A First Look at Sydney’s Wildlife

At first glance, Sydney, Australia felt like any other big city — tall buildings, lots of people, traffic, and a few green belts. Then we were sitting at a street café and a flock of cockatoos flew by… It took a minute to register that these were wild cockatoos. It was at that moment that I finally realized that we were somewhere special… we were in Australia.

The Rainbow Lorikeet is found everywhere along the east coast of Australia. They are very gregarious and will screech and chatter almost continually.


The Black Swan usually likes more open spaces, but you will find them hanging out in the ponds of the Botanical Gardens.


The Australian Magpie is everywhere, and is as abundant as the Common Crow in the USA.


The Australian White Ibis usually hangs out in Wetlands, but they can be found in all the parks in Sydney begging food off the tourists and picnickers.

 

We're Off to See the Wizard, the Wonderful Wizard of OZ...

Ok, so there aren’t any wizards here, but we definitely aren’t in Kansas anymore — or New Zealand, for that matter. We are in the land of OZ (as it is affectionately known to locals), or as the rest of the world knows it — Australia.

We arrived in Sydney and booked the last room in a quirky Irish Pub/Hotel called O’Malley’s, really not expecting much more than a bed, and we looked out our window and this was our view.

The view during the day... Not too shabby, eh? The famous Opera House is at the far right of the picture.

 

Christchurch: Our Final New Zealand Destination

The settlement of Christchurch in 1850 was an undertaking of the Church of England and thus became a very “English” city. Picture gothic architecture, a grand square complete with Anglican cathedral, a picturesque river that meanders through the city, manicured gardens, and of course, streets with British names and British pubs. But the Kiwi’s have slowly claimed the city for their own and added to it their own taste in art, culture, fashion, great food, and wildlife reserves.

The cities central square is ruled over by the beautiful gothic cathedral.

The Avon River can be experienced to the fullest with a leisurely ride on a punt (think Venetian gondola).


The Botanic Gardens provide for a bit of peace in a busy city.


The Arts Centre now occupies the site of the former Canterbury College with its beautiful Gothic Revival architecture. Can’t figure out why there’s a house floating in midair? It’s actually a wire-frame sculpture suspended between two buildings above the courtyard.

 

Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, Part IV

The Yellow-eyed Penguin is only found in the southern most areas of coastal New Zealand and is the world’s rarest penguin. Colonies on the mainland are threatened due to nesting habitat destruction (coastal scrub). They are an unusually shy species and will therefore not come ashore if they are harassed or otherwise bothered by humans (i.e. irresponsible tourists) or other perceived predators. We had the opportunity to see them up close via a system of hides and trenches at a penguin reserve on the Peninsula.

Unlike other penguins, the Yellow-eyed Penguin only goes to sea to feed, and seldom goes far from its' breeding site, even outside of nesting season. This one is having a good stretch after a long day at sea.


Penguins usually find comfort in groups while on land, but the Yellow-eyed Penguin is solitary and mated pairs only spend time together at the nest. This penguin is waiting in a safe, sheltered spot for its’ mate to come ashore.


Once the pair is reunited they will head to their nesting site together.


Nesting sites at the reserve are reinforced with wooden roofs for extra safety from introduced predators such as feral cats.

 

Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, Part III

So it’s a brush with nature you want, eh? Well, the Otago Peninsula is the place to get just that. There is wildlife at every turn and I felt like a little kid again — I was giddy, no joking, just ask Rion. Especially since quite a few of the animals here are found in very few other places on earth.

Sea birds have got to be some of my favorite animals. This is the Spotted Shag (cormorant) in winter plumage. This species is exclusively marine and is only found in New Zealand.


Another look at the New Zealand Fur Seal.


So, this has got to be one of the most beautiful and majestic birds I’ll ever get the chance to see on land. This is the Royal Albatross. The albatross is an animal that is rarely seen because they live at sea and only come ashore to breed. The Royal Albatross only breeds in New Zealand, but mostly on remote, offshore islands, except for a very small breeding colony at Taiaroa Head on the Otago Peninsula. Access to this area is severely restricted, but adults can be seen flying around the area.


This picture was taken by the staff at the Royal Albatross Centre. I had to show you just how large these birds really are. The Royal Albatross has the distinction of being one of the largest flying birds and has the largest wingspan of any bird at well over 3 meters or 9 feet!

