Glacier County

There's a nice NZMCA park in Franz Josef. It's surrounded in native bush and handy to the village. There were two other campers already parked, so finding a park was easy. I chose a spot at the back of the park. The door opened to a lovely private area between the bus and the bush.in

Once, we had parked, we were off for a walk.

On this particular trip, I wasn't planning on visiting the glaciers. But I enjoyed hearing the helicopters buzzing overhead as they took tourists to see the glacial landscape.

After a walk around the side streets of Franz Josef we went back to the bus for dinner. 

The next morning, I emptied and filled up with fresh water and carried on north.

We'd only been driving about 10kms up the road when I spotted a stunning lake with mist rising above it.  

Lake Mapourika is the largest lake in Westland and is fed by several small streams that run down from the hills. Because the water drains through the forest floor it collects tannins which give it a dark colour. Tannins are a natural organic material that are by-products of decaying vegetation. It made the lake a rich tea colour.

Lake Mapourika, is a kettle lake and was formed when a large block of ice was left behind when Franz Josef glacier retreated (14,000 years ago). 

Mapourika roughly translates from Maori meaning ' Flower of the Dawn'.  

If fishing interests you - Lake Mapourika is a popular spot for salmon and trout. Each year in February, for three days, the Lake Mapourika Fishing Competition is held for professional and amateur fishermen. 

Up Ship Creek

If you're travelling up (or down) the West Coast, it's worth putting aside a couple of hours to visit Ship Creek. It's about 20kms north of Haast. 

Ship Creek (Tauparikaka)

After I'd parked the bus, a couple travelling in a campervan came over to chat. They'd noticed I was travelling with dogs. And regrettably, they'd left their pooch at home, as they knew many areas of the West Coast were managed by DOC. They couldn't believe how restricting DOC are with dogs. I totally agreed!

Anyway, here I was at Ship Creek, and another DOC sign stated 'No Dogs'. So, Oakly and Boo stayed in the bus while I went to explore.

There are two walks at Ship Creek. The 'Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk' and the 'Dune Lake Walk'. Both are easy, loop walks.

I decided to walk through the ancient swamp forest, which runs alongside Ship Creek. Being tannin stained, the water was a chocolate-brown colour, which enhanced the reflections.

You might be wondering how Ship Creek got its name. I thought it might be associated with the gold rush days. And thanks to 'Google' I found the answer. Ship Creek was named after a large fragment, belonging to a ship, was discovered at the mouth of Tauparikaka Creek. The wooden debris was unusual and hadn't been seen in New Zealand before, so its source was unknown. Over the years, other remnants were washed up and the mystery was solved. It turned out they were fragments off a sailing clipper named 'Schomberg.'  In 1855, the Schomberg set sail on its maiden voyage, from Liverpool to Melbourne. Originally, the Schomberg was described as the finest and fastest ship in the world. James 'Bully' Forbes, the captain, boasted that he'd reach Melbourne in 60 days. However after becoming becalmed, the voyage extended to 80 days. Then alas, the Schomberg ran aground after hitting a sand bar and its 300 passengers, stepped ashore in Victoria. Fragments of the ship drifted in all directions and some were discovered on a West Coast beach in the South Island. And that's how Ship Creek got its name.

New Zealand's tallest trees, kahikateas, seem to thrive in the swampy habitat.

Kahikateas (white pines)

The walk looped back to the start and I soon found myself back at the lookout tower (by the carpark). Nearby are picnic tables, toilets and a few information boards. I climbed up the two levels of the lookout tower to be rewarded with 360 degree views. 

View from the tower

I decided not to walk the Dune Lake track as I didn't want to leave the dogs in the bus for too long. Besides, that walk could wait for another time. So, instead I wandered along the beach, taking photos of reflections over the glass-like water.

The photo below shows the start of the Dune Lake Walk. It crosses over windswept sand dunes before it heads into a dense coastal forest, with stunted, wind-swept trees.

A Community That Makes Things Happen!

The Kawatiri River Trail is a picturesque walking and biking track that runs alongside the Buller/Kawatiri River in Westport. 

About eight years ago, the Buller Cycling Club came up with an idea to create a network of trails through an area of wasteland and the Westport community made it happen. What was once mud, gorse and wetland, has now been transformed into an eight kilometre bike and walking trail. And, remarkably, all this was achieved by volunteers.

The dog-friendly walk starts (or finishes, depending which end you begin) beside the NZMCA Park, at North Beach. The track winds through native bush, amongst many shades of green flora.

NZMCA Park, North Beach.

Start (or end) of the Kawatiri Track.

