Up coming four wheel drive trip fundraiser ~ weekend of 6-7 March 2010

For perhaps near on 20 years my cousin Mike and a handful of enthusiastic friends in North Otago Search and Rescue have pioneered organising 4 wheel drive trips [drive your own] all over the remote areas of Otago. Apparently they've guided about 7500 vehicles over this time, and that'd equate to well over 14,000 people!

Since permission from high country farmers is hard to organise [finding out who owns what], and there are so many complex routes and tracks, they're very popular with the public - you pay your money and rock on up. They're not all about pitting one's vehicle against the terrain either, but about enjoying a day out in the hills. I like to sign up to see remote areas myself, and like to be the tail ender helping shut gates etc..

This autumn [best season - good traction means no damage to terrain, vehicles or nerves] Mike invited me and my camera on the pre runs which are right on my back door step, and as I prefer to ride with him to catch up in a brotherly way, rather than drive myself, we talked about trying a blog to see if it'd be useful for folk who are contemplating coming, to see a few photos.

So below is all the guff for anyone keen and a selection of photos made last weekend during the recce. of the two trips offered on the Sat. and Sun. of the weekend 6-7 March 2010.

Actually re-post to a different blog [btw I use MarsEdit to blog - it's Mac and marvellous, and I can post about 4 times faster than in blogger, to numerous destinations]

Day One: Dunstan Mountains - from Cromwell Gorge to Thomsons Gorge road via Leaning Rock.

Dunstan tops...


Lake Dunstan...


Leaning Rock...


Track up to Leaning Rock...


Arriving at Leaning Rock...


Gentian...


Past Leaning Rock...

Recce crew has lunch...




Stamper Battery Thomsons Gorge...


Trip ending at Northburn Station Vineyard...




Day Two: Pisa Range - southern end.

On the tops at 1900 mts...


Possible morning tea stop in this ancient glacial cirque...


Looking across at the Dunstans and Leaning Rock...


Fragile alpine bog...


Looking towards Roaring Meg country...

Fragile vegetation abounds...








Register 8 to 8.30 am for a 9 am start each day at the Cromwell sports grounds on Alpha St.

Cost $35 per adult per day. Under 16 no charge. Deposits to John Simpson, 6 Forth St.. Oamaru. Chqs. made out to N.O.S.A.R.

No dogs allowed.

For Sat. night we recommend the Cromwell Top 10 Camping Ground ph 0800 107 275, and is very close to the assembly point.

Should the weather be unsuitable it will be held the following weekend 13 - 14 March. In event of cancellations please tune into Radio Central [More FM] Port FM or Classic Hits FM [4ZB].

John Simpson: 03 437 1689
Mike Firman: 03 434 7385 or 027 220 1948

Photos and blog creation Donald Lousley email

The context of events in life

Whilst Oct. was quite benign, with just lower temps. than normal and a bit more cloud, right now Nov. is still misbehaving: there has been a wall of grey/white obscuring the mts. for a few days now, and recently a wind that never relents as it tore off little branches and leaves off the trees here. But at least the sun has been shining!

A rare calm period, during these late spring windy days on Lake Wanaka...


Last week I posted about the successes of the campaign to stop Meridian Energy [Project Hayes] building a wind farm on the Lammermoor Range in Central Otago, and as mentioned to Marg. who comments here, I find it wrong that we actually have to fight inappropriate ideas forced on us. As if reading my mind I then noted the Otago Daily Times had just published such an article called "Campaign took its toll on project opponents"

The basic problem with Meridian Energy's Project Hayes [and Contact Energy in the case of proposed dams on the Clutha River] is that their mandates [self imposed or otherwise?] are not aligned to support the full gamut of human needs. If they were these sort of institutions could benefit all aspects of our lives. At the moment they do not!

This all seems to come about by the limited capacity of either the individuals concerned flavouring the ethos of the organisation, or the organisation being of such a mind-set, that it/they only attract an energy [no pun intended] which is limited by the context of the inherited levels of awareness of the observers. Motives determine the goals and therefore the end result has little in it to benefit an energy situation that needs a solution. Or you could say the situation is poorly understood - the acquisition and need of energy by human beings goes way beyond electricity!

