In Search of Big Things

 

One of the side interests in our recent road trip was looking out for Big Things to see and photograph.  The first we came across was a Takahe at Te Anau.

The takahe is a flightless critically-endangered native bird, once thought extinct, and the statue had been erected in recognition of the area’s contribution to takahe recovery efforts.

After some thirty years it has recently been lovingly restored and sits proudly on the waterfront, hopefully for many more years to come.

At Colac Bay, near Riverton, we found this huge Surfer.  He looks a bit like he has been out in the ocean too long!

A giant Paua Shell (4 metres tall) sits at the northern entrance to Riverton and celebrates the importance of the town’s paua fishery and souvenir industry.  It is lined with 1000 sheets of paua shell and featured on a stamp in 1998 as part of a series on icons of New Zealand towns.

The Umbrella sculpture in Invercargill was recently moved from its original position and is now to be seen as one drives along the southern end of Queens Drive.

It is quite an amazing sculpture as it doubles as a sundial as well as a star-finder.

When we visited Stirling Point Pilot Station at Bluff we discovered this dandelion seedhead sitting high above a private garden.  It even moved in the wind!

Driving through Dunedin in the pouring rain, I almost missed these giant Teeth/Molars.  I later looked them up – there are six of them and they are each around six feet high. 

The sculpture is called Harbour Mouth Molars and was created by Regan Gentry in 2010.

At Oamaru we revisited my favourite Penguin.  He has changed homes a couple of times over the years and currently sits looking out over Friendly Bay.

Just along the road from this limestone statue are real penguins – little Blue Penguins return to the colony here every night (they smell!).

I mentioned in my blog “From Oamaru to Christchurch” (28 November) that Riverstone Castle had a kitchen garden attached to it.  They grow very big Strawberries here!

This Spinning Wheel at Ashburton was erected in recognition of Ashford Handicrafts, a world leading manufacturer of spinning wheels, weaving looms, and other textile equipment.

Of all the Big Things we saw on this trip (I’m only showing what I feel are the best), my favourite would be this Silver Salmon at Rakaia. 

This sculpture reflects how well-known Rakaia has become for salmon fishing.  Chinook salmon, along with resident populations of brown trout and rainbow trout, have been present in local rivers for over 100 years since they were first introduced.

Big Things can be found in so many places if you are looking for them.  Some are famous and some are lucky finds, and many of them are transient, being here today and gone tomorrow.

Looking for them certainly adds another dimension to sightseeing. 

All good fun 😊

Margaret.

HEADER PHOTO December 2022

This month’s header photo is of Waipapa Point in The Catlins.  In our recent drive through here we did not visit this place as I had seen it in 2012 (when this photo was taken).

The lighthouse is around 10 minutes walk from the carpark, and we were fortunate enough to see both fur seals and a sealion basking on the beach when my husband and I visited.  I have lovely memories of this day.