Archive for March, 2009
New Zealand Budget Accommodation In Comfort
Friday, March 27th, 2009Backpacker hostels have really taken off in New Zealand. But what if you’re a solo budget traveller who is of an age where sharing a dormitory no longer appeals? Fortunately, New Zealand has options for solo travellers wanting the comfort of a private room, but without the expense of hotels or motels.
A BBH hostel near the river, Christchurch
One option is covered by the BBH backpacker network. As well as having the biggest range of hostels, BHH caters better for singles than the YHA and VIP hostels which are the main alternatives. Not all BBH hostels have single rooms, but many do - their website and guide sets out the facilities clearly.
Prices vary, but generally fit somewhere between a dormitory bed and the full price of a twin room. This is better than the YHA hostels, which don’t seem to have single rooms … and charge the rate for two people if you want a twin or double room to yourself. Even if you wouldn’t normally think of staying in a hostel, a private room in a BBH hostel outside of the city centres can be more pleasant than you’d expect.
Another option is the motor camp, or holiday park. These are known elsewhere as campgrounds or caravan parks - places where you can park a campervan or caravan, or pitch a tent. They also have various standards of permanent accommodation which includes cabins - ranging from simple wooden huts with shared facilities to very comfortable tiny homes with en-suites and their own kitchens. Whatever the cabins have, the facilities of the park itself can also be used, such as campers kitchens, laundry and internet access.
The most basic cabin I stayed in was at a motor camp in Glenorchy. It was little more than a garden shed sized wooden box with a bunk bed, but it was private and very cheap. At the other end of the scale, the cabin I enjoyed at Pohara Beach, in the Golden Bay area, was pure indulgence. Quiet location, right on the beach with sea views, and still cheaper (off-season) for one person than the budget motels in the area, which weren’t on the beach.
Cabins at a motor camp outside Queenstown
The most consistently high standards are at parks belonging to the Top 10 chain; most other parks are independantly owned and operated, with a wide range of standards and prices.
A major benefit of motor camps - apart from economical comfort - is their great range of out-of-town locations. If you want to stray from the most well-trodden paths, you’ll be more likely to find motor camps up the scenic back roads than hotels or motels.
Another reason to stay in motor camps is the clientele. Budget hostels and hotels tend to be well frequented by overseas travellers, whereas motor camps tend to be more popular with New Zealanders exploring their own back yard. This aspect might appeal if you’re wanting to feel less like a tourist and mingle with more locals.
Even if you normally only stay in hotels, or backpacker dorms, motor camp cabins and private rooms in BBH hostels are worth adding to your list of options. I’ll be highlighting some specific examples in future posts.
Links:
Top 10 Holiday Parks
BBH Budget Backpacker Hostels
Topics: Accommodation, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »
Warburton to Jamieson: Road Of Serendipity In Victoria
Saturday, March 21st, 2009If you’re after a great back-road in Victoria, taking the scenic and historic high road between Warburton and Jamieson in Victoria is hard to beat.
Despite its remote mountainous nature, the road can be used as part of the journey between Melbourne and Mt Buller, Victoria’s most popular ski area. Although you probably wouldn’t want to do it in winter, as the higher gravel sections are prone to ice and snow.
Warburton and Jamieson are the two blue markers; the road between them is blue
I drove the road in summer, when I was looking for a route to Mansfield and the Mt Buller area. The obvious and more direct way would have been the Maroondah Highway, but one thing I’ve learned from a lot of driving is that main highways are not usually the most scenic roads. Another line on the map caught my attention - narrow, winding, gravel, passing through abandoned mining settlements, mountains, and not much else. I couldn’t resist the temptation of this road less travelled.
Leaving Melbourne’s eastern suburbs via Lilydale, I passed up the Yarra valley to the town of Warburton, which is worth visiting for its bakery alone. I stocked up on scrumptious bakery products, using the excuse that the road ahead saw little traffic, and if I broke down it could be a long wait for help. Any other excuse would have done.
Beyond Warburton the traffic dwindled, and after the turnoff at Cambarville I had the road pretty much to myself. The road, now gravel, passed through impressive patches of Eucalyptus Regnans, known in these parts as mountain ash. These are the world’s second tallest tree species, and are truly inspiring when people can resist the urge to chop them down.
