Oterehua–Hayes Engineering

This morning we are departing Naseby for the Hayes Engineering POP in Oterehua.   A quick look around the old buildings in Naseby before we left.   This little town seems to be frozen in time and certainly gets frozen in Winter !

Naseby’s Old Buildings in the Main Street

The first photo stop after Naseby was the historic old Railway Station and goods shed at Wedderburn.   These have been immortalised in a painting by Grahame Sydney  called “July on the Maniatoto”   The Goods shed was returned to the old site through Wedderburn people power and restored to it’s former state.

The Goods Shed and Station at Wedderburn

Further on a few hundred meters was the old Wedderburn Hotel, a lovely stone building.

Next stop was Gilchrist General store in Oterehua,  we had stopped for some batteries for Paulines camera and thought we had stopped in a museum.   The store still operates with modern goods but the shelves are littered with tins and potions from the bygone era.

Gilchrists General Store

On then to our overnight stop at the Hayes Engineering complex just down the road.   Hayes engineering was established on this site in 1895 when Ernest Hayes began to manufacture tools and agricultural implements.   He established a workshop that was to become Hayes Engineering Works.   In 1910 he built his first windmill to produce power for his workshop.

Hayes Engineering and One of His Windmills  

An ingenious system of belts, shafts and pulleys was built to drive the machinery and still works to this day.

The Old Battery Charger                     The Forge

The windmill was replaced in 1927 by a pelton wheel.    One of his early inventions was the Hayes wire strainer the first model being produced in 1902 right through to 1912 when an improved model was introduced and once again in 1924 with a worldwide market.

Also on site is the original Hayes Homestead which has been furnished with period furniture and goods.

The Hayes Homestead

Ernest Hayes wife Hannah was the “Sales Rep” for the company touring the area by bicycle along gravelled roads and up and down the quite severe hills around the area.

Into the Maniatoto

Were heading into the hills today with our ultimate destination being Naseby some 600 metres above sea level.   The road from Dunedin to our 1st stop in Middlemarch about 66km from Dunedin was all uphill and more like a roller coaster than a highway.   A quick coffee stop at Middlemarch and we continued on our way to Naseby stopping briefly at Ranfurly for a look around.

 

John Turnbull Thomson the first surveyor-general in New Zealand

We had a look through the iSite which is situated in the old Ranfurly Station building.   The Ranfurly Railway station was built to transport farm produce and people from isolated inland Otago to the Port City of Dunedin.   Until 1898 Ranfurly didn’t exist, the closest places were Eweburn and Naseby both about 9km away and they were considered to far from the rail route so Ranfurly was surveyed into existence.   A township created to meet the train.   The 1st train arrived on 1st December 1898with people and supplies and overnight Ranfurly became the hub of the Maniatoto.

 The Former Ranfurly Station

Continuing to Naseby where we had booked in to the Larchview Holiday Camp.   As soon as we had eaten some lunch Pauline and I headed off for our main reason for coming here – the only indoor curling rink in NZ.    A quick DVD and a lesson from the onsite tutor, jackets on ! and out on to the ice.   A little chilly to say the least.This was real good fun as I thought it would be and apart from the cold and slippery surface
has a striking similarity to lawn bowls, a sport we have both played.

.

          I try to deliver the stone                         Pauline trys to Sweep it Out !

Railway to Gold Tour

Today were off on a trip recommended by friends and one we have been looking forward to.   The Railroad to Gold tour operated by the Taieri Gorge Railway takes in a train journey on the Seasider up the Coastal route from Dunedin to Palmerston we then transfer to a bus operated by Oceana Gold Tours for a 2 hour tour of the Macraes Flat Gold mine, preceded by lunch at a country pub and followed by afternoon tea.    We are then driven back to meet the Taieri Gorge train for the journey back through the Taieri Gorge to Dunedin.   A full on day.

The day was miserable weather wise, something we couldn’t control , and we arrived in plenty of time at Dunedins beautiful station.

We found our seats and the train departed right on time at 0930 foe the trip around the edge of Otago Harbour, past Port Chalmers and along the coast past Seacliff , Waikouaiti and Goodwood (the scene of the last spike ceremony when the

Christchurch to Dunedin line was joined in 1878).   We continued on to Palmerston where our bus was waiting for us.

Lunch was at the old Highwayman Hotel in Dunback before the bus took us the halfhour journey to Macraes Mine.   Unfortunately the rain continued and as we moved up in to the hills so did the mist.   The mine, which is the largest in New Zealand is  open cast and has a massive hole dug into the hillside.

   The largest pit in NZ                       Caterpillar 785C Dump Truck

Each of the Caterpillar 785C trucks can haul 190tonnes per trip and run 24 hours a day.   Their tanks hold 3000 litres of diesel and use 1 tank full in a 12 hour shift.   The processing plant which has cutting edge technology uses a unique processing system needed for the low grade ore available in this area.   Only 1 gram of gold is extracted from each truck load of ore.    We were taken down to the historic site where the early miners lived and worked, a bleak windswept valley which gets down to –12 deg in winter.  

The miners and their families lived in tiny one bedroomed huts with up to 7 people in them and blasted and hand dug the ore  for crushing in the on site battery stamper.

            Miners Cottage                                   Battery Stamper

Back to historic Stanley’s Hotel for afternoon tea and then the 1 hour drive to pick up the train from Pukerangi Station.

The journey back through the Taieri Gorge has to be one of the great train journeys of all time.   The train winds it’s way along the banks of the gorge with magnificent cliffs on either side and the fast flowing river and rapids down below.

