Author: Glendon

Retired Australian Lawyer having worked representing the innocent and the not so innocent in Australia and some of the remote parts of the world and having travelled widely through Europe, Western Russia, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Thailand Malaysia Solomon Islands northern China, Hong Kong and the UAE So now that I have the time I am writing about my travels present and past. Hope you enjoy exploring off the beaten track.

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 6

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 14               Christchurch to Greymouth

We were booked in to stay at a quaintly named Apostles View Motel in Coal Creek Greymouth but to get there we had to travel through Arthur’s Pass. Unfortunately, it rained all day, so the journey was not as picturesque as we anticipated. The mountain pass was grand in scale and Roaring Meg lived up to her name. More about Meg later.

Photos of the scenery through the Pass

Our first stop was at Moana on Lake Brunner and the Lake Brunner Hotel. Hotel Lake Brunner acts as a central hub for the Moana village. There was a jolly young fellow sitting drinking under cover in the beer garden who greeted us to the hotel. He is a local and driven under shelter by the rain (and the love of a cold beer I would bet). Inside was old fashion English country home style with taxidermy stag heads on the wall and wood panelling. As I recall we shared pizza and took a doggy bag home: good pizza.

Photos of the hotel and it’s dining rooms.

We continued into Greymouth, but Coal Creek was not there but nearby. However the entrance was no longer the entrance and the bridge across the creek was unsafe. We found a notice on the former reception directing us to the new reception approx. 200m back the way we had come (no sign on the entry to tell us that the reception had moved). Having solved the puzzle of how to register we drove back to the former reception to find our accommodation. Two conjoined flats. Comfortable and commodious with disabled bathrooms – go figure.

Photos – Apostles View Motel

The weather was not flash, and the forecast didn’t promise any change. After dinner we settled into playing cards with a glass of wine then to bed. We also discussed a change of plans as there seemed no point going to Franz Joesph glacier or Mt Cook in this weather.

Day 15               Drive to Hokitika

Hokitika jumped out as the place to go. It is a town in the West Coast region, 40 kilometres south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. On a clear day Aoraki / Mount Cook can clearly be seen from Hokitika’s main street. It also claims to be the National Kiwi Centre, and that was appealing to see wild kiwis. So, we boarded our wagon and proceeded to Hokitika. The National Kiwi Centre took a bit of finding and it was not particularly appealing from the outside. As the proclaimed national centre, I was expecting something more auspicious but instead it was rambling and untidy and even dirty. It appeared to be running on an oily rag. AND there was 1 lonely kiwi exhibited in a glass cage and it was impossible to take a photos due to reflection. All of the other exhibits and there were plenty of them were interesting, but we came to see the national fauna emblem of NZ. I think it needs a sustainable source of funding to improve.

Photos of Inside the national Kiwi Centre, Dead eel and live eels, Axolotl from Mexico, and freshwater lobbies (crayfish) – no Kiwi

Now it was past 10.00 o’clock and no café at this place so off we went walking in hunt of the coffee bean. Found it in the Regent theatre. Coffee shop theatre and museum all in one. Our thirst sated, we stepped into sunshine: not the damp and overcast weather forecast. Our eyes turned to Mt Cook; it was still concealed in cloud cover. A view up Tancred St and a memorial to the Pioneers of Westland District; the place looked fairly quiet. Furthe along the street, a glass maker was busy at work before the furnace and whilst their work was good and the articles produced had some novelty, we both decided we had enough trinkets and not enough space in our luggage. Back to the car and leaving town, we came to a rail crossing. Normally there is no action on the line but not now today the Great Journeys of New Zealand train was crossing. As you will see in the photos the rain had returned.

Regents Theatre and Tancred St, Great Train Journeys

Day 16               Greymouth to Nelson

Rising early on day 16 we planned our trip to Nelson in the northern end of the Southern Island. It was a 4-hour drive to Nelson, and we decided to break the journey with visits to the Pancake Blowholes and the Buller Gorge swing bridge. We were about to drive what is said to be the most beautiful scenery of the West Coast of South Island. Ocean views beaches and towering mountains.

Scenery Greymouth to Pancake Blowholes

Rising from the sea at Dolomite Point, the Pancake Rocks are part of a heavily eroded limestone area where the sea bursts through underwater channels and escapes via vertical blowholes. The easy Pancake Rocks Track is a 20-minute loop but double (or triple) that to leave enough time to view the blowhole action. It’s most impressive at high tide. You can check the tide times at the Department of Conservation visitor centre opposite the entrance. Well worth a visit for coffee and cake. The Pancake Rocks and Blowholes are immediately adjacent to the village of Punakaiki, in an area that is protected and forms part of the Paparoa National Park. The limestone of the Pancake Rocks has been uplifted by geologic forces and then eroded into the current landforms by a combination of two processes – karst erosion (a slow process where chemical erosion of the limestone occurs through the action of water flowing in joints and caverns), and coastal erosion (including the collapse of caverns).

The scenery, the walk, the tracks and feathered friends

Yes, we did stop for coffee and enjoyable it was. Moving on from the Pancakes we headed inland to Buller Gorge. It is located in the northwest of the South Island. The Buller River flows through the deep canyon between Murchison and Westport. Land Information New Zealand lists two sections for the gorge, Upper Buller Gorge and Lower Buller Gorge. State Highway 6 runs alongside, but considerably above, the river through the gorge. The Stillwater – Westport Line railway also runs through the gorge. On many occassions we encountered single lane birdges and mountain roads – on a few occassions they came with traffic lights.

The road trip – turning off the coast and along the river and gorge

 We were headed for Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park – the Swingbridge is New Zealand’s longest Swingbridge at 110 metres (360 ft) in length spanning the Buller River 14 kilometres west of Murchison. The park also offers rides on a zip-line across the gorge as well as several short bush walks. We turned into the carpark finding it empty bar 1 car. The entrance displayed a water pump of a past era. The sole person in the reception took our money and reminded us that it is the beginning of winter hence not a soul in sight. The reception and in fact the whole park was damp and it wasn’t until we were crossing the bridge that we saw the sun. Crossing the swingbridge was a little hair raising but having got to the other side the ground was very damp and slippery. We decided to take the loop walk (see map below) turning right at the bottom of the foot of the bridge (no we were not going zip lining today) and making our way to the stone stacks where we found the “White Creek Fault Line”.

The information sign at this point told us that the White Creek Fault is an active geological fault located in the Upper Buller Gorge near Murchison in the South Island of New Zealand. It is famous for the 4.5-meter (15-foot) high vertical fault scarp—a towering rock face—created when a section of the fault ruptured during the massive 7.3 magnitude 1929 Murchison earthquake. We all felt a bit shaky, but it was probably the uneven and wet track not an earthquake. On a warm summer day, we could have stopped at the gold panning site, but this was not summer, but we did note the flood marker showing the height of the river in 2010 and 2012 was more than 2m over our heads. The slip along the fault line could still be seen with a sudden drop in the ground level. We continued the Loop and came upon a relic of a past time – the rusting 2nd world war relic with its sign “picnic area” – the back of the truck was the only dry spot on the Loop this day. There was not much to see at the Miners cottage so we returned to the swing bridge with luch waiting on the other side of the river. The return across the bridge was uneventful and a warm change with pleasant sunshine. Time for lunch so we served up the sandwiches and coffee then hit the road.

Having finished our picnic it was Nelson here we come. As we approached Nelson around about afternoon teatime, we pulled into a roadside café for coffee. They we just closing but were kind enough to serve us then load us up with the unused products from their display cabinet. We had arrived on the outskirts of Nelson. Our accommodation was at a motel called “Admirals Nelson” in Waimea Rd., a few blocks from the CBD. Our apartments were on the ground floor and quite large. We organised some dinner and then settled into a game of cards before bed.

Leaving the swingbridge another narrow bridge queue and arriving in Nelson

We located our motel and were quite pleased with its location and amenities. It had been a long day and some dinner was needed. We found a takeaway nearby and returned to the motel for our feast and a game of cards. So up bright and early for the THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 7 as I am off to get a coffee. Cheers!