 

Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, Part II

The bach (pronounced ‘batch’) is part of the kiwi way of life. The name stems from the original name of ‘bachelor’ in reference to their use by fishermen or hunters as their home away from home. Today, many are still used for these purposes, but others have been bought and fixed up as family getaway cottages.

The Otago Harbor can be a very serene setting.

Little Shags (cormorants) are common from Malaysia to the Solomon Islands and all throughout New Zealand.


Some bach’s have more flair than others…


The Pied Shag favors sheltered bays and harbors and is found only in Australia and New Zealand.

 

Dunedin and the Otago Peninsula, Part 1

Dunedin sits on a beautiful harbor, and is protected by the ragged Otago Peninsula. This is an area of contrasts: the city of Dunedin is a hub of the arts and entertainment set against a backdrop of Victorian Era buildings thanks to the riches of the 19th century gold rush. The peninsula is an animal lover’s paradise, as there are a number of pretty cool critters that live here.

Arguably one of Dunedin’s most beautiful buildings is the Dunedin Railway Station.


At the Fortune Theatre, you can see one of the locally produced plays.


Larnach Castle is New Zealand’s only castle and was built by William Larnach in 1871 to impress his wife of French noble-descent.


The First Church of Otago was built in 1873.

 

The Catlins, New Zealand

The Catlins is an area of the Southland that feels as remote as it is remote — isolated forests, wildlife filled bays and estuaries, hidden beaches, winding gravel roads that lead to hidden gems. In every other area of the country we felt like we were on the heals of other visitors, but here we felt like we’d found something unseen by other humans for at least months, if not years. Even the sheep were startled to see us, where normally they would just stare. This was New Zealand and I loved it; I definitely could have gotten lost here for a while.

Curio Bay is home to one of the oldest and most extensive petrified forests in the world. At low tide, the 160 million year old forest is revealed, and you can walk amongst its’ remains.


This old fishing hut looks forgotten, but I’d bet it is well-used.


The New Zealand Sea Lion or Hooker’s Sea Lion is the rarest sea lion in the world and is only found on the southern most shores of New Zealand and a few of its’ islands.


Nugget Point is a rocky outcropping where you will find New Zealand Fur Seals, Hooker’s Sea Lions, and Elephant Seals, plus two species of penguins, and a variety of other sea birds.

 

Fall Colors

Fall? Don’t you mean Spring? Nope. Don’t forget, in the southern hemisphere it’s Autumn right now. So, Rion and I have been in perpetual Fall (hmm… is that a statement about us? Hope not!) since September of last year. It’s a good thing that Autumn is my favorite season!

The Poplar trees have got to be the most beautiful as they change color and lose their leaves.


The hills around Queenstown were ablaze with color.


The vineyards are spectacular as the grape leaves turn from green to yellow to red then drop from the vines.


Fading light plays off the autumn colors.

 

Alpine Peaks

As I think I have already mentioned, I was enamored by New Zealand’s Alpine Peaks. There’s just something about their rugged beauty and the harsh contrast of jagged stone being softened by blankets of snow. A drive through the Alps on a clear day is truly spectacular!

Fox Glacier is just a few kilometers down the road from Franz Josef Glacier and offers views just as beautiful.


The peaks above the glacier. The pattern of snow at the base echos their jagged nature.


The valley floors stand in sharp contrast to the dramatic rise of the mountains.


Fading sun...

 

Franz Josef Glacier

The Franz Josef Glacier is one of the highlights of the West Coast region. Although there are over 150 glaciers in New Zealand, the Franz Josef, along with the Fox Glacier, advance closest to the sea.

Only if you are lucky enough to catch some good weather here do you get to see the full ice flow and the snow capped peaks above.


There is short walk through the river bed to the terminal face of the glacier. Or, if you are in not injured (I was from a previous hike), you can go ice climbing with a guide on the glacier itself (Rion did).


There is, however, a danger of icefall as you get close to the terminal, so the area is roped off and warnings are posted not to proceed without an experienced guide. Some heed the warnings, while others, like me, do not.


At the terminal face is the ice cave where glacial melt flows from the glacier. This is one of the most dangerous spots at the glacier, as large chunks of ice fall regularly. Notice the silly tourists standing at the base — this was as close as I was willing to go.

