|
New Zealand
> Canterbury > South Canterbury
South
Canterbury is about the
eastern geographic centre of the South Island bounded
by the Rangitata River to the north and the Waitaki
River to the south, stretching from the Pacific Ocean
to the Southern Alps with the land ranging from flat
to gentle hill country.
You will find many
delights from Maori rock art and heritage trails to
white water rafting on the Rangatata river. The are
many golf courses, picnic areas and walkways, with
local horse riding and hunting. An Artisan Gallery
and Forge, Temuka Pottery, the Geraldine Vintage Car
and Machinery Museum and wineries.
The region is
reputed as one of the best in the world for
fly-fishing for Rainbow & Brown trout, and salmon
are also abundant.
Timaru is
the principal town and it is from here that two of
the heritage trails begin. The Bullock Wagon Trail
leads the traveller from Timaru to Mt Cook village and
Twizel. By car, this takes about four hours direct
(or it used to take 3 weeks return for a bullock
wagon), but if you take time to explore places along
the way it will take a full day. The strawberry Trail
travels from Timaru to Kurow passing through Waimate
and takes three hours and at least half a day if you
take time to explore. The Pioneer Trail is a circuit
that can be easily picked up at Pleasant Point,
Geraldine or Temuka. This trail takes three hours
without a stop, but again will take at least half a
day to explore.
On the Western side are the foot hills
to The Southern Alps, where there are numerous
walking trails and camping areas from Peel Forest in
the north with the climb to the summit of Mt Peel
(1743 meters) and other trails in the Ben McLeod
Range further west and the Four Peaks Range to the
south which are also assessable from Fairlie. Other
trails lead from Mesopotamia Station into the
Southern Alps. |