Therefore a low energy struggle ensues. Rather than "lifting the game" the institutions pull down the big picture ideals of people who could contribute so much, but become engaged in a drain of energy and resources such as reported in the above mentioned Otago Daily Times article.

The ODT also recently published the remarks of an elected counsellor who was criticising the positive and far-seeing results of the Environment Court. What was interesting to me were these two comments left by readers, who have presumably do have a "lifted game":

Submitted by RedTussock on Fri, 13/11/2009 - 7:49am.
Gerry whilst I enjoy your advocacy for common sense can I ask that you endeavour to do some research on what is happening elsewhere in the world. In the US a 345MW Concentrating Solar Power project cost $US200 million to build. It takes up no more land than a large vineyard, costs less, and does not blot the skyline with wind towers. CSP stations produce power during non sun light hours. The technology for new, cheaper, and better alternatives has advanced in the last few years to the point where the expense of wind power both monetary and geographically is hard to justify. The new alternatives are better.

Submitted by Ian Smith on Fri, 13/11/2009 - 11:41am.
Does anyone seriously consider that at the end of the economic life of these towers, (and it will come), the perpetrators will be summoned on-site to spend many millions of dollars restoring the landscape to its former pristine state? Of course not, it will become a graveyard of rusting hulks and a further monument, (as if one were needed), to mankind's greed and stupidity.

I therefore wonder at what seems to be a very limited view of the goals and solutions proposed by Meridian Energy, Contact Energy and the current New Zealand Govt!

The Blue Lakes of St. Bathans. A legacy left behind by the resource gathering of earlier generations. In this case a pretty and interesting slice of history, or should I say "sluice"...

Wind Farm - Environment Court decision in favour of landscape values

There has been an encouraging result out of the Environment Court, recognising the unique scenic wonders of Central Otago's block mountains. The Court was sitting to decide on the suitability of a huge wind-farm on the Lammermoor Range, and they've ruled against such development.

I was always amazed at the audacity of such a development on such a special landscape - two aspects really: the obvious visual impact, but also the glossed over infrastructure of roads to be built and how to maintain same.

The Otago daily Times has published a few articles recently:

Project Hayes: Gone with the wind

'Silent majority' not acquiescent on wind farm

To give you an idea of the landscape I've published a series of landscape photography efforts I've made over a few years of 4wd wanderings on these mountains. Taken in summer I might add - winter would be a whole 'nuther ball-game!

It's really a fine weather road I've used...


Two Land Cruisers in expedition mode about to head over the southern end of the Lammerlaw / Lammermoor range...


Descending, and now to where there is some green grass, we're now well down of the Lammerlaw range. Note the rocks for gate posts..


On the Paerau - Patearoa road we stopped to let a mob of sheep by on the hottest of hot summer days, and because we had a fridge full of beer we gave the astonished farmer walking with them a bottle of ice-cold Speights...


We deviated and came out to Ranfurly on this trip for a coffee and minor supplies. Ever since the advent of the hugely successful Central Otago Rail Trail, it's been pretty sophisticated in Ranfurly...


Ranfurly lady...


The historic Styx Hotel and Styx Jail/ Gaol ["Styx" is also known as Paerau] lies nestled beside the Taieri River at the foot of the Dunstan Trail. There used to be a hotel on both sides of the river because of its importance as a stopping place, and in case there was a flood...


This chain in the historic Styx Jail was possibly more of a lock-up for protecting gold bullion during overnight coach stops than it was for prisoners...


Here a local artist at Styx paints beside the meandering Taieri River, actually in this area home of the extensive Taieri River wetlands...


The altitude is deceptive but does add to a "big sky" feel...


At a welcome creek of really pure water filtered by mosses etc. we re-filled our vehicle water bottles...


Rocks used as fence posts abound in this area...