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 5

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 11               On the way to Christchurch

When we arose, the car was iced over and Barry had to carefully remove the ice. I tried to unwind the hose to spray the car and of course it was frozen. That is a new experience. Christchurch was 3 hours away. Our first stop was at a village called Fairlie, 45 minutes away. Of course, we would stop for coffee and visit the Bakehouse. A lot of other people had the same idea, and the Bakehouse was full to overflowing. In the village is a statue depicting Explorer James McKenzie and his dog. James McKenzie (c. 1820 – c. 1865) is best known for the dramatic 1855 theft of 1,000 sheep from the Levels Station in South Canterbury. The Legend is using his highly intelligent dog, Friday, he drove the sheep into an uncharted, hidden inland basin to evade authorities. While he was eventually caught, his escape attempts and rugged survival skills cemented him as a legend. I find it strange that people love a clever thief and immortalise him. We have done the same with the Kelly gang and Thunderbolt.

The Bakehouse and the explorer McKenzie and his dog.

We then moved on to a picturesque village called Geraldine 45 minutes from Fairlie. We pulled into the village and to a market in the centre of the village. It was a lot bigger than we expected and it even had a movie theatre which oddly was showing “the Sheep Detectives”. Barry and I were compelled to purchase the “Baaad to the Bone” T shirt package for the great expense of NZ$20. Barry paid NZ$5 more for the cap as well. The pack included the shirt, a mug and a fridge magnet. WooHoo! Then we found the cheese shop and picked up some cheese and an ice cream. Then we took a short walk around to the theatre, returned to the car and on our way again.

The road to Geraldine, the Theatre, and signs on a wall

This time we made our way to Ashburton 1 hour away for lunch. Then to Christchurch where we would be staying 3 nights at Abbey Motor Lodge 209 Beasley Avenue Christchurch. It was quite the challenge to find our motel the first time and Christchurch is a relatively a big city.

Day 12 Christchurch

The motel was well placed and run by an elderly Chinese gent who was always busy but helpful. He offered a washing service for NZ$10 per load so we availed ourselves of his services and got it back still warm from the dryer but tossed in the basket to fold for ourselves. So that is how he fills his day.

We decided we would take a walk into town and find the cable car to the top of the mountain outside Christchurch while Barry and Sandi did their own thing. We walked out onto Beasley St and took the first turn left into Manchester St for the CBD, passing the belltower of St Luke’s in the City Anglican Church. There is a sign board explaining the history and why only the bell tower remains I photographed the sign but have added the information provided by Wikipedia. “St Luke’s Church was an Anglican church located in Manchester St Christchurch. The former church was built on one of the five sites set aside in the central city in the original survey of Christchurch for the Anglican church and the building was registered as a Category II historic place with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. Following sustained damage caused by the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, the building was demolished in July 2011.

Testimonial and redeveloped units

The photos above show the redeveloped site. There are many sites throughout certain parts of the city are clearly redeveloped which gives you an idea of the enormity of the damage done.

Our path to the CBD took us past many different street art projects and I have posted them below. We came to the tram station inside the building housing the Tourist Information office. The tram provides a city tour, but we were more interested to take the cable car up the slopes of Mt Cavendish.

Street scenes and street art and the tram stop

We continued our exploration whilst awaiting the arrival of the bus to take us to the base station. Apart from the extensive street art we also visited the cathedral still under repair from the earthquake.

More street art and the cathedral

Our wait time passed quickly, and we headed for the bus to take us to the Cable car. The Christchurch cable car, officially known as the Christchurch Gondola, takes passengers on a 10-minute scenic ride up the slopes of Mount Cavendish in the Port Hills. The base station is in Heathcote Valley, just a 15-minute drive from the Christchurch CBD. On this day the weather was predicted to be cloudy but there was no sign as we arrived and boarded the gondola.

Catching the gondola at the base station and the ride to the top

We arrived in the gift shop and made our way to the stairs to the viewing deck. As we did so we spotted a passage way chained off from access. One of the staff then informed us that this was the entrance to a ride through the earliest history of Christchurch. Of course, there was a charge, but it proved to be interesting and not too difficult to undertake.

The beginning of time through to the Gold Rush

From the ride we climbed to the viewing platform, and we could see the weather closing in with heavy cloud covering part of the scenery. On the seaward side of the peak, we could see Port Lyttelton, the main commercial and cruise port serving Christchurch. As we looked out most points of interest were slowly swallowed by a cloud bank. Only the view down to the base station remained clear.

Panoramic photo, Port Lyttelton, the cloud bank and the base station

We returned to the base station after coffee and a pie (mince and cheese a NZ favourite) for lunch. We were still on the hunt looking for the earthquake Memorial Wall, and it was bloody hard to find. If there was signage for visitors to find the memorial we could not find it and everyone, we asked gave us a bum steer. We came close to the Memorial without knowing it when we walked the Bridge of Remembrance along the Avon River but to avoid some pro-Palestine protesters, we missed the one and only directional sign. We encountered a knowing fellow who finally gave us clear directions to find the Memorial. Once we had the correct directions, we crossed the Bridge of Remembrance and followed the signs to the Memorial Wall.

The Memorial Wall

We walked back to the motel by which time we were rather tired but tomorrow we are off to Akaroa and a cruise from Akaroa Harbour.

Day 13               With Barry behind the wheel we started a scenic drive (about 1.5 hours) to Akaroa Harbour. Akaroa is a small town on Banks Peninsula in the Canterbury Region, situated within a harbour of the same name. The name Akaroa is Kāi Tahu Māori for “Long Harbour”, and the area was also named Port Louis-Philippe by French settlers after the reigning French King Louis Philippe I.

In 1838, a whaler Captain Jean François Langlois, wrote up a questionable deed of purchase for “the greater Banks Peninsula” to which twelve Kāi Tahu chiefs each added their moko or cross. When the French settlers did arrive, the British authorities – who had in the meantime taken possession of the whole of New Zealand – decided a valid sale had not taken place in 1838, relying for their decision on English law and Māori oral evidence. A French influence remains in Akaroa to the present.

The village was largely confined to 1 street with residential properties running into it. The main street fronted the harbour on one side and the residences on the other.

Driving to the village, Rue Lavaud and its church, an Asian influence also, one of the novel residences, Arkwright’s – hoping to see Ronnie Barker, the café for the coffee stop with sausage sizzle outside, and the harbour.

After coffee and a cake, we made our way to the wharf where we learned that the ticket office is onshore and after some minor issues, we found the office and learned our booking was for the preceding day, but we were in luck the boat was not full. Clutching our tickets we hurried back to the wharf and the awaiting vessel. Strangely that muck put us at the head of the queue to board the vessel and we were on our way to see the Hector Dolphins and the NZ fur seals and the whales. Someone forgot to send them their invitation as they didn’t turn up. As you will see in the photos, the seals were all ashore.

Cruising Akoroa Harbour

Disappointed we decided to check out the museum. The Courthouse was part of the museum which was free to enter. The Akaroa Courthouse is located at 69 Rue Lavaud in Akaroa and is a beautifully preserved Category II Historic Place. Opened in March 1880, it served the community for 99 years before being integrated into the Akaroa Museum. The interior is still furnished with its original 19th-century magistrate’s bench, witness box, and dock. Its a contradiction that the village has a French influence when you come across the Coronation Library opened in 1875 in honour of Queen Victoria no doubt – rather English I thought.

The Courthouse from the street, the entrance to the museum, the entry to the Courthouse, the Registry and the scale of fees, the Court room and in the museum itself a poster regarding a Buccaneer Billy Hayes, and the exterior of the French house preserved in the museum and the Coronation Library.

Although the cruise didn’t hold any excitement for us, the town itself was a great snapshot of earlier times in New Zealand. We moved on and back to Christchurch to prepare to cross New Zealand through Arthur’s Pass onto Greymouth tomorrow. Continue reading to follow our adventure across NZ in THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 6

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 4

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 9   Dunedin to Lake Tekapo.

