SCOTT POINT !

Scott Point - obviously!

Today we decided to walk to Casnell Island (Maunganui in Maori)- there is a peninsula with a farm homestead on it, called Scott Point, and when the tide is low you can walk along the causeway to the island in the distance.
Of course, you have to time the tides and be quick!


Map of Scott Point

There is even another island further on called 'Pudding Island' and it looks just like a Christmas pudding sitting in the ocean! The Homestead is actually for rent and this is the view from the front gate..


The view from the Homestead

When we got to the island it was very sheltered and covered in bright red pohutukawa trees!


On Casnell Island - covered with pohutukawa

This is the island as seen from a distance, when we started our walk..


Casnell Island that we walked to!

The history was interesting - 1849 is REALLY old here!


The history of the place

It is similar to the old American Colonial buildings that we saw.


Scott Point Homestead

When we got back to the mainland, we found these signs that reminded us just how far from home we were!!


How far away from home are we??

SHEEPWORLD !

Sophia with a lamb

We've driven past this so many times, that when the wind picked up on our last day, we decided to give it a go.


Girls with Bambi


Oh dear!


It has a Black Sheep Cafe, lamb feeding, sheep shearing (with a difference), deer stroking, llamas, strange coloured ducks, rabbits who follow the lambs around, silkie chickens, live possums and we ended the visit with eel feeding - they don't half have a bite to them!!


Sheep being herded

The sheep shearing was filled with humour and he literally "pulled the wool over her eyes" and after she was shorn she just lay there and had a snooze!


John explaining about his sheepdogs


Dolly the Sheep getting ready to be shorn


Dolly half-shorn

The girls were mobbed by lambs at one point, desperate for their mid-morning feed. The Japanese tourists were utterly delighted but terrified! All the more for us then! Not the best country to visit if you're frightened of sheep!


Feeding the lambs

MATAKANA !

Elvis cow, in the building!

Matakana is wine country and meandering river valleys with stunning coastline. Each time we come here, we explore a different part.


Girls in the gardens

The Matakana Market is filled with little stalls selling whitebait fritters, giant organic olives stuffed with garlic or cheeses, chunky fruit chutneys, jams spilling out of their jars, lemon and lime curds, edible flower salads and frosted cupcake stalls.


At the waterfall

We wandered around listening to the jazz singer, clambered down to the waterfall for a photo and browsed the arts and crafts in the town, being very tempted by the jewellery there.


Matakana River views

We stopped off at a Farmers Market on the way to the beach and discovered some strange cows - Milton Keynes Cows cannot compare! We posed with the Buzzy Bee and Elvis ones!!


Buzzy Bee cow?

Then we headed for Goat Island in the afternoon to do some snorkelling. It was a little bit wavy, the glass bottom boat did a steady trade (I was asked for tickets more than once, could have made some money!)


Goat Island


Greg says he saw an eagle ray (yeah right) and plenty of snapper. Shame we couldn't catch any for our evening barbeque, it's a marine reserve, no fishing allowed!

TAWHARANUI REGIONAL PARK !

Girls at the sign

New Zealand has lots of regional parks, all different, all well worth a visit. This one is quite remote, down a 'gravel' track (really medium sized boulders).


Tawharanui beach and island

It has white sand beaches, caves, good surfing in Anchor Bay and oyster catchers nesting at this time of year.
It's where the rolling green hills, all dotted with the lambs at this time of year, come right down to the white dunes.


Tawharaui cove view

There's a stunning contrast of colours, combined with the blue skies.
We strolled from cove to cove as the tide allowed, picnicked and then did the dune walk.


The dune walk

Similar to a meadow walk, only with the red flowering flax and hundreds of small yellow flowers growing from the dunes.


Flowering flax - the tuis love the nectar!

Views at the top of the dunes were worth the climb.


Made it to the top!


View from the top of the dunes!


Then back to the campsite for some more kayaking!!

SANDSPIT !

Our Campsite!

Went on our first camping expedition of the holidays, with the largest trailer in New Zealand, and both kayaks, to Warkworth.


Girls kayaking in the bay


The weather was gorgeous, with one rainy night, and we were five feet from the beach with drop dead gorgeous views. It's what's called "absolute beachfront".


View from the tent

It is, as the name suggests, a 'spit' of land jutting out into a little blue bay, with sailing boats wafting about. Pohutukawa trees are in full bloom and we set up tent and barbeque...


New Zealand Christmas flower!

CHRISTMAS TREES !

There are a lot of trees in New Zealand and when Christmas comes around there is a competition for the biggest Xmas Tree.
In Hamilton the night sky is sparkling as its giant Christmas tree is switched on nightly.The tree took over 10 days to be assembled.It's believed to be the largest artificial tree in the country, standing at 25 metres and boasting 130,000 lights and 4000 baubles.

Here is one we found - seems pretty big to me, growing by the sides of the lake and decorated with giant baubles.



The 'upside-down Christmas tree' was invented here, as you can see. There is a tree farm in Onehunga that sells these particular trees. You have to ask yourself why - because we're upside-down of course!!

UPSIDE DOWN CHRISTMAS !

Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas;
The snow is not falling and trees are not bare.
Carol the summer, and welcome the Christ Child,
Warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.

Sing of the gold and the green and the sparkle,
Water and river and lure of the beach.
Sing in the happiness of open spaces,
Sing a nativity summer can reach!

Shepherds and musterers move over hillsides.
Finding not angels but sheep to be shorn;
Wise ones make journeys whatever the season.
Searching for signs of the truth to be born.

Right side up Christmas belongs to the universe,
Made in the moment a woman gives birth;
Hope is the Jesus gift, love is the offering,
Everywhere, anywhere, here on the earth.

Carol our Christmas, an upside down Christmas;
Snow is not falling and trees are not bare.
Carol the summer, and welcome the Christ Child,
Warm in our sunshine and sweetness of air.