Posted under North Island |
In a country renowned for its trout fishing, the Lake Taupo region is the best of the best, and that’s saying something. This is trout heaven. At last count, around a million trout live here.
Wild trout are trout that breed naturally. Unlike most trout fisheries around the world, no artificial stocking takes place in the Lake Taupo district. The fish here don’t hatch in sheltered nursery tanks. They hatch far upstream in deep cold pools above thundering rapids. Only the strongest survive, and strong they are.
Anglers flock from around the world to fish for “rainbows” and “browns” - so big, the locals reckon when you catch one the lake level drops. A slight exaggeration maybe but most average between 2 and 3 kg and the current record is a little over 8kg (nearly 18 pounds)
Lake Taupo itself is the largest freshwater lake in Australasia. Millions of trout live in the lake, gorging themselves on so many fresh water crayfish (koura) their flesh turns pink like a salmon.
Lake Taupo has many rivers and streams flowing into it but the grand daddy of them all is the Tongariro at the southern end. Tongariro River trout are legendary for their condition and size. The township of Turangi on its banks modestly bills itself as “the trout fishing capital of the world” - understandable when you consider an estimated 750,000 trout swim past the town every winter to spawn.
On the Tongariro you can fly fish famous pools with such grand names as the Breakaway, Admirals, Major Jones or The Duchess (named after the Queen Mum who fished here back in the 1930s).
Other famous trout filled rivers flowing into the lake include the Waikato, Waitahanui, Tauranga Taupo and Hinemaiaia.
If your pockets are a little deeper you could also take a helicopter into one of the many back county streams and fish a stretch of crystal clear water that quite possibly has never been fished before.
But one of the beauties of Lake Taupo fishing is that you don’t need to be an expert. An almost guaranteed way for anyone to catch a trout is to hire a local guide. They know the many lakes, rivers and streams like the back of their hands and many actually guarantee you will catch a trout.
Keep in mind that you need a special licence to fish the Lake Taupo district.
Posted under Tips & Advice |
Where to fish
Excellent freshwater fishing is available throughout New Zealand. Three of New Zealand’s best known fishing regions include Lake Taupo, Lake Rotorua and the Southland. To help you get the most from your visit, each of these regions has an information centre which promotes fishing and offers a range of visitor services.
In the North Island you would be hard pushed to beat the Central North Island, Taupo in particular but also Rotorua. Personally I would go straight to Turangi and fish the Tongariro with Size 8 rod and heavily weighted nymphs for migrating rainbows from Lake Taupo. Numerous other rivers and lakes are also in the immediate vicinity. Also, keep in mind that the Tongariro trout average around 4-6 lb (20-26 inches) and thus will be more like fishing for North American steelhead.
The South Island is more of a problem in that although the scenery and fishing can be better than the north, you will have to travel further and local knowledge is paramount. My best suggestion for plenty of variety would be Nelson and the Nelson Lakes, Buller river system. Most of the Southern lakes are great, but don’t go past the Waitaki River in North Otago. Under the Avimore dam, there are some reed beds which produced some of the most pleasant evenings fly fishing I’ve had in years. The Waitaki is best fished in the clear side streams away from the main river. A good spot being 1-2 km downstream from the junction of the Hakataramea river on the north side. For staggering scenery and fine trout fishing check out the North Mavora lakes, or if you enjoy arid country, consider Lake Benmore.
Fishing Licences
Don’t forget to get a fishing license, and take note of what region it covers and the restrictions on lures etc. Fishing licences are available from fishing guides, lodges, visitor centres and charter boat operators. The cost is about NZ$18 per day but it depends on the time of the year. Keep in mind a different fishing licence is required to fish Lake Taupo.
Boat Fishing
Lake fishing from charter boats either trolling or fly fishing is available around the North Island lakes of Rotorua and Taupo, and the Nelson and Southern Lakes regions of the South Island.
Some areas are able to be fished year round and provide excellent sport. Boats range from 14ft runabouts to 52 ft launches catering for larger groups, incentive parties and those wishing to overnight onboard. Charter boat skippers supply all fishing gear and offer expert advice and knowledge on the area.
Guides
New Zealand is a wild trout fishery and the emphasis is very much on quality rather than quantity. We certainly have got the trophy fish - but big fish are generally smart fish. To make your visit a successful one, we strongly recommend making use of a professional guide.
Experienced guides know the moods of local rivers and the weather, often have access arrangements and will provide transport, and they can help you adjust your technique to the different conditions.