Before leaving Dunedin, we decided to visit The Dunedin Museum Toitū Otago Settlers Museum that features the history of arrivals and immigration to Dunedin. Located in the central city, it focuses on the social history of the region, featuring life-size depictions of early immigrant boats, pioneer portrait galleries, and stories of past and present arrivals. The key highlights for me were:

  • Smith Gallery featuring hundreds of portraits of Otago’s early pioneers.
  • Immigration Boat Exhibit a life-size depiction of the interior of an immigrant boat, giving a sense of the long journeys from Britain.
  • Different forms of transport including “Josephine,” a green steam locomotive transported from England in 1872.

Smith Gallery, Ship gallery exhibition and early transport exhibition

Moving on from Dunedin we drove north to the Moeraki Boulders on the beach of the same name, off State Highway 1, between Hampden and Moeraki. The Moeraki Boulders are massive, naturally spherical calcite concretions scattered along Koekohe Beach on New Zealand’s South Island. Exposed by coastal erosion, each boulder weighs several tonnes and measures up to two metres high. We walked up the beach checking out these unique boulders, then made way through the bush above the beach to the cafe on the beach.

Boulders on the beach and returning to the cafe

Sitting in the sun we ate fish and chips taking in the unobstructed view of the beach and its surrounds. As soon as we recived our lunch we were joined by a young cat, likely a stray, and he greedily snapped up our leftovers. Travelling through the Waitaki Valley we headed to our destination a B&B called Serendipity located at 20 Hamilton Dve. Lake Tekapo. It is a two-storey house with a fireplace, and we had much joy in lighting the fireplace warming us and the house. It had a deck facing the village and the lake although views of the lake were obstructed by other houses.

The café, the road through Waitaki Valley and the mist.

Day 10 Lake Tekapo

We arrived in Lake Tekepo late in the evening. Our accomodation was 5minutes drive from the centre of town but still carried some of the early settlers landmarks. After starting the fire we got down to the serious business of playing cards and snacking on cheese and the like. Next morning Kerry and I walked down to the main road passing a stopover/dump station for camper vans and sheep pens known as Tekepo Sales Yards which once served as a central focal point for high-country farmers gathering to trade livestock.

The lake, the pens, the dump station and the mountains

After breakfast we climbed aboard the car and headed to the famous statue on the shores of Lake Tekapo: The Sheepdog Memorial. It is a life-sized bronze sculpture of a Collie sheepdog perched on a pedestal of local rocks. Located 100 meters east of the iconic Church of the Good Shepherd, it stands as a monument to the hard-working dogs that made high-country farming possible. The memorial was just around the corner from our B&B but already there was a crowd of people at the monument and the Church.

The Sheepdog Memorial and Church of the Good Shepherd

The Church of the Good Shepherd was in sight of the memorial and unfortunately it was defaced by scaffolding to enable repairs. So, we walked to the church and entry was not permitted. The church and grounds were closed from Wednesday 20 May – Friday 29 May 2026 to facilitate earthquake strengthening work on the bellcote. As access to the interior was not possible, we walked on to a footbridge crossing the waterway entering the lake. The footbridge was a modern construction replacing at least 2 other bridges and connected to the carpark serving the tourist shops but empty at winter time. We walked around to the Dark Sky Project building. The Dark Sky Project is a world-renowned astro-tourism venture that offers guided stargazing tours, multimedia astronomy exhibits, and dining in the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve. Inside the building was several multimedia astronomy experiences, fabulous views over the lake and a coffee shop of course. Whilst enjoying our coffee I noticed a huge telescope inside the building so I took a photograph hoping I would do it justice. The centrepiece telescope displayed is the historic 18-inch (45.7-cm) Brashear Telescope, a famous Victorian-era refracting telescope crafted in 1894. Have a look at the surface of the hot chocolate that Kerry ordered. Yes its Saturn.

The footbridge, the Brashear Telescope, Dark Sky Project building, and Kerry’s hot chocolate

 We were keen to join one of their tours. There are 2 tours on offer: the Observatory Tour (Evening stargazing tour at the University of Canterbury Mt John Observatory located on the summit of Mt John and the Crater Experience (Stargazing from a purpose-built, sheltered crater enclosure for a highly immersive viewing environment). We chose the Crater Experience as the drive to the observatory on top of the mountain at night did not appeal to us.

After purchasing our tour tickets, we decided that we would drive to the Mount John Observatory. It is a comparatively short drive to the foot of the mountain but that is where a comfortable drive ends. We made it to the car park before the crowds fortunately and I was able to snap this panoramic photo of the observatory hill. I walked toward the edge overlooking the village below and then turning a further 90 degrees I snapped a further panorama.

Time for another coffee and lunch so up we went to the Sky Café with its space scene at its entry. Here Kerry purchased her perfect drink vessel, and we perched on top of the mountain to have our lunch when joined by a flock of sparrows. They sat in that thorny bush until we moved on and then it was lunch for them.

The observatory and café, overlooking the village and lake, 90 degrees to the right, the observatory close up the café entrance, sparrows in thorny bush, solitary island in the lake.

We went back to the village and while walking through it we read that Bill the Bard was delivering a performance on the lakes edge starting at sunset. Well, we rested for the rest of the afternoon as we would join Bill for his performance and then go to the Crater experience. Sunset and we sat at the listening circle awaiting Bill’s arrival. Dark Sky Project was alive with people in the restaurant and then Bill arrived in an old station wagon, and he hopped out in his kilt to unload his gear. This was a bloody cold night and the wind up his kilt must have chilled. At first, it was bill and the 4 of us but by the time bill had unloaded the 44-gallon drum fireplace and his drum we had another family join us. The moon was almost full; the sun had almost disappeared behind the observatory on the mountain and Bill started on his drum. He told his story and we had a sing-along then he produced an umbrella which he raised and lit with light providing imitation of the Milky Way. For this performance he left it to the audience to determine his value, so we rewarded him modestly but retained the memory of Bill the Bard.

Sunset at the lake, Dark Sky alive, the moon, the mountain, the fireplace, Bill and his magic umbrella

We enjoyed a fish and chip dinner in a Chinese café (yes, I am still puzzled that we ordered in one café and went next door to collect the meals from a different café which we consumed in the first café). Refreshed and watered we went back to Dark Sky project to board our bus to the Crater Experience. Barry waited under a rather threatening sign but the threating arm was a shadow from a mannequin. Right on time the bus arrived, and we began our Crater Experience. There were about 20 of us on the bus. Fifteen minutes down the main road we turned off into the bush and wound our way to a circle of shipping containers and sundry sheds. Our astronomy hostess was from the University of Canterbury the institution that operated the Mount John Observatory and manned the café with students. We went around the dark sky, and she pointed out salient points. Her assistants meanwhile lined up two telescopes for us to use to more closely observe the sky. It was a very enjoyable but very cold experience, so it was great to get back on the bus.

Barry under threat, the Crater, me and the telescope, Kerry and the telescope, the night sky and the moon through the telescope.

Home to bed and Lake Tekapo to Christchurch tomorrow. Keep watching for Episode 5 here on THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH.

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 3

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Carrying on from Episode 2 here are the photos from the upper floor.

Burt Munro and the World’s Fastest Indian

Having spent the morning at the museum, Barry and I now wanted to see the collection of Bill Richardson and his friends. We only had a tourists map and it didn’t look to be too far to walk; so, we did and it was a bloody long way. On the way we saw some more street art, the Town Hall and Fat Bastard Pies. When we finally arrived; yes, you guessed it we needed a coffee, so, the first place we checked out was the café. It was uniquely decorated with memorabilia – number plates as lamp holders on the ceiling, old radiator covers advertising “the grill”, and the tabletops made from recycled timber from oil barrels. Even Elvis made an appearance.

The cafe and the sights/sites

The museum was made up of the collections of Bill Richardson and his mates and what tremendous display.

