A TRIP TO THE COAST
(Original) I wonder if any of you have paid a visit to the West Coast. If so, I expect you were amazed at its wonderful bush and scenery. I have been over there several times, but the last time was at Christmas when all the rata was in bloom. It takes 6 hours or more from Christchurch to travel to the coast. After leaving the farmlands the railway' climbs through wild valleys to the Otira tunnel. This tunnel is 51 miles long and it takes about 20 minutes to travel through it. I went to Kotuku. which is situated 21 miles from Greymouth, a small mill site. You have to leave the train at Moana and walk the remaining 4 or 5 miles to Kotuku. At Moana there’s a beautiful lake and here are often held regattas which draw a great crowd. I love the lovely dark evergreen bush that covers a large part of the mountainous region of the South Island. Here grow gigantic ferns as well as pines, beeches and many other kinds of trees. At Christmas time the forested valleys are ablaze with the crimson feathery flowers of the rata. j At Kotuku there’s a small school, one 1 of the best on the coast, as it has the most beautiful gardens for a country school. The school is called “Jack's Mill School,” and about 50 or more 1 children attend it. Here they have a :
small bungalow’ which the pupils have built. It isn’t finished yet but it has a telephone installed in it. The girls l have a uniform of navy gym frocks. . The school tied last for the shield ! for the best garden. Greymouth is a very small place, but: has a lovely wharf. It takes 11 hours to reach thpre from Kotuku by slow i train. I ideally enjoyed my stay there and I didn’t want to come home. One year when I was over there I ' brought some ferns back and they I were half dying when I got them home J so I just threw them around the side j of the house and now there's quite a | few ferns growing there. I was quite I amazed at them —Written by Lucy V.! Lusty, Beckenham, for her sister Dawn, j
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NEM19410222.2.101.10
Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 22 February 1941, Page 8
Word Count
384A TRIP TO THE COAST Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 22 February 1941, Page 8
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