Some delightful views of the surrounding mountains appeared at times, particularly from the cleared hilltop where the village of Matlock once stood. Further on, the road descended through the remains of towns which briefly thrived back in the gold rush days - Woods Point, A1 mine Settlement and Gaffneys Creek. Woods Point possesses a service station and petrol bowser (still operating) which look like they date back to when cars were a new invention. The historic feel of these little places made me feel as if I’d passed through a time warp.
Further on, the road followed the Goulburn River and passed a number of very attractive riverside campsites - somewhere I hope to return some day in a campervan. Around Kevington the road improved, then it was a straightforward drive through Jamieson to Mansfield, the main service town for nearby Mt Buller. All up it took me around three and a half hours driving time (I think) from Melbourne, plus time for scenic stops.
It was a longer and more tiring way of driving to Mansfield than the highways, but I was enthused by the scenery, and felt as if I’d discovered another world. The downside was the steep and winding nature of much of the middle section - for a long while I thought I’d never get out of second or third gear. The never-ending bends could be uncomfortable for those prone to car-sickness, and the condition of the road in winter should be checked out beforehand.
But if the road conditions are okay, and you have the time to enjoy the scenery without rushing, discovering this road for yourself may be the great serendipity it was for me.
Note - I’m ashamed to admit that I carried no camera for my unexpected drive along this road, which is why there are no photos. Also I couldn’t find any suitable photos on the web, at least none I could legally use.
Topics: Scenic Roads, Victoria | Add Your Comment »
St Bathans - Ghost Town With A Non-Human Tour Guide
Monday, March 16th, 2009
St Bathans is an old gold mining town in New Zealand, and with a population these days of only seven (or five) it is often referred to as a ghost town. I enjoyed being shown around this charming place by a guide who wasn’t human … but it’s not as it sounds. My guide had fur and four legs, and was a dog named Jack.
Visiting St Bathans took me to the remotest corner of the Maniototo region, a part of New Zealand’s south island which is somewhat “out of the way” as far as tourism is concerned. It lies between Queenstown and Dunedin, but most of the traffic passes far to the south. The resulting lack of crowds, especially in winter, seems so appropriate for a ghost town.
On parking the car - you need your own wheels to get there - I was met by the friendly face of a dog who appeared pleased to meet me. When I walked up a hill to get a good view of the area, the dog playfully followed. I spent a while checking out Blue Lake, the result of a 120m hill being dug away by miners to leave a 68m deep pit … which then flooded. When I returned down the hill, the dog led the way.
For the next little while I wandered around the leftovers of what was a bustling town of 2000 gold miners back in it’s heyday, after gold was found in the 1860s. Everywhere I walked, this companionable dog led the way, anticipating where I would go next. I got the sense he had accompanied many visitors before me!
St Bathans has a good selection of old buildings, six of which are registered by the NZ Historic Places Trust. Built of wood, stone or mud brick, many are well preserved while a few are in varying stages of falling down. The old schoolhouse, church and graveyard are particularly ambient, and some of the stone cottages on the main street are quaintly attractive.
Being surrounded by hills and mountains serves to heighten the sense of isolation, in both time and space. St Bathans can be even further removed from similarity to other New Zealand towns if you visit in winter, when lakes in the area may freeze over, and snow sometimes lies on the ground. Remnant snowpatches, solitude, deserted old buildings, and no sound except the wind whistling in the trees … all can combine to create an eerie atmosphere.
Eventually the dog led me back to the historic Vulcan Hotel, which has been operating since 1882 and is still a great spot for refreshments, and also offers accommodation. It was there I learned that the dog’s name was Jack, and that I was by no means the first to enjoy his company on a tour of his town. While Jack rested outside, I rested inside and chatted to one of the few residents of this distinctive area.
If you’re into historic places which have retained their authentic charm, without being “developed” into big attractions, a wander around St Bathans - with or without a canine guide - is worth the effort of getting there.
Links:
Google map showing St Bathans location
Topics: New Zealand (south), Towns | Add Your Comment »
The Little Pinnacles Of Cape Leeuwin
Friday, March 6th, 2009
The real pinnacles, Nambung N.P., WA
The Nambung National Park north of Perth contains one of Western Australia’s better known scenic attractions - The Pinnacles. This area contains what must be the most impressive examples anywhere of limestone pillars, but lesser examples can be found elsewhere.