The girls discovered there was fashion on display also and merrily left the boys with the cars,trucks and buses. By the time we had viewed all the cars, we were confronted with the walk back to the Ibis. This time we caught a cab to Queens Park to have lunch. We had been advised to try the café in Queens Park, and we had had enough of walking. Lunch was okay but more enjoyable was the cooling milkshake. It was here that we received some very sage advice “Practice safe lunch – use condiments”. So, we did.

Having rested we decided to walk back to the hotel. Passing the Fat Bastard Pie Shop then the Town Hall, we knew we were close to home. That evening we resume our card playing and plotted how we would avoid parking fines in Tay St.

Day 7   Invercargill to Dunedin           

Visiting Dunedin was more of the same – take the longest route to get there and find interesting things on the way. Stop number 1 was at Fortrose café for morning tea/coffee. The Fortrose Cafe is a charming, neighbourly stop on the Southern Scenic Route in Southland, New Zealand. Known for hearty meals, fresh cabinet food, and 24/7 fuel, it is the perfect spot to grab a bite or a coffee after exploring Slope Point or the Catlins. Well, we didn’t do either of those things we just needed coffee. Stop number 2 was Waipapa Point Recreation Reserve, the Lighthouse, the NZ fur seals and the long drop toilets.

Fortrose café, Waipapa Point Recreation Reserve, the Lighthouse, the NZ fur seals and the long drop toilets.

The fur seal in the pictures above must have been a bit off colour. We discovered a mess of half-eaten fish and squid not far from the seal, who lay in the grass unperturbed by the human visitors. I decided my readers would not need the evidence of vomited seafood. The lighthouse is all that remains of the facilities. – The keepers house has long since gone. Interesting, cold and bloody amazing – one group of tourists and likely locals were wandering around in shorts and T-shirts.

Sandi had read that there were petrified forests in Curio Bay which lay between Invercargill and Dunedin. It is a coastal embayment, best known as the site of a petrified forest some 180 million years old. It also supposed to host a yellow-eyed penguin colony, the endemic Hector’s dolphin and Southern right whales are occasionally observed offshore. Not today a lonely fur seal was resting up in the carpark showing signs of a recent scuffle. We were uncertain of where we might see the forest. Since returning home I have googled the articles on the forest and it appears that the forest is made up of trees stumps visible above the tide, fallen logs that now appear as different coloured ridges and tree stumps in basalt. My photos won’t show any of that.

Corio Bay – the bays and the basalt from volcanic times, seaweed fight the tide to hold onto the rocks, the fur seal showing his scars.

Our lunch stop was in a small coastal community overlooking Catlin Lake. The day was overcast and showery, so we took shelter in the Pub. The dining room has an open fire blazing away and we enjoyed the warmth and the food. A couple of the local lads were interested in what we were doing there in the off season and we chatted with them about their town.

We moved onto Owaka for a further break. To remind me of our visit I photograph the Lions Club Playground and the painting of the lighthouse screening the public toilets. We were joined by a small flock of sparrows to help with consuming our biscuits finally arriving at Rosy at Roslyn 15A Fifield Street Dunedin.

Lions Playground, and the public convenience

Our accommodation was a small semi-detached house on the side of a hill in Fifield St Roslyn Dunedin – warm and comfortable. We could not access the garage to park the car, but we were to learn that this was the drying room and laundry with the previous tenant’s laundry still drying in the garage. After purchasing supplies for dinner we settled in, prepared dinner and enjoyed a wine and a hand of cards. Tomorrow we will walk through Dunedin.

House in Dunedin

Day 8   Dunedin

A good night’s sleep followed by breakfast set us up for the day to walk through Dunedin. Barry drove us to Woolies (a recent change to the supermarket change). The chain completed a nationwide rebrand from its former name, Countdown, to Woolworths in 2024 to align with its Australian counterpart. There we parked on the top floor of the carpark and ventured off to find the Railway Station. It was overcast and drizzly, so the brollies came with us. It was a fair walk to the station, and it was not the usual suburban rail stop. Dunedin Railway Station 22 Anzac Avenue, Central Dunedin is a prominent landmark and tourist site in Dunedin. It is speculated by locals to be the most photographed building in the country, as well as the second most photographed in the southern hemisphere, after the Sydney Opera House.

Dunedin Railway Station, The High Court, Cadbury Fry building (original home of Cadbury’s chocolate in NZ) and Street art on the Woolies building

The station is huge suggesting the importance of Dunedin when it was built. Dunedin required a station for a wide range of activities: it was a commercial and industrial centre, close to gold and coalfields, with a hinterland that was dependent on livestock and forestry for its economy. There were 3 previous stations but by 1906 a new station had been built to replace the earlier stations. The station is constructed of dark basalt from Kokonga in the Strath-Taieri with lighter Oamaru stone facings, giving it the distinctive light and dark pattern common to many of the grander buildings of Dunedin and Christchurch. Pink granite was used for a series of supporting pillars which line a colonnade at the front. The roof was tiled in terracotta shingles from Marseille surmounted by copper-domed cupolas. The southern end is dominated by the 37-metre clocktower visible from much of central Dunedin.

The booking hall features a mosaic floor of almost 750,000 Minton tiles, completely renewed in 1965, in an exact replica. A frieze of Royal Doulton porcelain runs around the balcony above it from which the floor’s design, featuring a locomotive and related symbols, can be clearly seen. The main platform was 1,570 ft (480 m) long.

Ticket Office in the booking hall, the booking hall floor from above, the main platform, first floor balcony, the Passchendaele WW1 memorial at the entry,

Today, the station services daily sightseeing trains to Middlemarch or Pukerangi via the Taieri Gorge, and to Palmerston. There are a number of different uses for the station building, one being an interesting moving art display.

First floor moving Art display

After leaving the station we sought a coffee shop for morning tea. In this eclectic shop, there was a painting which looked like a copy of Gainsborough’s “Blue Boy”. I had mistakenly thought it was a portrait of Charles 1 (the Stewart beheaded by the Commonwealth) but when writing this blog my memory was the Blue Boy not Charles. My apologies to the poor waitress who I assailed about their connection with the Stewarts. It was quite an arty place as can be observed in the photos below. Barry was sneaking a photo of the poster on the toilets.

Toilet poster

After coffee we moved on to the centre of Dunedin – the Octagon. So leaving the café we passed the Law Courts Hotel and Kerry decided we should view the Law Courts. The old building has been extended upon providing the new entrance with scanning and security provisions. One of the security officers gladly showed us through two courtrooms vacant of any business that day. Familiar layout but no public gallery for the higher courts – interesting. We made hard work of finding the Octagon. We walked past the Chinese gardens, some more street art, then the First Church of Otago (formerly St Andrews Presbyterian Church).

Law Courts Hotel, and street art

We finally arrived in the Octagon and octangle square the centre of the business/commercial district of Dunedin. It was at this time that I became painfully aware that street post boxes were as rare as hens’ teeth in NZ. NZ Post now hides in retail outlets, and they are not visible to a visitor. However, in a corner takeaway store in the Octagon was the post office and I finally posted my pocket full of postcards. I don’t know if it was the winter weather, but the Octagon looked sad to me: as though forgotten with some closed shops and not much colour. But there were some highlights like telephone box and the Robbie Burns statute.

Telephone box, and the octagon

We decided to finish the day with a visit to Tunnel Beach on the Otago Peninsula. The wildness of the peninsula had been tamed by the construction of a long path to the beach but having walked down to the first viewing platform we looked back and decided that was enough – walking back up will be too hard for us elderly folk.

Tunnel beach from above. I don’t think I would have survived the climb back up.

Having curtailed our plans, we decided to return to the B&B via the local coffee shop. Rossalyn Fire Station: no longer in service it had been turned into a coffee shop with magnificent views across Dunedin. After a rest and coffee, we moved onto the B&B and a night of cards before bed.

Fire House cafe and view of Dunedin from the cafe.

