Burkes Pass

Burkes pass is the gateway to the McKenzie country. Not far from lake Tekapo (only a 10 minute drive) is a small settlement in Burkes Pass known as 'Three Creeks'. 

It's a tiny, historic township with unique craft stores selling retro collectibles, antiques and craftware, classic vehicle memorabilia, a coffee shop in a retro caravan, outdoor furniture and so much more. It's definitely worth stopping there.

I remember these phones.

St Patrick's church in Burkes Pass was built in 1872 and is the oldest Union Church in Canterbury. It's still available to be hired out for weddings.

Further along the road towards Lake Tekapo is the Burkes Pass cemetery. Many pioneers have been laid to rest there along with Connie Scott, 'The Lupin lady'. 

In the 1950s, Connie Scott from Godley Peaks imported a sack of Russell Lupin seeds from the UK and spread them in the MacKenzie country to beautify the roadside. 

I found Connie's gravestone and placed a bunch of lupins I 'd picked for her. I gave her a silent thank you for creating such a stunning countryside for so many people to enjoy.

Driving back towards Lake Tekapo we spotted another historical site, 'Dog Kennel Corner'. 

The plaque on a small boulder acknowledges this as the area that boundary dogs were tied up in the early station days, before the high country was fenced. The sheep dogs would be tethered and kennelled there to keep sheep escaping from one station to the next.

I'll add a few more lupin photos so you can see the large areas they cover. It's beautiful driving through this area. Connie Scott will always be remembered for making the MacKenzie district so picturesque.

To finish today's tiki-tour we stopped at Lake Tekapo to give the dogs a swim. The water was warm, clear and inviting.

It was only a few minutes walk back to the rig - Bernie drove the ute back while I walked the dogs along the track.