West Coast Bound, via the world-famous railway journey across the spectacular Southern Alps on the Trans-Alpine Express
The obstacle ahead - the snow-dusted alps background a tree crop product of yesteryear, a wooden power pole. And the lower telephone crossarms and insulators have had their copper wire recycled, superseded by newer technology.
The sheetmetal band midway up the pole attests to one of New Zealands greatest-ever mistakes, the introduction of the Australian Opossum. The slippery sheetmetal prevents the animal from climbing into the wires and causing power faults. Alas, tree croppers have no such easy method of preventing these endemic pests from damaging trees.
The electricity circuit is a typical, 11kV 3-phase 50Hz rural supply.
This section of the 3 foot 6 inch gauge rail system is now entirely dieselised; the diesel-electric locomotive ahead is DFT 7200, a rebuilt General Motors product. Today's train totalled more than ten cars including this open-sided, wind-in-your-everything observation car, occupied mostly by overseas tourists.
From the coastal Greymouth rail station our bus took us south past Hokitika to Mahinapua, stopping briefly at the pub popularised by the Mainland Cheese TV ad. Oops, no photo, but the handle of Monteiths Black ale, brewed using boilers fired from local West Coast coal, was magnificent!
At the lake jetty, we had time for a look around while we waited for our paddleboat. The Southern Alps could be seen, this time from the western side.
The shallow lake was formed by alpine glacier deposits in previous ages.
The paddleboat made an extended trip into the lake for us, offering a stunning vantage point to view and photograph wetland vegetation and the kahikitea of this unique lowland rainforest regenerating from earlier milling, with ample commentary from our captain.
Paddleboat - diesel-hydraulic; 2.2litre truck engine power, hydraulic motor-driven stern paddle wheel with twin hydraulic rudders; hull draft only 400mm, somewhat more below the paddlewheel.
And as if that idyllic cruise wasn't enough to end a fascinating day, during our evening meal at our Hokitika lodgings we were entertained by the legendary Kokitahi Band, featuring traditional music and instruments of our early pioneers, played with great gusto by musicians who included some very senior citizens - its true, they breed 'em hardy on the 'Coast!
Next morning, we had to call into the famous Shantytown village. As in gold rush days, all steam, water and muscle power. And some characters around the mine workings.
The sawmill is toured via an overhead wooden walkway. These twin saws like most of the mill's machinery seem to be belt-driven from a lineshaft powered by a huge old Ruston diesel engine.
This is where we found ourselves, searching (so to speak) for our Timberlands guide. The bush telegraph had him back in contact with us before we got too comfortable.
Next destination was a log drop clearing in the beech forest; the ground was thickly covered in wood chip so helicopter-delivered logs were undamaged and clean for trucking to the mill.
Head counts were practiced routine by this time, this one a comfortable opportunity for lunch in a delightful setting, South Island bush!
While not quite hugging the trees, it had been many decades since this character had lingered in the beech bush. What a birthday present, too!
Our Timberlands guide explained the great efforts made to integrate all aspects of forest management for the lowest possible environmental impact using helicopter logging. Trial logging was done in this area some months ago.
He showed how every tree felling was carefully pre-evaluated, in consideration of other trees nearby which could be beneficially thinned to make space; the size of the expected canopy gap and the effect of the resulting light funnel on regeneration, etc.
Stumps, for instance, were chainsaw-slotted and urea inserted, to aid in their natural decay as seen here, rather than provide a breeding site for pests such as the prolific pinhole borer -
The destructive pinhole borer is quickly attracted to a beech tree under stress such as this damaged sapling, from an odour it emits.
The sooty mould grows on the honey-dew; the honey-dew is insect poo... and one could see their little bums sticking out of the tree trunks!
Travelling north-east towards Reefton, we paused at interesting roadside walkways.
In one area, we found this dense stand of - crypto!
Cryptomeria japonica - Japanese
cedar - no Bay of Plenty kiwifruit shelterbelt ever looked
like this.
Leaves of different beech varieties mingle for easy comparison.
The vegetation certainly seems unique; not a tree fern in sight!
After a comfortable night in Hanmer Springs, some went to look at forestry trial woodlands; the well maintained paths were most inviting.
It was a strange forest of exotic trees - larch; oak; sycamore; ash; alder...
- like a European woodland experience?
Silver birch lined one side of this leafy track.
Even the centre island of Hanmer Springs main street is planted in towering exotics.
Wending our weary way back towards Christchurch, we paused at a nursery whose trees are specially raised to suit particular climatic zones around the city.
This innovative nursery also had interesting potting facilities, comendable youth training schemes, and farmed worms in the tubs above.
Well, thats a small selection of the photos we took.
We feel entirely privileged to have toured such interesting places with such informed guides, and special thanks go to Ross Jamieson, new national president of the NZ Tree Crops Association; and all those involved with this tour and the Canterbury conference - a Growing Opportunity indeed.
Thats all, folks.