Tomorrow Day 9, we plan to travel to Lake Tekapo some 3 hours plus away. Still a long way to go travelling the South Island. Read more when THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 4.

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 2

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 5.                Today we are headed from Te Anu to Invercargill but we had to stop for coffee at the smallest coffee shop. It was clearly a diversified income stream for the laundry operating behind it as our barista came from the laundry to serve us.

Invercargill was 2.1/2 hours away and we would be staying at the Ibis Styles in Tay St. Invercargill. It had been our plan to look for stops on the way – yes, for coffee but stops of interest. There was one thing common about all the scenery, and this was the plantations of pine trees. Plantation forests are dominated by Radiata pine (Pinus radiata). Introduced in the 1800s, this incredibly fast-growing species is used for everything from structural timber to pulp. While plantation forests are strictly managed, the South Island faces a significant ecological crisis from wilding pines. These are self-seeded, invasive pine trees often Contorta pine and Douglas fir. These wilding pines choke out native alpine vegetation, use vast amounts of water, and ruin natural landscapes.

On the way to Invercargill, we expected to pass over Clifden Suspension Bridge. Wikipedia says “The historic Clifden Suspension Bridge is located in Southland on the South Island of New Zealand. Built in 1899, this 111-meter wooden and steel bridge spans the Waiau River and features a Category 1 Historic classification. Originally built to replace a ferry punt and connect the region, it was the longest suspension bridge in the country. It was closed to vehicular traffic in 1978 when a modern bridge was built nearby. Today, it is pedestrian-only and serves as a popular roadside stop for photographs and historical appreciation.”

So, here we are at Clifden Suspension Bridge.

The Bridge and its history, the Waiau River

Out comes the coffee and biscuits and we appreciate the work and effort to construct such a bridge in 1899 in the wilds of the South Island. Suitably refreshed (Barry had picked up some Scotch Fingers whilst I had picked up a packet of Biscoff biscuits and prepared vanilla latte sachets, Kerry had her Spicy Chai Latte and the thermos of hot water) we motored on now following the coastline. McCracken’s Rest just off the main road, caught our eye for our next stop. No idea who McCracken may be nor why he rested here (no sign of a grave) but it has awesome views up and down the coast. From here we are closer to Stewart Island than Invercargill! We are right at the bottom of the South Island. According to a sign nearby “Locals appreciate McCracken’s Rest for its stunning coastal views and proximity to attractions like Monkey Island and Gemstone Beach.” After reading this Barry needed to see Monkey Island.

McCracken’s Rest, up and down the beach (Stewart Is in the background) Tuatapere history board.

We drove to Monkey Island a rocky knob which becomes an island at high tide. Well, Barry scrambled up one side, and I thought I chose an easier route up the other side but oh No! I was wrong and tumbled backward knocking my head. Very stupid and dangerous for me having previously broken my neck surfing and now with my head screwed on by a fusion of my C4 to C7 vertebrae. But I am still here to write about it. Kerry watched my fall from the beach causing her great grief. Not a high point of our holiday but a lesson learnt by me.

Monkey Island

I had no side effects from my tumble other than a bruised ego and an annoyed wife. So, we moved onto Riverton for lunch visiting the Aparima Hotel. We had an enjoyable lunch in a warm cosy atmosphere. There seemed too many locals having lunch and enjoying themselves, so I googled The Aparima Hotel and found according to google that it “is a well-loved historic establishment” on the South Island. “It had burned down in a devastating fire in 2013, but the site has since been successfully rebuilt as the Aparima Restaurant & Bar.” We can attest to that.

Aparima Restaurant and Bar

We moved onto Invercargill arriving at our hotel around 3.00pm Saturday. Barry and Sandi had plans of visiting Stewart Island, but their enquiries changed their minds. They could not do a day trip and would need to stay overnight. Whether that was a seasonal thing or not, they decided to do things with us which changed our very loose plans. The hotel was not as expected either. It was in one of the main streets of the CBD and there was, despite our being told otherwise, no onsite parking. Parking on the street was free on the weekend but after 8.00am on Monday the parking on the street would be free for 20mins only. This still didn’t give us secure parking off the street. On the positive side, we had comfortable rooms and access to a lounge which gave us plenty of room to play cards and prepare meals and lunches.

Day 6                 The following day Barry revealed that he had discovered a motorbike museum nearby. Now Barry is still riding and couldn’t wait to view the museum. The legacies of George Begg and Burt Munro are displayed at Classic Motorcycle Mecca. Classic Motorcycle Mecca and E. Hayes & Sons. are also located in central Invercargill and showcase New Zealand’s incredible motorsport and engineering history. Most of the motorcycles in the collection were originally acquired by Tom and Heather Sturgess. In 2016 Sturgess announced that he had undergone major surgery, and that the collection of almost 300 motorcycles, eventually was sold to Transport World in Invercargill to be relocated to new premises in Invercargill.

So, we visited the museum and what a phenomenal exhibition it is. We started in the café which had some interesting bits and pieces. After coffee (of course we had coffee!) Barry and I entered the museum. Gob smacked at the number and variety of motorcycles, we wandered through the ground floor where we discovered the original elevator for the building and the original mobile washing service run by Mary Watson on her Indian Scout motorcycle and side car. How did the Messerschmitt three-wheeler get in there? And the twin rider Whizzer from 1948?

One of the two buildings with The Café beside it, the museum entrance and ground floor showroom, Mrs Watson’s Indian Scout, the Messerschmitt and the Whizzer.

But there’s more downstairs.

Photos              Push bikes and the George Begg Collection

But there’s more upstairs from the ground floor. However I have run out of space so to see the World’s Fastest Indian you will need to go to Episode 3

THE RETIREES VISIT THE SOUTH ISLAND ACROSS THE DITCH blog 495 Episode 1

19TH MAY TO 10TH JUNE 2026

Day 1   Flying on Virgin Air Lines for the first time since the change of ownership during Co-vid, Kerry and I arrive at Queenstown International Airport at the scheduled arrival time of 3.40 pm. We are traveling with Barry and Sandi, fellow retirees and cruise ship travellers and now partnering them in their adventure on the South Island. Barry had selected our hire car which was awaiting us off site. It had been a guess as to what space was needed for the four of us and our luggage, but we seemed to have guessed well. We pick up our Nissan X-Trail Hatchback, plan and load the luggage, and leave the car hire company with Barry in the driver’s seat, following his faithful Garmin GPS and drive to our Queenstown hotel, where we stay in Sherwood just down the road from the airport. We had booked into the Lodge in the hotel whilst Barry and Sandi had chosen a unit with a view of the lake.

our hotel and our room

Barry and Sandi had planned to catch up with their daughter Ruth but with no plans as to where they would dine. We were invited to join them, and plans were made to go to a local pizza restaurant. Local turned out to be the restaurant in the Holiday Inn Hotel next door to our hotel. Neither Kerry or I had met Ruth previously but she was delightful company. She is a young traveller mixing travel and study enjoying her nomad life. Dinner was fun and the meals were fine. Barry and Sandi will catch up with her again when their paths next cross.

Photos of, the sunrise and Lake Wakatipu.

Day 2 – Queenstown and Arrowtown

Our plans were fluid as to what we might find or do throughout the journey. After breakfast at the hotel, we drove to Arrowtown. Arrowtown is a historic gold mining town 20 minutes from Queenstown and located on the banks of the Arrow River. The town is popular because it preserves its 1860s gold-rush history while offering a vibrant, modern food and shopping scene. The town has stunning natural landscapes. The winter season had turned the trees which were covered with autumn foliage.

Arrowtown buildings and its surroundings,

A highlight and surprise for us was the Lakes District Museum. The museum provided an insight into the gold mining history of Queenstown. The museum had constructed a number of scenes as things might have been as well and telling its history.

Lakes District Museum.

