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)
Stalagmites Stalactites Aranui Cave Waitomo Waikato North Island NZ A fascinating series of stalagmites and stalactites are seen at the Aranui Cave at the famous Waitomo Caves in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. |
Dunedin City Railway Station Architecture Otago South Island New Zealand The Dunedin Railway Station, which opened in 1906 in Dunedin City in Otago on the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, is one of the most recognizable buildings in the area. This is the fourth building to serve as the railway station. |
Longest Lake Wakatipu Central Otago Scenery New Zealand The longest lake in New Zealand, Lake Wakatipu in Central Otago is a huge glacier carved canyon etched out around 15,000 years ago then filled with fresh water flowing from surrounding rivers. |
Sand And Waves West Coast Tasman Sea South Island New Zealand A beautiful summer scene of soft sand and the constant waves of the Tasman Sea lapping at the shores of Kohaihai Beach on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. This beach, situated near the town of Karamea, is the start of the famous Heaphy Track. |
Active Volcano White Island Bay Of Plenty New Zealand Situated 48 kilometres off the coastline of the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, White Island is an active marine volcano is also a scenic reserve only accessible by boat or helicopter. |
Fiordland National Park Waterfall Falls Creek Milford Road South Island New Zealand A waterfall, called Falls Creek, cascades over a series of hard rock shelves in a small canyon surrounded by dense native bush along the Milford Road in Fiordland National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Main Divide Mountain Range Southern Alps South Island New Zealand The Main Divide, also known as the Southern Alps, are a ridge of mountains on the South Island of New Zealand which divide the East Coast from the West. The Main Divide is also shared by two national parks: Westland National Park and Mt Cook National Park |
Canterbury Coastline Sunset Kaikoura Range New Zealand A beautiful view from the end of the Kaikoura Peninsula of the Kaikoura Mountain Range towering above the Pacific Ocean coastline during sunset. This region of the Canterbury coastline is world renowned for being the home to the giant Sperm Whale. |
Tasman Sea Coastline West Coast South Island New Zealand Situated 22 kilometres west of the Fox Glacier townsite, the gravely shores of Gillespies Beach face the Tasman Sea coastline on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
South Island Lighthouse Coastline Picture Nugget Point New Zealand Set on a rocky headland in the Catlins district along the East Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, the Nugget Point Lighthouse faces the Pacific Ocean along a rocky stretch of coastline. |
Little Shag Picture Catlins Highway Otago South Island New Zealand These birds, commonly known as 'Little Shag' can also be known by the name of Little Pied Cormorant in Australia. This bird is commonly seen along the Catlins Highway near water in Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Bird Species Of New Zealand Spur Winged Plover Pied Oystercatcher South Island Two birds native to New Zealand, the Spur-Winged Plover, and the Pied Oystercatcher, forage at the water's edge in an estuary near Hinahina, which is along the popular Southern Scenic Route on the east coast of the South Island in New Zealand. |
Australasian Gannet Sea Birds Hawkes Bay New Zealand Australasian Gannets hang out on a cliff-top colony together at Cape Kidnappers, which is located in the Hawkes Bay on the North Island of New Zealand. Adults of this species can be identified by their white bodies with dark wing tips and yellow heads. |
Volcano Landscape White Island North Island New Zealand Sulphur and other minerals can be seen on the landscape of White Island; an active volcano in the Bay of Plenty on the East Coast of the North Island in gorgeous New Zealand. This is an active composite volcano which has occasional eruptions. |
Bridal Veil Falls Waikato Waterfall North Island New Zealand Bridal Veil Falls in New Zealand is a beautiful natural waterfall that is a popular tourist destination for nature lovers and fitness lovers alike. It is located in the Waikato area of the North Island of New Zealand. |
Bridal Veil Falls Skippers Canyon Waterfall South Island New Zealand The powerful falls known as Bridal Veil Falls can be seen here from Skippers Road, in Skippers Canyon and is popular tourist destination for visitors to the South Island of New Zealand. |
Beautiful Waterfall Kapuni Stream Egmont National Park New Zealand Dawson Falls empties into Kapuni Stream below as seen from the Kapuni Loop Track, which is one of many trails located in the famous Egmont National Park, in Taranaki, in the North Island of New Zealand. The park gets many visitors every year. |
Beautiful Marokopa Falls Waikato Waterfall New Zealand Marokopa Falls is a large, grand waterfall in the Waikato region of New Zealand. It is known for its natural beauty, cool, clean water and rich green vegetation that grows around the waterfall. |
Maruia Falls West Coast Waterfall South Island New Zealand Maruia Falls can be seen in the distance across the clear water and rocks of Maruia River. This is part of the Maruia Falls Scenic Reserve, which is near Murchison, a small town on the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand. |