Little pinnacles near Cape Leeuwin, WA
I stumbled across a patch of dwarf pinnacles near Cape Leeuwin, which is close to Augusta at the south west corner of Western Australia. From the town, if you follow the road out to Cape Leeuwin, near the end there’s a gravel road veering right to Skippy Rocks. From the car park a narrow unmarked trail leads north through coastal vegetation to a sandy hillside littered with interesting outcrops. I first found the spot while looking for good viewpoints for dusk lighthouse photos. Once I noticed the unique outcrops, I forgot about the lighthouse.
Like the real pinnacles, these little ones are the result of calcite in the sand dissolving and forming cemented layers around plant roots, or clusters of roots. When the plants eventually died and the surrounding sand blew away, these fossil roots (rhizoliths) were left behind. Near Augusta, most are in the form of erect pillars varying from thin to chunky, although some defy convention and point at an angle, or even bend.
The biggest is barely a metre high, and some of the more interesting ones are no more than 20cm; also they are not numerous, and are scattered among a lot of ordinary rocks. If size and extensiveness are important to you, these little pinnacles may underwhelm. But if you can appreciate detail and natural artistry, and are prepared to wander around, exploring the interesting variety of shapes can be rewarding.
The best time to see and photograph the wee pinnacles of Cape Leeuwin is in the last hour of daylight on a sunny day. That’s when the low angle of the sunlight highlights the sand texture, and the rocks look good bathed in the redder light. Sunrise wouldn’t work as well because the ridge to the east blocks off the rising sun.
I must emphasise that these little pinnacles are no substitute for visiting the real ones. But if that sort of thing appeals to you, and you happen to visit Augusta and Cape Leeuwin, the little pinnacles are also worth a look.
Links:
Google map showing location of little pinnacles
Explanation of how pinnacles form
Topics: Alternatives, Western Australia | Add Your Comment »
Maniototo: A Different New Zealand
Sunday, March 1st, 2009
This post concerns the part of Central Otago shown blue and green (map from Central Otago website)
The Maniototo region is a part of New Zealand’s south island between Dunedin and Queenstown which is bypassed by most foreign visitors. This is a shame, as they are missing out on a beautiful part of the country that’s distinctly different from the rest.
I missed out on it for a long time too, because the main transport routes used by travellers bypass the area. It wasn’t until my last trip, when I made the effort to “fill in the blanks” using a hire car, that I was rewarded with what has become one of my favourite bits of kiwiland.
The area known as Maniototo consists of elevated plains separated by mountain ranges with interesting rock formations and little in the way of development, other than farms. Towns include Middlemarch, Ranfurly, Naseby, St Bathans, Oturehua, Omakau and Ophir, but don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of any of them. Ranfurly is the largest with a population of only 400, and St Bathans has about 7. That’s one of the area’s features: lots of wide open spaces without crowds.
Another feature is the climate. The central Otago region, which includes Maniototo, is further from the sea than elswhere in New Zealand and has the country’s nearest thing to a continental climate. This means low rainfall, sparse vegetation, and New Zealand’s coldest winters and warmest summers. Many ponds and lakes freeze in winter and are used for the sport of curling. Frosts can be spectacular - for those who appreciate their beauty - and the warm, dry summer days draw locals from the cooler coastal areas.
While not boasting mega tourist magnets like other areas, the Maniototo area is not without attractions. The Otago Central Rail Trail is becoming a popular way to explore the area between Middlemarch and Clyde (near Alexandra). Ranfurly has it’s art-deco weekend, Naseby has some of the best mountain biking trails in New Zealand, and in winter curling is played on the area’s ice rinks or lakes. Fishing, horse-trekking and four wheel drive tours are on offer, and the region’s gold-mining history adds some ambience, particularly in the ghost town of St Bathans.
When I visited, I wandered in the forests around Naseby, hiked a section of the rail trail, and visited some historic sites. I particularly enjoyed cruising the almost empty roads and stopping to explore towns and rock features on foot. The only traffic jam I experienced was a flock of sheep blocking a back road, but by then I had relaxed so much it provided not annoyance, but an excuse to stop and gaze at the mountains …. which are never far away.
The beauty of Maniototo is not dramatic and “in your face” like it is in other parts of New Zealand. Instead it has a subtle charm and unique character that grows on you … it certainly grew on me. In future posts I’ll share more of what I found in this special part of New Zealand.
Links:
Maniototo - general introduction by the Maniototo Information Centre
Central Otago - more details from Tourism Central Otago
Otago Central Rail Trail - all about the rail trail and the area’s facilities, with a good downloadable map of the region
Topics: Attractions, New Zealand (south) | Add Your Comment »