LAKE HAWEA FROM THE DECK AND CLOSE ENVIRONS

Some snaps of the different moods of the lake. Evening rain over the lake.

The first sign of snow on the moutains. Dawn from the road. Low cloud.

7.15am

The last of the sun.

The evening sun like really early in the evening.

HAWEA HOUSESIT

Just a few snaps around what has been our home for the month of April.

What is she watching? Don't ask!

Going over roads covered on the days adventure.

Post work beer.

Path to main entrance

Drive where I had sucked all the leaves up 24 hours ago.

Entrance

Always got to have a picture of Towa

Just one of many great views in the garden.

Fatima, our main responsibility.

Early morning visitor IN our bed.

ARROWTOWN/QUEENSTOWN

Filling up at Cardrona at a shilling a gallon (I wish).

Looking down on Autumn colours from Crown Range

A Crown Range lookout, note buildings below in centre of picture. I could not bring myself to walk out on the path, seemed to suffer a bout of panic stricken vertigo!!

Some of the original Arrowtown buildings (above) and we were impressed that the even more recent buildings have maintained the style and character of the gold rush era.

The only thing I took in Queenstown was of the "Earnslaw" above as we weren't very impressed with the place, may as well live in Auckland as that is what it reminded us of!

Called into AJ Hacketts and watched a few people spend $100 very quickly on a bungee jump.

CROMWELL

We had a day in Cromwell spending most of our time in Old Cromwell Town which contains buildings that were either saved or reconstructed after part of the town was flooded in 1992 to form Lake Dunstan as part of the hydro power scheme.

This was the day we woke up to the news that the North Island was been devastated by heavy rain and lightning storms with the subsequent fatal tragedies. Almost unbelievable to us when you see the weather we are experiencing although today is a bit bleak and cold and the forecast is for possible snow on the mountains tomorrow.

Cromwell with highest peak being Mt Difficulty (1285m) which we went to the top of in a 4 wheel drive during the van rally.

The track we climbed to the old reservoir (note small white figure in centre of picture)

Old Cromwell Town

Easily thrilled! Why bungee jump when a swing will do.

Lunch stop John Bulls Creek, eastern side of Lake Dunstan.

Lake Dunstan

Bendigo Station, just one small part of the vineyards.

One horse, big country.

Bendigo

AND ON THE SECOND DAY

Kidds Bush

Lake Hawea Lookout Haast Highway

Lake Wanaka from Haast Highway Lookout

Kidds Bush down to Haast Highway (note snow capped peak centre background).












This morning it was up the Haast Highway on the western side of Lake Hawea for about 25k to view Lake Wanaka from the north. This area referred to as The Neck is the narrow piece of land between the two lakes. From there we back tracked a little and then followed a metal road for about 6k which brought us to Kidds Bush Reserve near the northern end of Lake Wanaka.




We did a half hour tramp through the bush and then headed for an afternoon at home, which presently is our housesit in Lake Hawea township.

ON OUR FIRST DAY OFF

The intrepid little "Towa"

If it's too deep we just lift her over.

Fishing cribs

Rock fall off mountains, me centre right.

Timaru Creek with Lake Hawea township on distant shore.

Early autumn colours, Dingleburn Station

Silver Island, as far as we can go. From here on the it is private road through Dingleburn Station.

On suggestion from the locals we did a 20k trip up the eastern side off Lake Hawea to Timaru Creek and and a little further on to the entrance to Dingleburn Station as you maybe able to see from the photos the weather was brilliant as seems to be the norm down here at present and the scenery again was absolutely awesome.

WORKIN' IN WANAKA

Doin' a unit

One down and many more to go

Cleanin' the kitchen

Rubbish run, here I am usually assisted by my sometimes smelly wife.

Lunch, the days work is almost done.

We have landed a job at a motel and campervan complex in Wanaka working about 4 to 5 hours a day and plan to winter over here if all goes well as there is a lot we can see and do from here on our days off.

Here are a few pics of what our days of work are like. We also do a bit of gardening in the afternoons if we so wish and I do have an hour each morning irrigating the numerous gardens and trees around the complex.