I'm sure perceptions will now be altered by planners such as those hatching plans for dams on the Clutha River! However there are people out there with different agendas: "Wind farm group laments decision"... more>>

Dunstan Mountains sojourn

I worked for at least half of this NZ Labour Day long weekend, but on Sunday evening my good friend Roger and myself headed up to about 1200 meters on the nearby Dunstan Mountains for an overnight stay in my Land Cruiser camper truck. The theme was landscape photography - we've done these trips before and find them really fun, and also both being photographers we're tolerant of each other's time needs.

The light turned out to be flat where we camped, and so we had a little of this sort of light in the sky, but sadly nothing on the ground...




A sunrise lacking any direct light did little for me so unlike Roger, who was up and working with his wide format cameras, I slept in then took a walk while he went back to bed. I left a broad ridge and dropped into this lovely gully to descend from my high point not far from patches of snow...


It's a big landscape when given scale by my camper...


Roger has a new puppy and she's quite proud of having stalked and captured an earthworm for breakfast...


I was fascinated by this low cloud coming in, obviously preceding very nasty weather. Our 4wd track was medium steep with patches of soil that would be tricky in the wet, so I was watching this phenomena with more than a passing interest knowing the only way home was down...


The only panorama shot I was happy with - like I said with flat light, to my mind we really only practised...


Once down from the tricky heights and just before the front caught us, we checked out an old gold mine I know of nearby...


Below the mine shaft there is a restored stamper battery...


While Roger made lots of photos I explored, and during such times in these places I ponder what it would have been like sans shade and shelter from the wind such as this apple tree now provides...


Of course there is lots of water right now in spring to help the sluicing for gold, but what must the scene have looked like without these recent willows, and what would the sounds have been like of people madly working to process as much rock as possible before summer arrived and the little streams became almost dry. Of course in winter in such shady places they'd be frozen. Central Otago is a land of extremes!


Returning I made this photo of Roger working, literally just catching his eye with only seconds of warning - anticipation is one of the keys to an interesting portrait...


Lastly just as the rain started, giving this Californian poppy no chance to open for business we just had to stop again as the colour is compelling, and with a backdrop of the Lindis Valley, one more picture had to be made...


Roger's photography website ... more>>

Blast from the past favourites, and more on the idea of dams on the Clutha

It's been one of those weeks of reflection, and I've made no new landscape photos. Instead I'm settling into the moment after a few weeks of all sorts of varied upheavals: friends passing on, my son dealing with the astounding growth of mind, spirit and body associated with the teen years, and friends hitting the wall so-to-speak, on their journeys towards growth.

So since that's been the theme it seems fitting to delve into the past tonight and post and share some of my old time favourites.

Mt Aspiring probably taken from a flank of Roys Peak. That's Lake Wanaka's Glendhu Bay down on the left...


Mt Aspiring again - this time an unusual, more European Alps style of viewpoint, obtained from near the Albert Burn Saddle, Mt Aspiring National Park...


One of my most favourite of vehicles - a VW 1500 that I used for years, often like a Land Rover to capitalise on the rough roads on the early 1970s. Here photographed after a snowfall in the Danseys Pass area that links North Otago to Central Otago...


Naseby gold workings. A landscape photography dream in the 1960s, when it looked more like the surface of the moon, just before wilding pines turned it into the forest it is today. Naseby Forest as it is now known as, is a mecca for technical mountain biking, and is near the famous Central Otago Rail Trail...


The long wide and barren summit ridge of the nearby Pisa Range, host to the Snow Farm where I nordic ski...


Fence posts made from rocks on The Old Dunstan Road. A favourite photo I made back in the 1980s...


From near the Great Moss Swamp on The Old Dunstan Road, looking west on sunset right across most of Central Otago's block mountains...


And as mentioned in the blog subject, lastly some new links on the ill conceived idea to dam the Clutha River...

The fledgling Upper Clutha River Guardians website just went online... more>>

... and the Otago Daily Times website is sporting a poll, which will be well worth the time to fill in, as we know it's monitored by decision makers. There have been some very thoughtful posts opposing.. more>>