Queenstown sits directly on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake (84 km) famous for its dramatic Z-shape, pristine water, and unique natural tide. Framed by the Remarkables mountain range, this alpine lake is the vibrant hub for Queenstown’s sightseeing, cruises, and water sports. So, after visiting Arrowtown Barry drove onto the docks where TSS Earnslaw Steamship is docked to catch the cruise boat RedNZ which would take us for a cruise to the Walter Peak High Country Farm. It was by then getting a bit late (sunset was around 5.00pm) so we did not hop off as we had a big drive to Te Anu and Milford Sound tomorrow.

TSS Earnslaw Steamship, the lake, the Walter Peak High Country Farm, RedNZ and the steamship again

Day 3   Queenstown to Te Anau

It is a 6-hour drive to Parklands Motel in Te Anau. On the way we had a stop at the Dome Café in Mossburn. Great coffee stop, on your travels to Te Anau or Milford/Doubtful Sound but not much in the village. Beside the café there is a business called Bracken Hall claiming to have the best venison pies in the South Island. Apart from that there was a new petrol station (one of those 24 hours self-serve unattended things very popular in NZ) and the original petrol station on the opposite side of the road looking more like Steptoe & Son yard and just dirty with vehicles to be repaired or beyond repair. After coffee and cake and a visit to the bathroom, we hit the road again. We were starting to see more sheep, more and more mountains and low cloud. Low cloud would be a feature of the scenery whenever approaching or in the mountains.

Mossburn on the road to Te Anu – Dome Café, Low cloud on the mountains, Sheep of course, Bracken Hall

We arrived in Te Anu around 1.30pm and the rooms were not ready. We took the opportunity to take a drive around the town, visit the Lake and the float plane dock and a short drive along the road toward Milford Sound as the rooms weren’t ready. We got as far as Lake Mistletoe where we found a park and the outside dunny in the form of a long drop. A map showing our position and the distance to Milford Sound caught our eye. The beach was all river stone and tee pees of driftwood had been erected probably by the park rangers. We had cut some sandwiches and carried boiling water in our flask so that we could have lunch overlooking the lake. We returned to the main road and found our way to Mistletoe walk. The track was a circuit, and we noticed an abundance of fungi/mushrooms and strange trees with extended limbs. As we approached the edge of Lake Mistletoe the scenery was very dramatic with mountains in the background, bird life abounding and unusual groundcovers.

Photos              Float plane docking, Lake Mistletoe, the long drop lunch at the lake, fungi, ground cover and bird life, Float planes at dock

We returned to Te Anu and our accommodation. We roamed the streets to find our evening repast – bottles of wine and snacks whilst we played cards (Skipbo). We arose early, had breakfast and were ready to move onto Milford Sound. This is when I took the morning photo of the Float planes at dock.

Float planes at dock

Day 4   Te Anau             The day was not promising the best weather so we decided that Kerry and I would cruise on Milford Sound. Barry and Sandi chose a walk in the Sound having enjoyed the cruise on a previous occasion. Milford Sound or Piopiotahi in Māori is a breathtaking fiord in New Zealand’s Fiordland National Park, renowned for its dramatic sheer cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and inky dark waters. Yes, a fiord – a valley carved by glacier. It was a long drive with Barry at the wheel. Dramatic scenery surrounded us. The mountains were astounding, shooting up like a forest all round. We encountered just 1 tunnel, and it was single lane as well. So, as you will see in the photos, we had to await our turn to pass through. When our turn came, I was able to photograph the interior passage. More mountains rose around us as we made our way to the Milford Sound dock with the vegetation changing to dense forest.

Dramatic mountains, tunnel, tunnel passage, more mountains,

Arriving at the dock there was a very modern quay and visitor complex with 9 vessels tied up awaiting the passengers for the day. We had a bit of a wait and moved along the wharf viewing all the vessels. I was particularly taken by Milford Mariner, part sail part cruising yacht. However, that was not our vessel – we boarded the Milford Monarch. The boat was not crowded at all. The biggest crowd was a bus tour. Our vessel was the last to sail. The photos will tell you what we saw. Kerry and I found the cruise disappointing – very little wildlife was visible and but for the evening showers overnight there would not have been any waterfalls.

Milford Mariner and Milford Monarch at the quayside, photos of the sound

Now I know the wildlife is not like a zoo but the promises of seeing Hector Dolphins, NZ fur Seals, Albatrosses and everything else was clearly just marketing. As explained by the staff “you’re here out of season”. We rejoined Barry and Sandi for the drive back to Te Anu, to hunt for dinner and play more Skipbo. During our hunt for dinner, we encountered one of the world’s smallest coffee venues. We all agreed that we would get our morning coffee there.

Day 5 Barry selecting his coffee, the coffee shop,

Episode 2 Our hunt for Invercargill follows. Keep reading to enjoy the whole safari.

THE RETIREES IN PERTH W.A. FOR THE CELESTIAL FESTIVAL

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Perth

We feel as though we have just got off the merry-go-round and we get back on to fly to Perth to support our youngest daughter treat Perth to the Celestial Festival. Carly puts together packages for readers of the books by Sarah Maas presenting a themed festival in a gothic setting so they can all dress up and “play” in the make-believe world – Yes, a masked ball! Hundreds of young and not so young people dress up and travel to each festival around Australia and Kerry is the dressmaker.

This adventure started Thursday morning with travelling by early morning flight to Perth and settling into our hotel the Europe in Murray St. Our plans would be shaped by the demands of the festival. Carly and her family were travelling on a later flight and staying at the QT Hotel; a little classier than the European. Kerry has relatives here just outside of Perth and we had plans to catch up with her cousin Ken and his wife Yena and a more distant relative Zenith.

We dropped into our hotel and left our luggage and then went exploring to find out what was around us. Murray St mall was 2 blocks down Murray St., Town Hall, where the festival would be held was nearby the mall and St Georges Tce. and the docks area was nearby. The architecture of the pre-Federation period, the statuary, and street furniture particularly at St Martins Centre was impressive. We had dinner with Carly and family at the Beef and Wine Company in St Georges Tce. and wandered through nighttime Perth. Some of our photos are below.

Photos – the Bell Tower by night, St Martins Centre

Kerry caught up with Carly regarding organisation for Saturday after which we caught the train to Yanchep, 56 klms north of Perth and part of the city of Wanneroo. Last time we were in Perth (quite a few years ago) the rail finished at Joondalup. The extension has been designed to allow the trains to travel at 130 klms per hr + or so we were told by a proud Rail worker, possibly a driver also catching the train to Yanchep.

The rail station is large and modern with 900 parking bays for residents travelling south. It seems someone has put some thought into the future of the rail line. Kerry’s stepbrother’s stepdaughter Zenith lives all the way out here. Zenith, her sister, and her mother and stepfather (Kerry’s stepbrother) had lived with us for a short time in Holland Park in Brisbane. So having determined that they were not related in anyway, we had remained friends with Zenith. We chatted with Zenith who is a proud owner of 2 French Bulldogs about “family”. We decided we would go to the beach for lunch. Zentih drove us to a beach side café with a terrific outlook over the beach and obviously popular even mid-week. We passed one couple coming back from the beach. Now g-string bikinis are now common place but for me, I find them unflattering on many girls who wear them and this girl was a point in question. However, there was a “knight” on a push bike riding hard to catch up with her. He called out “you have left your swimsuit on the beach” to the g-string bikini girl. We don’t know what happened after that, but he was closing in on her quickly. At least lunch was nice and we had a superb lookout at the view not just the girls.

Photos

We finished up at Yanchep after visiting the bottle shop to buy a bottle of whisky. Years ago, Kerry’s uncle Barry Ashworth, now deceased, and I developed a “partnership” – when we were together in person or by phone, we would have a drink of a single malt whisky. After Barry passed, Kerry’s cousin and Barry’s son Ken carried on the partnership. As we were catching up with Ken on Sunday, I purchased a 12-yr old bottle of Ardbeg single malt from the fair isle of Isla. We visited Isla some years ago and I had a fondness for the island’s whisky.

We travelled with Zenith to the rail station where we bid her goodbye and climbed aboard to return to Perth. That night we took a walk amongst the lights of Perth.