Because our resource is a precious one, professional guiding is normally on a catch and release basis.
Accommodation
A key feature of fishing in New Zealand is the warm hospitality encountered by the visiting angler. Specialist fishing lodges, often located in pristine wilderness settings, have won worldwide renown. Fresh local produce and New Zealand wines are a highlight of a New Zealand lodge experience.
Also available is a range of accommodation options from 3-4 star hotels, self-contained motel units, and bed and breakfast accommodation - all catering to the visiting angler.
Posted under Tips & Advice |
Here’s something that may be handy for travellers with a digital mobile phone. If you do business in New Zealand or planning a trip to New Zealand and will make a lot of local phone calls, save money when you are away from your home or office by using your prepaid international New Zealand phone card to make all your calls to New Zealand.
There are SIM cards available by some companies on short term rental. This allows you to use your digital mobile phone. You will be allocated a NZ mobile number and best of all there are no roaming charges, no international charges and, and no contract.
Usage costs depend on which phone company you choose. This is an example of call rates from the vendor Phone Hire New Zealand.
Outgoing call charges:
$0.49 a minute to the home network and any land line in New Zealand.
$1.39 to the other mobile network.
$0.49 to Australia, UK, Canada, Ireland & USA.
$1.39 to other countries.
$0.20 National text (SMS).
$0.30 international text.
Incoming call charges:
Free unlimited incoming calls from anywhere in the world.
If you know that you will be travelling to places in New Zealand which has coverage by one company and not the other, ask for a phone serviced by that company. For phone coverage maps use the following links: Vodafone coverage, Telecom coverage.
Posted under South Island |
South Island, New Zealand is considered by most travellers to be the more scenic of the two islands. There are so many things to do and see in the southern part of NZ.
If you’re a wine-buff you will head for the north-western end of the South Island and the vineyards of Marlborough, the wine region that produces ‘Cloudy Bay’. This sensational Sauvignon Blanc is rated by many international experts as the finest white produced in the Southern Hemisphere, and perhaps the best of its kind anywhere.
But, of course, you don’t visit the South Island just for the wine. No trip to New Zealand is complete without visiting Christchurch and the nearby tourist haven of Queenstown. You can drive down the east coast to Christchurch, or fly down directly from Wellington.
Most people fall in love with Christchurch at first sight. By far the most English of all New Zealand towns - right down to the Town Crier - Christchurch is also home to the country’s most avid gardeners. Picture-postcard gardens are the norm, and if those who are familiar with Australia see a similarity between Christchurch and Adelaide, this is no coincidence. Colonel Light, son of the famous administrator of Penang, was involved in the planning of both towns when he was working for the Administration of both cities at different times.
A relaxed, laid-back lifestyle is par for the course in Christchurch. A large central park through which the River Avon lazily meanders, splendid churches, old hotels, souvenir shops, restaurants, art galleries, and peaceful walking areas, combine to create a home for 300,000 contented Christchurch inhabitants.
For a journey back in time, visit Lyttleton via a strategically-placed mountain tunnel. When sailing ships made the regular run from England to Lyttleton during the Gold Rush days, many sailors were so enthralled with Lyttleton that they decided to settle there. Turn-of-the-century wooden houses line the hillside, bearing a great resemblance to their counterparts in San Francisco. They were built by ships carpenters who were excellent craftsmen but of limited architectural imagination. These small, beautifully-maintained wooden houses have a charm of their own, looking exactly as they did when they were first built.
The short flight from Christchurch to Queenstown takes you into yet another world. Queenstown is one of the most picturesque, colourful and exciting tourist destinations. This small town is set on a magnificent lake with the nearby snow-capped ‘Remarkables’ as a mountain backdrop. For an overvall view take the Skyline Gondola to Bob’s Peak that towers 450 metres above Queenstown.
Experience a trip on the TSS Earnslaw, a beautifully-restored steamer that cruises Lake Wakatipu, brave the Shotover River by jetboat or raft, bushwalk and climb along the Lomond Crescent Track, visit sheep stations, deer farms and the Kiwi and Bird Life Park (the other sure-fire alternative to Auckland Zoo for Kiwi viewing). The nearby Motor Museum is one of New Zealand’s best.