 

The West Coast

The West Coast region of the South Island of New Zealand is not unlike the rugged coastline of California — in some spots I could have sworn we were driving to Big Sur on Highway 1 — with rocky beaches, cliffs falling dramatically to the ocean below, and a windy road barely wide enough at times for two small cars to pass each other.

It was on our way to this beautiful stretch of coastline that we got our first glimpse of the Southern Alps, which run along most of the length of the South Island. It is these majestic mountains that form the quintessential picture of New Zealand, and I was instantly enamored.

A quiet walk on the beach at sunset was a must for me. For all you Southern Californians who never see an empty beach, you know how rare and wonderful it is to get a huge, beautiful beach almost all to yourself!


Tauranga Bay is home to a colony of New Zealand Fur Seals (actually sea lions), a species that is only found around New Zealand and the south coast of Australia. Luckily, after populations were decimated by sealers during the 19th century, their population is stable and on the rise.


Punakaiki National Park is best known for the limestone rock formations that lie in the water off the coast and are affectionately called the Pancake Rocks. Through a way too complicated geologic process, the layers of rock have eroded into what look like thin stacks of pancakes.

 

Tramping in Abel Tasman National Park

Abel Tasman National Park lies in a region that gets more sunshine than anywhere else in New Zealand, making it a great place to do some hiking. We chose to walk part of the coastal track, which takes you up through beautiful native bush and along amazingly pristine beaches hidden in numerous sheltered bays and coves.

We took a water taxi out to our furthest point on the track and hiked back out over a two-day period. I think my favorite part was hiking on the beaches — it was so peaceful and quiet. How often do you get a beach this beautiful to yourself?


Parts of the track are tidal, and you have to time these crossings around low tide. Even at low tide, we crossed the Awaroa Inlet in thigh-high water.


A view from the bush reveals one of the many offshore islands.


Sunset at low tide as the moon rises — not a bad view at the end of a long day of hiking!

 

New Zealand’s Marlborough Wine Region

The Marlborough Region is home to some of New Zealand’s most well-known wineries and is the biggest wine-producing area, famous for its’ white wines.

The valley’s location ensures a perfect climate for growing grapes.

Being an agricultural center also makes it a prime location for grazing sheep. But in New Zealand, what area isn’t prime sheep country? There are approximately 40 million sheep in New Zealand compared to a human population of 4 million.

The region felt very European, not only for the multitudes of vineyards, but because many of the smaller wineries are owned and operated by European families. Johhanneshof Cellars, pictured here, is German owned and has won international awards for their wines.

At the last winery we went to you could taste each variety of grape straight off the vine. My favorite grape was the Pinot Noir.

 

It’s Time to Sail South

After spending almost four weeks on the North Island of New Zealand, it was time to take ourselves and our camper across the Cook Strait to the South Island.

Wellington, the Capital of New Zealand, is surrounded by a magnificent harbor at the southwest tip of the North Island. It is a major crossroads between the North and South Islands.


All inter-island ferries, carrying passengers, cars, motor homes, semi- trucks, and entire trains, depart and arrive here.


A lighthouse at the harbor entrance warns ships of the rugged coastline below.


To arrive at the South Island’s major northern port, you pass through the beautiful bays and inlets of Marlborough Sounds.

 

The Tongariro Crossing

The Tongariro Crossing is thought to be the best one-day hike in all of New Zealand. So, of course we had to do it! On a clear day, one can see all three peaks in Tongariro National Park along the way, plus magnificent views of the surrounding valleys; of course, there are no guarantees. Our hike started at the tail end of a rainstorm, so really, we were lucky to get to do the hike at all — winds on the peak can be ferocious in bad weather.

The hike started out gently enough, and we found ourselves surrounded by low alpine plants and a gloomy sky that hid the peaks from us. Then, there is a series of steep climbs to reach the top of the Red Crater.


Luckily, once we reached the summit of Red Crater, which is the highest point on the crossing, the clouds cleared and we had some views. The track descends quite steeply down the backside. Notice how small people look on its’ slope!


The view from the top was quite incredible. Below us to the right were the Emerald Lakes, and in the distance across the Central Crater was Blue Lake. The track, visible in the picture, would take us down across this crater and up along side Blue Lake.


From Blue Lake, it was a four hour descent down the far side of Mount Tongariro through Alpine grasses, finally ending in a contrast of lush green forest.