Saturday was the night of the festival and most of the day was taken up with a walk in the streets and then the festival in the evening at Town Hall. Our walk took us to the gardens of the Supreme Court of WA where a few pieces of bronze depict bits of the history of WA and some obscure pieces such as the pen nib bronzes depicting the rulings of the Courts I suppose. From there we went to the bell tower and the locks of love amassed on the wire fences to the statues in the parkland, the green bridges connecting bits and pieces then St Martins Place and its walk through a small piece of WA history from the Dutch to the English to the colony then the state and federation.

Photos: Trinity Arcade, Percy Button bronze, explorer and politician Alexander Forrest statue, the Old Supreme Court building now a museum of early law enforcement in WA, various statues in Stirling Gardens

We ended up at Perth’s oldest colonial structure – the original Court house. It is located between Stirling Gardens and Supreme Court Gardens, off Barrack Street, adjacent to the Supreme Court building. It is a single-storey cream rendered building, with a wooden shingle roof. Completed in 1836, it is the city’s oldest surviving public building. The Old Court House currently houses the Old Court House Law Museum, operated by the Law Society of Western Australia, which focuses on the history of the law, legal issues and the legal profession in Western Australia.

We returned to the hotel to rest and then Kerry met with Carly and her band for preparation for the festival. What happens at the festival stays on Facebook, so I won’t bore you with all that. I was surprised to bump into Ken’s son Arden who had come to help Carly with knocking down and packing up all her gear.

Sunday was a day of rest for everyone but us. Ken and his wife Yena arrived to take us on a tour to Cottesloe Beach, and I presented him with the whisky. A broad smile decorated his face. So, we enjoyed a grand tour to Cottesloe and onto the beach with Ken giving us his version of history of Perth. The Sculpture by the Sea Exhibition was celebrating its 21st anniversary and Sunday was the 2nd last day. On arriving at the beach, Ken dropped Kerry, Yena and me off and went on a safari to find a carpark. Kerry bought the guidebook in readiness of Ken’s return and then we waited. Ken found a park some 800m away. Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe is a premier free outdoor art exhibition held annually on Perth’s iconic Cottesloe Beach, Western Australia. The 21st exhibition featured over 70 sculptures from local and international artists along the sea wall, sand, and grassed areas.

Photos of some artistic pieces in St Georges Tce on the way to Cottesloe Beach and the Sculptures by the Sea.

We strolled through the exhibition for a couple of hours until we could feel a thirst coming on. No chance of sitting quietly looking at the sea so we moved onto our lunch destination and enjoyed the quiet and the refreshing drinks. Ken continued our tour dropping us back at the Europe Hotel just on dusk. Ken and Yena are a happy couple which is great to see and good company.

Monday morning and our return to Brisbane. Now we had 2 extra suitcases courtesy of Celestial Events. Part of the reason for our trip was to help bring the props back to Brisbane. The flight was on time but not without a hitch as we were turned around due to a fault in the plane. Finally picked up the car at the terminal in Brisbane. We couldn’t find it for some time and between the airline delay and finding the car we had to pay a late fee of $60 which I recovered from the airline. Back to normal. Next trip is to New Zealand South Island to experience a real winter! Get ready for “THE REITREES EXPLORE THE SOUTH ISLAND”

THE RETIREES GO RACING – F1 MELBOURNE 2026

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Formula 1 Melbourne

5th March 2026 Thursday Day 1 – We had booked flights and accommodation so that we could attend the F1 race in Melbourne where we would catch up with my brother Greg, my cousin Sarah and her husband Mark who travelled over from the UK, Greg’s daughter and my niece Louise who also travelled from the UK as whilst she administers all the F1 races around the world lives in London and our friends David and Veronica with their daughters who travelled from Norman Park in Brisbane for the race. We stayed at the Sebel Hotel in Flinders Lane and took the tram out to Albert Park each day. 

As this was a first-time experience for Kerry and me, we did not know what to expect nor how to best manage seeing the event. After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we travelled to Gate 2 of Albert Park but could not find David and Veronica. They knew from experience that it was open slather on the first day so they had plonked themselves in one of the better grandstands. We were walking blindly on the inside of the track trying to locate them whilst they were comfortably seated in the grandstand on the opposite side of the track. After numerous phone calls and texts, they guided us to their seats in the grandstand where we were able to watch the super sports cars race. Tiffany, one of the daughters of David and Veronica has known one of the mechanics on the TGR Haas F1 Team for several years and Tiffany and her sister Amanda are regular race goers. As the shadows lengthened, we decided that was enough for the first day and we slowly fought through the fans to catch the tram back to the hotel. Before bed at the recommendation of the concierge of the hotel we dined across the road at an Indian/Nepalese restaurant. Good food and our hotel had an arrangement whereby we obtained a discount on our bill. Our eyes were too big for our bellies, and we went back to our hotel suite with two doggy boxes of food for later.

Photos the crowds building

Friday Day 2 – The next day promised to be busier and from our first days experience we returned to the track the following day, this time through Gate 5 which is on the opposite side of the track to Gate 2. On this day we brought with us the folding chairs which Veronica recommended we purchase as we would not have use of the grandstands. We had purchased entry tickets only and with our gained experience we would not do that again. The biggest difficulty was being able to see the race. Without the elevation provided by a grandstand every where we went, our view was obstructed by the two safety fences between us and the track. We tried several different spots. We learned that the speed of the cars was often so great that all we saw was a blur of the passing cars. Looking into a corner proved to be the second-best view as the drivers had to slow down to come into and out of the corners but the best view was the big screens showing the races – a bit like sitting in front of the tele at home. So, we found a spot under the trees amongst the food vans and near the toilets with a big screen to watch the race, Meanwhile David, Veronica, Tiffinay and Amanda had been given special passes by the TGR Haas team to lounge about in the Amex grandstand with catered food and sparkling wine for the day. I cannot recall what we had to eat and drink but it was not that.Saturday Day 3 – I think this was the day I telephoned my brother Greg about arrangements for Sunday after the big race. Greg and Mark had played golf on the Friday. He was staying with our UK cousins, and they planned to arrive by limousine around lunch time on Saturday at the pleasure of Formula 1. Louise had stumped up free tickets to the Amex grandstand where they (Louise, Greg, Sarah and Mark) were honoured guests. We had an arrangement to meet the 4 of them, and David and Veronica in Lygon St at one of two restaurants (Greg did not decide which one until he was sitting at the table in the restaurant of his choice only then remembering because of my enquiry that he had not cancelled the 2nd restaurant). As for us, this day we came in through Gate 8. We had got up and onto the tram much earlier than the day before and were surprised that a lot of people had done the same thing. We found what we thought was a superior spot than the previous day and settled in to watch the races. Within an hour of arrival, we decided that I would get some coffee. This was a lesson. On making my way to the coffee caravan, the line was 40 people deep and a second vendor the line was even longer. I waited in line and received a call from Kerry anxious that I may be lost. No, I was still in line and when I did get served the coffee, it was in a very small cup, cold and tasted like rat shit. Of course, this led to a visit to the toilets where the lines were even longer and the aroma was not as pleasant as waiting for coffee. We were joined by Veronica and David who had returned to the cheap seats. Even this spot was inferior to the big screen. We upped stumps and moved over to yesterday’s spot where we could at least watch the race. Kerry worked out that she could capture a bean bag to keep her leg up and at least be comfortable. Her fractured ankle was still giving her grief.

After racing had finished, the 4 of us tried to exit through Gate 8 but it had been closed for some reason, and we walked on to gate 9 and back to our hotel. Very slow progress due to the crowd. We bought 4 pizza slices and 4 ice creams and ate them at peace in our hotel room.

Photos Kerry and her bean bag,

Sunday Day 4 – I think we went to Gate 5 and ended up back at the big screen for the day. All the same problems, but we made ourselves comfortable for the day. During our trip we had made several excursions to the merchandise tents. The prices of the merchandise were outrageous, but people were buying it as though there was no cost-of-living crisis. We watch the finals of the sports cars and the F2 before the final heat of the F1 and after lunch the final of the F1 where the Queensland favourite Oscar Piastri spun out even before getting to the start line.

