dolphins are the most well-known in the Cephalorhynchus genus. |
Young Australasian Gannet Cape Kidnappers Hawkes Bay New Zealand A Young Australasian Gannet, proper name Morus serrator, is only six to eight weeks old in this photograph and is shown with an adult Australasian Gannet. These birds are found in Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Blue Sky Above Crown Range Road Central Otago South Island New Zealand The blue sky is clear and bright with just a few clouds dotted above the Crown Range Road in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. This road is very well-known in New Zealand among travellers and is a very popular spot. |
Swingbridge Buller River West Coast South Island New Zealand The swingbridge across the Buller River on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand is the longest in the whole of New Zealand and is a popular tourist attraction for visitors looking for a thrill. |
Mission Bay Waitemata Harbour Auckland City North Island New Zealand An oasis in the city of Auckland on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour, Mission Bay is a suburb to the East of the city. Beautiful pohutukawa trees line the sandy beach separating the beach from the grassy area of the reserve. |
Apricots Fruit Central Otago South Island New Zealand There's nothing quite like the taste of fresh picked apricots, eaten straight from the tree. Central Otago is a region on the South Island also known as the fruit basket of New Zealand, an area which produces fresh, plump stone fruit and crisp apples. |
Northern Royal Albatross Taiaroa Head Colony Otago South Island New Zealand A Northern Royal Albatross, proper name Diomedea epomophora sanfordi, part of the Taiaroa Head Colony, flies high in the sky over the Otago Peninsula near Dunedin in Otago on the East Coast of the South Island in New Zealand. |
Morus Serrator Australasian Gannets Cape Kidnappers New Zealand Preening one another is a common social practice in the world of Australian Gannets, also known as Morus serrator, especially straight after a reunion of a pair. This species of gannet is also known as Takapu in the Maori language. |
Waipoua Kauri Forest Tourist Attractions Northland New Zealand The Waipoua Forest is a forest which protects one of the best and last remaining tracts of Kauri Trees in New Zealand. Several massive Kauri Trees are among the popular tourist attractions of this forest in Northland on the North Island of New Zealand. |
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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
