Wairere Boulders

Why follow the herd to 90 Mile Beach, Cape Reinga & The Hole in the Rock when 'Hampster Tours' will take you into the bush to experience the real New Zealand? One line in a tourist brochure prompted us to go and find Wairere Boulders today and what an inspired choice of destination. It took us a while to find the place as it doesn't feature in the Lonely Planet guide, but once we came across some signposts we felt a bit more confident. That waned as the road became a gravel track, but we eventually came to a rather grandly named Information Office - a well weathered wooden shack - which was manned by a hugely enthusiastic, eccentric Swiss lady who only stopped talking when we started walking!

 

Rita &Felix Schaad (said Swiss lady and her husband) have spent 30 years forging a footpath through this valley of fluted basalt boulders to the consternation of the NZ Geological Service who denied that there is basalt in the country. They have built bridges and steps over, under and through the mass of boulders.

 

 

Apart from it being rare to see such huge boulders in a predominantly clay geological formation, the boulders are also odd because of the flutes that run down the side of many of them. It's thought the flutes were formed by acidic rain dripping from the Kauri tree canopy and dissolving the rock - but who knows?

 

 

As well as being passionate about their boulders the Swiss couple are also concerned about preservation of the bush and are keen to educate, so many of the trees are labelled and they have also kept fallen trees for their weird formations.

 

 

At the top of the valley we came across the neighbour's boundary fence with this for sale sign. If you look closely you will see the house - anyone want to invest $595,000 (about £300,000) for 212 acres with house; a bargain and an ideal site for a vineyard?

 



 

A hugely entertaining day!