Photos: at the starting line, and on the podium

With the race over we made our way home showered and got changed to go to dinner in Lygon St. Dinner was at a popular Italian restaurant and was very enjoyable. We were joined by Sarah, Sarah’s husband Mark (we had met my cousin Sarah in Brighton when visiting my cousin Terri and her husband Mick). Greg and Greg’s friend Kath – and Greg’s daughter/my niece Louise (the F1 International Race General Manager) also was there together with Louise’s friend. David and Veronica couldn’t make it which was a shame.

Louise looked very tired and Greg explained the demands of her job just for this event and all worldwide events. After dinner we walked done Lygon St which had been closed for the race so that all the Ferraris in Melbourne could be put on show.

I am too old to be tempted by fast cars so Kerry and I caught an Uber to the hotel bidding everyone farewell. We would have another 3 days before returning to Brisbane. Read on as to the rest of our adventure in THE RETIREES SIGHT SEEING IN MELBOURNE 2026

THE RETIREES SIGHT SEEING IN MELBOURNE 2026

BLOG 493

Monday 10th March Day 5 – Kerry visited a showing of Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons Exhibition at the National Gallery whilst I visited the Shrine of Remembrance.

The exhibition paired British designer Vivienne Westwood (1941-2022) and Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo (b. 1942) of Comme des Garçons. A display of more than 140 ground-breaking designs, the exhibition brought together fashion from international museums and private collections –alongside 100+ works from the National Gallery Collection. Kerry was excited by the promise of something special.

The Shrine of Remembrance is a war memorial located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I but now functions as a memorial to all Australians who have served in any war. It is a site of annual observances for Anzac Day (25 April) and Remembrance Day (11 November) and is one of the largest war memorials in Australia.

Designed by architects Phillip Hudson and James Wardrop, both World War I veterans, the Shrine is in classical style, based on the Tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus and the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Built from Tynong granite, the Shrine originally consisted only of the central sanctuary surrounded by the ambulatory. The sanctuary contains the marble Stone of Remembrance, upon which is engraved the words “Greater love hath no man” Once per year, on 11 November at 11 a.m. (Remembrance Day), a ray of sunlight shines through an aperture in the roof to light up the word “Love” in the inscription. Beneath the sanctuary lies the crypt, which contains a bronze statue of two soldiers, father and son, and panels listing every unit of the Australian Imperial Force.

The Shrine went through a prolonged process of development, which began in 1918 with an initial proposal to build a Victorian memorial. General Sir John Monash used the 1927 Anzac Day march to garner support for the Shrine and finally won the support of the Victorian government later that year. The foundation stone was laid on 11 November 1927, and the Shrine was officially dedicated on 11 November 1934.

Photos, The Shrine, Opening Day, the crypt – ANZAC cove landing craft, the Sanctuary and the Stone, and the view to the city.

2026.03.27 Shrine of Remembrance MelbourneDownload

Kerry was disappointed with the show at the National Gallery as many of the designs were impractical and impossible to be worn.

We spent the remainder of the day relaxing. Today’s events and the previous 4 days had been quite tiring.

Tuesday Day 6 – We decided to see Melbourne from the Yarra, so we booked a boat trip from Southgate Docks. We boarded the boat and headed to the mouth of the Yarra River. We passed the modern Melbourne through the Southbank Arts and Leisure precinct, the Sea Life Aquarium, Crown Casino, Melbourne convention Centre, then the historic “SS. Polly Woodside” under the Bolte Bridge into the harbour district turning around at Westgate Bridge and returning to the dock. The cruise offered trips to the docks and to the parks and gardens upriver, so we stayed aboard for the 2nd part of our cruise passing the National Tennis centre, Botanic Gardens, Sporting Arenas, historic Cosmo House & Gardens up to Herring Island where the boat about faced and went back to the start.

Photo: copy of the map of the Yarra cruise

cruise map of YarraDownload

After a spot of gaming at the Casino, we headed home to the hotel and rested as we were going to the Comics Lounge at North Melbourne for dinner and a laugh. Trams are the best way around Melbourne proven again by our travelling to the venue without a hitch in the mid-week evening rush from work for Melbournians. We arrived early and whilst Kerry rested her foot (it had been playing up due to the exercise it had endured for the week) I inspected the architecture of North Melbourne – I found a few buildings of interest. Unfortunately, the Comics Lounge did not impress us. The comics thought it necessary to be rude and crude and dinner lacked anything exciting. We pulled up stumps at half time and went home.

Wednesday Day 7 – Kerry had spotted a balloons festival at the Convention Centre and for our last day in Melbourne it struck us as an easy visit to undertake without really knowing what to expect. Well, it was spectacular (funny how the unexpected can be UNEXPECTED). Tens of thousands of ballons twisted into shapes I thought impossible. It delighted the kids attending including these big kids. The most surprising was a little shy girl who was possessed with having to play the drums (no not made from balloons) in one of the sets – no idea what to do but beat the drum.

Photos

It only took an hour to go through the multiple setting from Africa to Australia to the Moon and Space. We both enjoyed the festival and after a coffee we made our way home. Our time in Melbourne was coming to an end. Suitcases to fill and planes to catch as we were due in Perth in 7 days. Next time we will be THE RETIREES AT A CELESTIAL EVENT – PERTH 2026.

THE RETIREES PREPARE FOR CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR 2025-26.

Pre – Christmas 2025

Christmas was just around the corner and although we did not have the joy of putting on the Christmas dinner there were errands to do.

Those errands took us to Westfield Carindale and that is where our luck started to change. In one of the elevators, we ran into this fellow giving me quite a start. We had caught him having his lunch break and despite his calm demeanor in the photo below I now think he placed Kerry under a spell and before we knew it, we had finished shopping at Samuel St Camp Hill and walked done the stairs into the carpark. Kerry had very carefully held the railing going down the stairs, but she missed her step and ended up face down in the car park. She fell to the floor fracturing her ankle on the way down. She knew she was in trouble and just lay there. Looking back, I hold the bearded fellow responsible.

Photos: at Carindale and Kerry in the car park

The Woolworths store provided a member of staff to sit with her and called the ambulance. The Ambos raced her off to Greenslopes Hospital emergency department where she was triaged and her ankle and foot were placed in a caste. This lasted about a week or more until she could be seen by a specialist lower limb doctor Dr. Miller. After x rays the caste was replaced with a moon boot which was to stay in place from the beginning of December to early February – not an entirely happy Kerry at Christmas.

Christmas/New Years Eve

Still the moon boot did not stop her from dancing on New Years eve. Photos – Kerry in caste then moon boot and her ankle after the boot. Dale and Zdravka, Vladimir and wife

Post New Year

The moon boot came off, but we had to keep up the treatment on her ankle. For some time, she had received treatment for a sack of fluid hanging off her right kidney, but the pain continued so the moon boot came off and then she was in hospital for the removal of the fluid sack. In fact, it was on her birthday, Kerry was admitted to hospital for surgery to remove the sack by 5 keyhole incisions.

Now I have been on the Board of Directors of a licenced Club for some time and circumstances pushed me into the position of Chairman of the Board. I needed Kerry to recover quickly. The surgery was quite an experience, but I was hardly coming to grips with caring for Kerry when there was a tragic incident at the Club. That was an experience.

So, Kerry now had wounds from her surgery and a sore foot, and the Club was in turmoil requiring my attention. I buckled down, nursed Kerry with due care and concern and dealt with the incident at the Club with due care and concern, in the hope we would still be able to travel to Melbourne for the F1 race in roughly two weeks’ time. They say everything happens in 3s and good fortune was coming our way again. We got on the plane to Melbourne for the Formula 1 as scheduled on Thursday 5th March 2026. Keep following along and see how we fared at F1 in “THE RETIREES GO TO THE F1 IN MELBOURNE“