There’s a Sound and Light Museum that gives you a ‘feel’ of what life was like for early settlers, but if you have the time, take a day-trip to nearby Arrowtown. Its main street portrays life as it was during the Gold Rush days. The trip will probably include a visit to the ski slopes of Coronet Peak, New Zealand’s premier ski resort and Kawarau Bridge. Here, those tired of life or short on brains jump off at the end of a rubber rope in a New Zealand-invented lunacy known worldwide as ‘Bungy Jumping’.
After Queenstown there are still a few ‘must do’s’ in the South Island. The first is to fly to Mount Cook, the spectacular mountain that gives you access to New Zealand’s sensational Tasman Glacier. This is one of the world’s few glaciers on which one can actually land in a light aircraft, and ski planes do so regularly, flying up the breathtakingly-beautiful glacial valleys in the process.
Mount Cook offers comfortable accommodation from which to explore and perhaps, if the weather is right, hike, this spectacular region. Whether you sightsee on foot or by aircraft, it’s an experience you will never forget.
Last but not least, don’t forget Milford Sound. With topography and scenery to equal the best of the Norwegian Fjiords, Milford Sound, with Mitre Peak looming in the distance, is nothing short of sensational. Almost-vertical, often tree-studded cliffs frame magnificent high-rise waterfalls, while at water level contented-looking seals sun themselves on rocks after feasting on the Sound’s plentiful fish. No wonder the seals all look as if they’re smiling!
Here, too, is the beginning of one of the greatest bushwalking experiences - the Milford Track. To describe this fully would take another article, but suffice to say that during the season, bushwalking enthusiasts from the world over arrive here each day, for ‘The Track’ is on the mandatory list for anyone taking this activity seriously.
So those are some of the highlights for the first time visitor travelling to South Island, but there’s much more to do and see in New Zealand. It would be worthwhile also reading the article Exploring North Island New Zealand. Like most visitors if you can’t stay for a month or two, the above guide is a pretty good start. Chances are, however, that your first visit to the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ won’t be your last.
Posted under North Island |
Few visitors to North Island, New Zealand come away without stars in their eyes. This is a land of incredible scenic beauty, a marvellous diversity of things to see and do, and the people are always friendly. This country’s three-million-plus citizens must be some of the friendliest, most naturally-hospitable people on earth.
Auckland, the first stop for today’s international visitors, is a beautiful harbourside city of one million people. On sunny weekends the harbour is dotted with myriads of colourful sails and it is no coincidence that New Zealanders are some of the world’s best sailors. It is as natural for young people here to learn to sail as it is to drive.
Positioned on a narrow isthmus, the city has the shallow sandy waters of Manukau Harbour on one side and the deep Waitemata Harbour (’Sea of Sparkling Water’) on the other. Extinct volcanoes, some once used as Maori fortifications, dot Auckland. Most, like One Tree Hill, have been made into public parks and gardens.
Buildings in Auckland are a mix of old and new, with modern structures alongside turn-of-the-century colonial architecture. When you are tired of strolling the streets, looking at buildings like the 1868 Supreme Court, the Renaissance-style Customs House and the Auckland City Art Gallery, head for the Auckland War Memorial Museum, with its enormous collection of Maori artifacts, including a 25 metre long war canoe.
Don’t miss seeing the suburb of Parnell. Turn-of-the-century shops here have been tastefully restored or replicated and now house elegant restaurants and boutiques offering a range of made-in-New-Zealand handicrafts, woollens and souvenirs. You’ll also want to visit the Zoological Gardens to see the flightless Kiwi bird that is New Zealand’s national symbol. Almost extinct at one stage, numbers are now increasing, but the visitors’ only sure way to see a Kiwi is right here.
A great day-trip from Auckland is the Coromandel Peninsula, where one can still see some giant Kauri trees that escaped the zealous axes of early woodcutters. Sadly, you will also notice a large number of other native tree skeletons, killed by having all their foliage stripped and eaten by possums. These were introduced from Australia for their fur, and now that fur coats are no longer popular, have run rampant and are now a noxious pest in New Zealand.
Don’t miss Rotorua, the North Island’s most popular destination. You are likely to smell it long before you get there. Many New Zealanders call it ‘Sulphur City’, and for good reason. The bubbling sulphuric mud and hot springs take quite a toll of your sense of smell, but it’s worth it! In fact, water from the sulphur springs has therapeutic properties for alleviating arthritis, circulatory problems and other ailments.
Most people come to Rotorua for the sightseeing. Here one can visit Ohinemuti Maori Village, rub noses (the customary Maori greeting) with the villagers, and watch Maori women dance the graceful Poi dance. Meanwhile the men, some with traditionally tattooed faces, perform the fierce Haka war dance, stamping feet and poking out their tongues in frightening fashion.