Over the Viaduct

A quick stop at Hinton Station where there is a monument to the Collie dog

and we were away again continuing down the Gorge.

Across the Viaduct

Our trip ended back at Dunedin Railway Station at 6:30pm after a real long but enjoyable day.

Steep Prices–Even Steeper Street !

Off sightseeing again today and we decided to drive the length of the Peninsula just to have a look.   Beautiful sunny day again but we did notice the increased wind flow in Dunedin compared to Mosgiel which seems to enjoy its own micro climate.

Our advice was to go down the right hand side of the peninsula so we programmed the GPS for Portobello and set off.   On the way we noticed this interesting sculpture display obviously honouring the dental school here in Dunedin.

Brushed Your Teeth Today ?

We couldn’t actually find any information on the background to the sculptures so carried on our way in ignorance.

The route to Portobello took  us right along the top of the hills and wound up and down along quite narrow roads until we arrived at the signpost to Larnach Castle.   We thought of driving in to have a look until we saw the sign on the gate with adults at $27 dollars each for entry and even $15 just to drive and see the outside.    We did a U turn around the ticket keepers hut, he didn’t seem surprised at our turnaround and I think with those prices he sees it quite often!

Next stop was the Royal Albatross Centre at Tairua Head. 

We had a look at the informative displays inside and asked if we could make our own way to the hilltop for a look at the Albatross Colony.   No! was the answer but you can join a guided tour for $50 each !!   That decision didn’t take long and we left on our way back, stopping on the way for a picnic lunch at one of the many bays along the coastal route back.

A quick drive around the inner city following as best we could the route of the tour bus yesterday to let Dot and Derek see some of the city, and then along to see Baldwin Street (the Worlds Steepest Street) again.   The street is rated at 1:2.86 a Guiness World Record!

There was no intention to do anything but take a photo and move on but friends Gill and John back in Wellington had said “you’ve got to do it” so I set off slowly followed by Pauline, Derek and then Dot.  How mad were we ?  between us we had two heart conditions, one asthmatic and Pauline who is booked in for a hip replacement.

Anyway we slowly made our way to the top of the street not a lot slower than a bunch of young german tourists and stopped for a drink of water and to admire the view from the top.   On my way up I met the local postie on his way down the hill delivering mail and asked him who he had pissed off at work to be given this run !   He was happy to reply that he didn’t have to walk up as he came in from the adjoining street and only walked down.

View from the Top

Pauline “Supporting” Dot

A quick trip back to the Octagon to see Robert Burns statue(a Dunedin Icon) 

and we were ready to return to camp for a cuppa tea and a lie down !!

Sightseeing in Dunedin

A long day of sightseeing today after I scraped the ice (yes ice) off the roof of the car.  Luckily a very nice sunny day followed.   1st stop wa s the Cadburys World tour which promised much but fell a little short.

In Front of “Crunchie Mountain”           Early 1000 litre milk tanker

Though interesting to listen to the guide about chocolate production we didn’t see much of any chocolate being produced, apart from some goods being packed.   We did get a few samples and certainly the kids on the tour did well !

Straight up the road then to the Speights Brewery for their tour .

Origin of the term “Skulling” -  where beer was quaffed from the skulls of the vanquishedT

This was a much more interesting tour and after a talk on the history of brewing, we were taken up to the eighth floor and followed the production from the materials storage right down the floors to the final brewing process.

 Swappin hats with James Speight the Speights Brewery founder

View of the brew room

The tour ended up with a tasting in the bar where we left to help ourselves for 30 mins to try each of their beers on tap.  

Pauline pulls a pint

After some lunch we decided to try out a 1 hour City Bus tour on a double decker.   This was interesting as we were the only kiwis on board and the driver was very good at taking the mickey out of the rest of the passengers (all Aussies).   Some lovely old buildings and a good talk on Dunedin’s history.

             Harbour View                                Otago Boys High

Down the road to Baldwin Street the worlds steepest street no point in photographing  it as it doesn’t do it justice.   The fastest time by an amateur racer at the annual gut buster race was clocked at 1min 56 Sec.   The other fun event for Baldwin Street is the Giant Jaffa race where numbered giant jaffas are purchased for $2 each and dumped from the back of a truck at the top.  1st Jaffa to the bottom wins!

Last stop was the Railway Station where we both left the tour as it was near our car park.

The Bus at Dunedin Rail Station

Into Dunedin

Rain overnight and woke up to a cold drizzly morning in Palmerston.   Were off to Dunedin todays where it is supposed to get the regions highest temp 15degrees !!

A quick look around Palmerston (not a lot there) while Pauline went to the pharmacy to get something for her sore throat.   We have both managed to pick up colds which will hopefully disappear soon.   A nice replica of a gold miners cottage on the main street.

Out to Mosgiel where we are staying at the A & P showgrounds complex where we can all get power and there are showers, toilets and a laundry available.   Once set up and the laundry done we travelled the 16km back in to Dunedin City to book ourselves on the Cadburys and Speight factory tours tomorrow.   Should be good.

Had a quick look at Dunedin’s iconic Railway Station to check that our booking for the Railroad to Gold train trip was in place.   This is an all day rail trip up along the coast to Palmerston  by bus to Macraes Gold mine for a tour, then bus to Middlemarch to catch the train back to Dunedin through the Taieri gorge.

We are looking forward to this trip which friends have said is well worthwhile.

Dunedin Railway Station and Booking Hall