New Zealand - a Photographic Essay

As the aftermath of the corona virus has left borders closed and world travel an uncertainty for the foreseeable future. Perhaps the time is now ripe to have a closer look the homeland, a land of special beauty.

For over 40 years I have been a tour guide, with 30 of those years being in Aotearoa/New Zealand. During that time I have amassed a good number of photographs of this beautiful land. So come with me on this journey and experience, in twenty-two photos, a small portion of what this extraordinary land has to offer.

Cape Maria van Diemen, Northland

Up in the Far North, where the land begins are two Capes. Cape Reinga with its lighthouse, is where the spirits depart and the road begins. Here the South Pacific meets the Tasman Sea and, just to the south, at the end of sandy Te Werahi Beach is Cape Maria van Diemen, the only mainland feature named by Abel Tasman, New Zealand's first European explorer, when he sailed along this coast in January 1643, and still in use today.

Coloured seashells on Omaha Beach

Coloured seashells washed up on popular Omaha Beach, near Warkworth.  Little Barrier Island sits on the horizon.  

Flowering pohutukawa in the summer at Army Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula

Summer comes to Army Bay on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. I have a sentimental connection with this small bay, as for most of my formative years the family bach was near this beach.

Evening in St Patrick's Square in the centre of Auckland

Auckland City has many secluded parks and squares. St Patrick's Square, dominated by St Patrick's Catholic Cathedral, is particularly pleasant in the late afternoon sunlight.

The Sharktooth, off Motueka Island in Mercury Bay, Coromandel

The rugged Pacific coastline of the Coromandel Peninsula has many dramatic coastal features. This nightmarish rock, off small Motueka Island,  is known as the Sharktooth.  It was taken on a day of mild swells from what is locally known as the 'Washing Machine'.

The Devil's Bath, Waiotapu

The volcanic zone between Rotorua and Taupo is famous for its many thermally-active springs. Minerals present add colour to the waters and have led to these features being given interesting names. This brilliant yellow-green spring at Waiotapu is known as the 'Devil's Bath'.

Sunset on Mt Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park

Tongariro National Park has a wealth of dramatic volcanic landscapes which are ever changing in the light & cloud effects. Sunsets and sunrises, particularly, bring a sense of mystery to the land and it is not difficult to see why this was the 'Land of Mordor' in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy.

Vintage motor vehicles on the road in Napier during Art Deco Weekend

Napier, the Art Deco city of New Zealand, was re-built in that modern style after the devastating earthquake of 1931. Each year the city holds its Art Deco weekend, with the locals dressing the part and many old well-kept vehicles taking to the roads.

Incoming!  Australasian gannet colony on Cape Kidnappers, Hawkes Bay

Room for one more? An incoming Australasian gannet makes a landing among adults and chicks at the seemingly overcrowded Plateau Colony on Cape Kidnappers in Hawkes Bay.

The remote Bridge to Nowhere in the Whanagnui Natioanl Park

The remote 'Bridge to Nowhere' over the Mangapurua River is accessed from the Whanganui River and bears evidence of the failed Mangapurua Farm Settlement, established in this valley after World War One.  The bridge was completed in 1936, but hardly any road traffic was able to use it down to road damage further up the valley. The bridge has been isolated since the road was finally closed during World War 2.

Chinese dragon street art in Te Aro, Wellington

Wellington has some interesting street art, as this 'Chinese Dragon' mural in Vivian St., Te Aro attests.

The clear waters of Totaranui Beach in Abel Tasman National Park

Although the smallest of New Zealand's National Parks, the Abel Tasman has some of the most beautiful beaches in the country. Here the sparkling blue-green waters contrast with the rich yellow sands of Totaranui Beach. 

The distant Southern Alps appear above the waters of the Tasman Sea from Cape Foulwind

A sight rarely seen from the Cape Foulwind Walkway, except on exceptionally clear days. The mountains of the Southern Alps & particularly Mt Cook, appear to rise directly from the waters of an uncharacteristically calm Tasman Sea.

Trams & post-earthquake architecture of the Christchurch rebuild.

Devastated by the 2011 earthquake, the Christchurch CBD is steadily being reconstructed with interesting new architecture and new stores. The trams survived the earthquake and the network has since been extended.

Daybreak over downtown Greymouth and the Grey River

Greymouth, named after Governor Sir George Grey, is the largest town on the West Coast and is situated on the Grey River. Its prosperity has always relied on coal mining. In this photo, morning mists slowly rise as the town wakes up to  new day

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Jetboat on the Haast River in Westland

Perhaps the most fascinating river on the West Coast is the Haast, and the best way to see the river is on a jetboat excursion from the one-laned Haast River Bridge to Roaring Billy, a waterfall an hour's journey upstream.

A fanciful mean machine at the Steam Punk HQ, Oamaru

Something from Mad Max? A fantasy creation constructed around a former railway carriage and one of the lager pieces on display at the Steam Punk HQ in Oamaru.

Sunset on Lake Te Anau, Southland

The sun sets over Lake Te Anau, New Zealand's second largest lake. The lakeside town of Te Anau is regarded as being the gateway to Milford Sound.

Morning mists wreathe the Fiordland mountains as the sun rises over Doubtful Sound 

Doubtful Sound is the second largest of the southern fjords, after Dusky Sound. It is much larger than Milford Sound, and has three major arms and several islands. To see the sun rise through the early morning mists in Hall Arm is a magical experience. 

An Otago Harbour tug passes the Dunedin suburb of St Leonards 

Otago Harbour is made up of several flooded ancient volcanic craters and a cruise down the Harbour to Taiaroa Head passes several outer suburbs, including St. Leonards and Port Chalmers before arriving off the Royal Albatross colony on Taiaroa Head.

The lighthouse at Nugget Point in the Catlins, Southland

The lighthouse on Nugget Point, in the Catlins, warns ships of the obvious dangers the scattering of 'Nuggets' pose. Beyond the Point the Southern Ocean stretches southward to Antarctica. 

The ferry leaves Half Moon Bay on Stewart Island for Bluff on the Mainland

Stewart Island, New Zealand's third Island is to the south of the South Island. Most of the island makes up the Rakiura National Park, and the Island's population of around 450 live mainly in the settlement of Oban in Half Moon Bay. A ferry operates twice daily to Bluff in the South Island and there is an air service from Invercargill.

Text & Photographs ©Neil Rawlins

My paperback books on my Overland travels in Asia, Europe & Africa in the early 1970s and the experiences of a tour guide on the Asian Overland routes & leading Camel Safaris in Rajasthan in the 1980s are available from Amazon.