Brave the particularly-sulphurous smell of the naturally-heated ponds and lakes of Whakarewarewa (Whaka for short). If your nostrils can stand that one, you’re immune to all the others! Watch geysers suddenly erupt into life at the Pohutu, spraying hot water onto any careless tourists straying within range.
At the Rainbow Springs trout farm these magnificent fish can be observed in the crystal-clear spring water. You can even watch them underwater via a strategically-placed glass wall. Trout here grow to unbelievably large sizes, perhaps because visitors can enthusiastically feed them by hand.
You won’t run out of things to see or do. The Agrodome at Ngongotaha holds regular sheep shearing demonstrations leaving visitors enthralled and sheep looking semi-naked. New Zealand’s sheep population far outnumbers its people and are the centre of all kinds of New Zealand jokes. But sheep are not to be taken lightly. Wool, along with mutton and lamb, is a very major New Zealand export and keeps the country’s economy going.
Continuing south from Rotorua one comes to Lake Taupo with some of the best watersports, trout fishing, and great scenery.
A little further south still is the Tongariro National Park with Mount Tongariro, Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngauruhoe. In winter this is the North Island’s premier snowfield and skiing area. Yet Mount Tongariro and Mount Ngauruhoe both still have some volcanic activity, and you will frequently see the summits giving off steam or smoke. If golf or hunting are more to your liking, you won’t be disappointed either. The area offers some of New Zealand’s best golf, and if you want to go hunting, this can usually be arranged through the hotel or lodge at which you are staying.
South again, and you reach Wellington at the bottom of the North Island. With a population of 350,000, this is New Zealand’s administrative capital, and is known to locals as ‘Windy Wellington’ . And for good reason! The city is in a natural wind tunnel and it is a rare day that Wellington experiences less than a stiff breeze. On really blowy days one literally has to lean into the wind to make any headway.
One of Wellington’s major characteristics is the number of beautifully maintained wooden buildings from the turn-of-the-century, giving the city a charming olde-worlde atmosphere. Before leaving Wellington, visit the biggest of these - the old Government Buildings. Constructed in 1867, this 4-storey giant is the second largest wooden building in the world (the largest being the TodjaJi Temple in Nara, Japan). Then look at the Beehive Building which is the current Parliament House and is interesting for its architecture and, occasionally, even for its politicians.
One other ‘must do’ in Wellington. Go to the cable car terminal on Lampton Quay. But don’t be tempted by the many shops here till after you come back from the cable car ride. This takes you for a ten minute climb in a pre-war cog-wheel tramway, up to the hilltop Botanic Gardens. The panorama of Wellington spread out below is well worth the trip.
When to go:
New Zealand’s weather is relatively mild the whole year round, but the best times to go are from September (Spring) through Xmas (Summer) to around May (Fall). Remember that in the Southern Hemisphere seasons exactly opposite to those of North America, Europe and most of Asia).
Recommended Airline:
If you have never travelled on Air New Zealand before, you’re in for a treat. It’s an outstanding airline with modern Boeings, memorable in-flight service, excellent cuisine and a little touch of New Zealand friendliness that will delight you. And Air New Zealand offices can give you helpful, friendly advice wherever you travel in that country. They also offer frequent connecting services to Australia and/or Bali.
Posted under Tips & Advice |
Many from overseas are choosing to migrate to New Zeland to really experience what this scenic country has to offer. If you are seriously considering the move, then renting a house for the short or long term becomes a consideration. The best way to look for rental property is to look at it yourself.
How?
- Newspaper classifieds - In Auckland, the NZ Herald has advertisements for houses/flats to let. This is available everyday (except Sunday). and you will find more on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
- Real Estate agents - Yes they do handle rental property as well. They advertise in the Herald. You will know who they are as all adverts are tagged with MREINZ at the end. They do not usually handle cheap units unless this is a special client of theirs.
- Rental agents - These people collect a fee from you in exchange for a list of properties available for rent. There are a few of them in Auckland.
If you want to rent a house or apartment in New Zealand, make sure you get a copy of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986. Copies of standard agreements are available from Tenancy Services, a division of the Ministry of Housing.
FYI, basic conditions are:
- No more than 2 weeks rent to be paid in advance
- increases in rent require 60 days notice
- rent receipts must be given, except when paid by automatic bank transfer, not negotiable cheque, or an exclusive rent account.