Hookers Sea Lion Waipapa Point South Island New Zealand A Hookers Sea Lion, native to New Zealand, relaxes on the beach at Waipapa Point along the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail, which is part of the Southern Scenic Route in Southland, the South Island of New Zealand. |
Aerial View Sperm Whale South Island Coast New Zealand An aerial view of a Sperm Whale as it swims along the surface of the water during a Whale Watching flight with 'Wings over Whales'. This flight took place from Kaikoura, Canterbury on the East Coast of the South Island in New Zealand. |
Cute Penguin Picture Catlins Forest South Island NZ A cute Yellow Eyed Penguin walks along the rocks in the Catlins Forest at the Petrified Forest, located in Porpoise Bay and Curio Bay in Otago, on the South Island of New Zealand. These penguins are a native species there. |
Nestor Notabilis Kea Bird Darran Mountains Fiordland New Zealand A Cheeky Kea, proper name Nestor notabilis, takes a closer look at a car antenna in the Fiordland National Park, which is located along the Milford Road near the Homer Mountains in the South Island of beautiful New Zealand. |
Native Yellow Eyed Penguin Bird South Island New Zealand A Yellow-Eyed Penguin, a native marine bird of New Zealand, makes it way to nest near the Fossil Forest at Curio Bay, on the Southern Scenic Route of the South Island. The Fossil Forest is found in the Catlins district of the South Island. |
Sky Tower Silhouette Auckland City New Zealand Sunset A section of Auckland City including the Sky Tower forms an imposing silhouette against the sunset as seen from the Mount Victoria Reserve and Lookout, situated in the suburb of Devonport on the North Shore, New Zealand. |
Adventure Sea Kayaking Abel Tasman National Park New Zealand A paddle in the Anchorage Bay Lagoon completes a full day of sea kayaking adventure on the waters of the Abel Tasman National Park on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Tasman Sea Pukearuhe Historic Reserve Taranaki New Zealand The waves from the Tasman Sea surge along the black sand beach before reaching the white cliffs at the Pukearuhe Historic Reserve situated along the coast of Taranaki on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Ripiro Beach Picture Seagulls Tasman Sea New Zealand Two seagulls wander the compacted sandy shores of Ripiro Beach at Glinks Gully on the North Island of New Zealand while a motorcyclist rides near the surf of the Tasman Sea. |
Sun Picture Waitemata Harbour City Of Auckland New Zealand Brillant yellow fills the sky as the sun hangs above the Waitemata Harbour and central business district in the city of Auckland, New Zealand's largest metropolitan situated on the North Island. |
First Church Interior Dunedin City Otago New Zealand In stark contrast to its exterior design, the interior of the First Church of Otago is more along the lines of Colonial styling. This grand church is situated in the city of Dunedin, New Zealand and was designed by NZ's most eminent architect RA Lawson. |
Highway 6 New Zealand State Highway 6 or Glacier Highway is the longest state highway on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Roadside Sign Central Otago Lake New Zealand Along the roadside to Lake Hawea in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand, a sign warns travellers to slow down due to the winding road. |
New Zealand Fur Seal Pup Wairarapa New Zealand A cute New Zealand Fur Seal Pup sits alone on the rocks at the Cape Palliser Seal colony in Wairarapa on the North Island of New Zealand. |
Beautiful Castlepoint Sunset Wairarapa New Zealand Situated on a spit of land which separates the mighty Pacific Ocean from a small lagoon, the Castlepoint Lighthouse keeps watch over the Wairarapa coastline and is a beautiful place in New Zealand to watch a glorious sunset. |
Ripe Apricots Orchard Trees Central Otago An orchard of apricot trees near Roxburgh in Central Otago, New Zealand has branches full of ripe apricots reading for harvesting. |
Commercial Fruit Picker Apricot Tree Central Otago A commercial fruit picker spends days picking each apricot from the tree in an orchard near Roxburgh in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Apricot Shipping Crate Central Otago Orchard A wooden shipping crate is used during harvest time to aid the commercial picker in the orchard near Roxburgh in Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand. |
Commercial Apricot Picker Central Otago New Zealand A commercial apricot picker starts his day with his helpful machine and makes his way through the orchard near Roxburgh in Central Otago, New Zealand picking all the ripe fruit. |
Apricot Trees Orchard Roxburgh Central Otago NZ An orchard full of apricot trees decorates the landscape near the town of Roxburgh in Central Otago on the South Island of NZ. |
Lake Ngakoro Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland New Zealand Along the Ngakoro Loop Track at the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland on the North Island of New Zealand, visitors can look over the green hues of Lake Ngakoro. |
Devils Bath Waiotapu Thermal Wonderland New Zealand The luminous green water in Devil's Bath at the Wai-o-tapu Thermal Wonderland on the North Island of New Zealand is surrounded by the volcanic landscape. |
Rainbow And Cascade Terrace Ferns Orakei Korako New Zealand An array of color fills the Rainbow and Cascade Terrace in Orakei Korako on the North Island of New Zealand while bright green ferns flourish along the banks. |
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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