Old hockey turf or weed mat forms the base of the path with a covering of gravel. The track twists and turns, towards Shingles Beach (a small sand beach on the Buller River). It's a place that holds fond childhood memories for Bernie. He spent many of his younger years at Shingles Beach, swimming, surfing and riding waves. When we got to the beach, Bernie bailed on the rest of the walk, deciding instead to sit and reminisce. So, my furry friends and I continued on, unchaperoned.

Swimmers at Shingles Beach

Looking down the Buller River towards the river mouth.

From Shingles Beach, we headed towards the Lost Lagoon. The track became more open, with a change in vegetation.

Weka territory!

Lost Lagoon

After two years of planning, followed by three and a half months of building, a bridge materialised over The Lost Lagoon. All credit must go to the enormous effort and support from the community, making what had started out as an idea, turn into a reality. The bridge was aptly named 'The Volunteer's Bridge,' honouring the people who made it happen.

Volunteer's Bridge over The Lost Lagoon

Further along, we came to the 'Floating Basin Boardwalk', which is 200 metres long! Again, the construction of this challenging project was achieved by locals. A crew of up to 15 volunteers, spent 10 weeks making the boardwalk, which was financed through fund-raising. Contributions were made from DOC, Holcim, Westport's Mitre 10, the Council and community-funding. Locals lent diggers, chainsaws, compactors and tractors, along with their expertise and many hours of hard work. Everyday, for two months, lunches for the volunteers were supplied by a local cafe. An impressive community effort!

We turned back once we'd crossed the boardwalk, it wasn't the end of the walk but the dogs were hot and in need of some water. After walking over the floating basin (heading away from the port), there's a short walk called the 'Harbour Loop Track', which provides fabulous views of the port and mountains (when they're not hidden in cloud). On a day without wind, the reflections in this sheltered haven are stunning, making it a popular spot for photographers. 

In 1988 the Government made a decision to remove itself from operating Westport Harbour. The port and assets (such as the Kawatiri dredge, wharves, jetties etc) were offered to the Westport Borough Council and the Buller District Council, which they accepted.

But alas, in July 2016, the port lost it's biggest customer when Holcim Cement Works closed down and shipping cement from Westport finished.

The remains of an old cattle wharf can be seen alongside the track. 

The photo below shows the old cattle wharf and the stocks yards behind.

Photo supplied with permission

Part of the old cattle wharf has been revamped into a fishing platform and is the result of another community project. Not only is it a popular fishing spot, it also preserves a special bygone era. 

The new fishing wharf - to the left you can see some of the old cattle wharf.

Looking over the old cattle wharf towards the port.

The track ran beside the Buller River back towards Shingles Beach, where I'd left Bernie. We'd taken longer than I thought so I was surprised he was still waiting. Maybe all the memories of the good old days had made time stand still for him.

Swimmers at Shingles Beach

The photo below shows the two breakwaters on each side of the Buller River, which were completed in 1892. These structures were made as barriers to improve access to the port. They were extended by another 300 feet in 1966/7. 

The walk back was nice, with wild cherry trees providing some welcome shade.

We wandered through Les Warren Park, passing flowering pohutukawa trees, and then arrived back on North beach.

And, to make my day even better, there was a driftwood teepee. I love seeing these.

During warmer months, North Beach is a sought after spot for swimming and is popular all year round for fishing and surfing. The beach seems to change each time we visit, sometimes it's smothered in piles of driftwood, dumped by thunderous surf. Other times, coloured stones appear and the sea is calm and peaceful. 

Oakly still had some energy left, and was excited to be on the beach again!

 The perfect place to dig big holes.

DOC manages a freedom camping area, right beside the beach. Both nights we were there, it was full. There aren't too many beaches in New Zealand that still allow camp fires, fortunately North Beach is one of them. 

As evening drew to a close, a warm glow of golden light appeared. It was time to get the camera out and take the dogs back to the beach. 

A creative person had made a rustic tree.

As the sun disappeared behind clouds, Bernie tried his luck with a bit of fishing. However with an outgoing tide, conditions weren't ideal, so there wasn't any fish for dinner that night. But wow, what a beautiful place to hang out.

Westport will always be a special place for me. I look back with fond memories of the brief time I lived there. The people were (and are) friendly and welcoming, and as a community they're truly the best ... quick to rally around to help those in need, or to fundraise for a worthy cause. 

Yes, it does have it's fair share of wet weather, but this little West Coast town also has many sunny days (particularly in February). It's rich in history and proud of it - and to top it off, it has some of New Zealand's most stunning scenery.