Bond can be consist of up to, but no more than 4 weeks rent. Bond money MUST be deposited with the Bond processing unit of Tenancy Services within 15 working days. It’s not compulsory for landlords to require a bond.
Landlords must:
- Keep the premises in reasonable condition.
- Allow the tenant quiet enjoyment of the premises.
- Comply with all building, health and safety stds, as they apply to the premises. Pay rates, insurance and land tax.
Tenants must:
- Pay the rent.
- Keep the premises clean, tidy, etc, and notify the Landlord of repairs needed.
- Pay electricity, gas, telephone and excess water bills.
- Not damage or permit damage to premises.
- Give notice to leave. (note: this doesn’t apply to fixed term tenancies)
The landlord must give 90 days notice unless:
- the premises are to be sold with vacant possesion
- the premises are to be occupied by the landlord, or a member of the ll’s family.
- If as provided in the agreement, the premises are required by an employee of the landlord.
In these cases, only 42 days notice need be given.
The tenant must give 21 days notice.
All notices to leave are to be in writing.
The landlord can apply to the tenancy tribunal for termination of tenancy if:
- the rent is more than 21 days in arrears.
- there has been damage or threats of damage to the premises
- there has been an assault, or threat of assault on the landlord, etc
Disputes can be dealt with by a Tenancy Tribunal mediator. (Landlords hate the Tenancy Act and hate dealing with the Tribunal)
Posted under South Island |
Canterbury Museum, located in Christchurch it’s one of New Zealand’s finest heritage institutions. Half a million people a year - school children, local residents, and international tourists - visit the displays, see the exhibitions, and study the collections.
The Museum was founded in 1870, and the buildings themselves are now regarded as being of outstanding historic and architectural significance. More than 2 million priceless items of New Zealand’s cultural and natural heritage are presented and preserved for the people of today and the generations yet to come. The Museum collections cover a wide range of topics :
- Canterbury’s first people
- The Moa hunter Maori
- Later Maori descendants
- The European settlers
- Cultural backgrounds and economic developments
- Family and local history
- Arts of Asia
- The discovery and exploration of Antarctica
- New Zealand birds
- Mammals, insects, rocks, minerals, and fossils
- and much, much more!
Canterbury Museum opened its doors to the public in October 1870, in a building financed by the Provincial Government and public subscription.
Now, over 120 years later, the original building has been supplemented by five major additions. The principal collections, of national and international importance, cover the human history and natural sciences of the greater Canterbury area, as well as New Zealand, the Antarctic and Subantarctic regions. The Museum also holds valuable material relating to Africa, America, Europe and the ancient world and has outstanding collections of Chinese and Japanese decorative arts.
Location and Hours:
The Museum is located on Rolleston Ave, adjacent to both the Arts Centre and the Botanic Gardens. It is open daily, except for Christmas Day, from 9 am to 5 pm (extended hours during daylight saving).
Admission to the Museum is free, except for special exhibitions, as listed.
The Museum’s address is:
Canterbury Museum
Rolleston Ave
Christchurch
New Zealand
Telephone and fax : (03) 366 8379
Exhibition Galleries
The Museum has a number of special exhibition galleries which house permanent collections and temporary exhibits.
- Iwi Tawhito-Whenua Hou/Ancient People-New Land (Gallery of Moas and Moa Hunters)
- Nga Taonga Tukuiho O Nga Tupuna/Treasures Handed Down To Us By the Ancestors (Gallery of Maori Culture - opening late 1995)
- Hall of Canterbury History 1840s to 1860s - temporary exhibits
- Edgar Stead Hall of New Zealand Birds
- Hall of Antarctic Discovery
- Gallery of Asian Arts
- Hall of Geology and Natural Sciences
- Mountfort Gallery of Applied Arts and Costumes (opening April 1996)
Other services :
- Library and Archives: open to researchers Monday to Friday, 1.00-4.30pm.
- Pictorial Archives: open to researchers Monday to Friday, 1.00-4.30pm; photographic copying service available.
- Gift shop and coffee shop.
Posted under Tips & Advice |
Just about every town or suburb in New Zealand with a population of at least a few hundred people has cheap motel accommodation which you could stay at. The quality of the New Zealand motels are generally very good, but if you’re roughing it and have a smaller budget, staying at a New Zealand Backpacker accommodation would be a better option.
Travellers should note that a motel in New Zealand almost always means that you get a separate bedroom, a kitchen equipped with fridge, oven, pots, pans, dishes etc. and a living/dining room. If you want to stay in good, relatively inexpensive accommodation ($60-120/night for two people generally), I think these are your best bet. The only thing that can beat them for price are backpacker’s hostels which can be a lot of fun - in nice surroundings - and are often only $18/night/person for a twin or double room, $12-15/night/person to stay in a bunkroom. These hostels have cooking facilities and are often really comfortable common rooms, with TV/video, open fire, etc.
Motels are good value for money but for those people who don’t want to pay those sort of prices it’s really worthwhile staying at the “tourist flats” or cabins they have at camping grounds. If you take your own sleeping bag and towel then everything else you might need (pots, cutlery, dishes) are supplied in a tourist flat. For cabins - there are varying prices. If you have your own cooking & eating utensils then you can always cook in the communal kitchen (this is the major difference between camping in NZ and camping in Canada, UK or USA). Of course the same goes for tenting, but it can be a bit cold in winter for a tent. A tent site for 2 people & a car is usually about NZ$15, a cabin would be $25-$35, and a nice self contained tourist flat with private bathroom, TV, fridge, stove, etc, probably $40-$50.
Posted under South Island |
The Christchurch Gondola is the city’s number one tourist attraction attracting thousands of travellers to this destination every year. It’s located on the crater rim of an extinct volcano and is only about a 15 minute drive from Christchurch CBD, offering a 360 degree panorama view making it one of the most dramatic attractions in the world.
Visitors can enjoy unparalleled views over the Canterbury Plains to Mt. Hutt and beyond to the spectacular Southern Alps. The view north takes in the full sweep of Pegasus Bay and the Pacific Ocean to the distant Kaikoura Peninsula. To the east and south, the picturesque scenery of Lyttelton Harbour and bays unfold across to Lake Ellesmere.
The 945 metre gondola ride carries passengers in the comfort of a four person cabin to the summit of the Port Hills some 500 metres above sea level. Unique views of Christchurch, the Garden City unravel as you climb gently to the summit complex.
Montebellos Restaurant, situated at the top is open daily for lunch and dinner, and offers impressive menus featuring superb dishes from Canterbury and the South Island specialising in seafood.
The Gondola complex also features a walkthrough audio-visual “Time-Tunnel” depicting the history and geography of the region.
Location
10 Bridle Path Road, Heathcote, Tel: +64 3 384-0700, Fax: +64 3 384-0703
Getting there
Free Shuttle bus from Visitor Centre, or catch the Explorer Bus or No 28 Lyttelton bus.
Posted under South Island |
Today almost 27,000 people live in the city situated on the rolling hills that overlooks Caroline Bay, a popular holiday destination especially for the annual Christmas and New Year Carnival. Holidaymakers stroll along the Caroline Bay beach overlooked by Timaru.
Development of this artificial harbour began in 1877, and today the port is the main port for South Canterbury, servicing the frequent international fishing fleets as well as providing a gateway for exports and imports.
Getting here?
By Rail - Timaru is on the main train line that runs between Christchurch and Dunedin. Head off to Back on the Tracks for more information.
By Air - Fly in by the short-hop daily flights from Christchurch and Dunedin.
By Road - You could always hire a rental car in Christchurch and take a little more time to stop along the way as you travel through South Canterbury
Don’t forget to check in with the local Timaru Information Centre.
Accommodation
Timaru accommodation includes a range of comfortable motels.
Things to do in and around Timaru
Richard Pearse Airport
Timaru’s airport at Levels is named after farmer Richard Pearse of Waitohi, New Zealand first official aviator who became airborne in March 1903. Flights from Wellington and Christchurch arrive and depart on a daily basis.
Phar Lap Raceway
Timaru racecourse at Washdyke just north of the city is named after New Zealand’s best known galloper. A total of 13 race meetings are held annually at the course. A statue of the famous Phar Lap stands in the paddock where he was born at Seadown.
Windsurfing
Try windsurfing on Caroline Bay. Suits: Slalom/wavesailing/longboarding. Beginners/Advanced.
Other attractions
You can also visit Caroline Bay over the Summer Holidays in December/January. Holiday makers flock to the annual Christmas/New Year Carnival. Concerts in the Soundshell, fairground rides, games and competitions contribute to the summer carnival atmosphere. The large recreational area, formed as a result of harbour development, is well utilised with children’s playgrounds and sports fields used all year.