CANTERBURY ON TOUR

Forest and Bird, Issue 139, 1 February 1961, Page 4

CANTERBURY ON TOUR

By

I. H. Gray

Another new venture undertaken by the Canterbury Branch this season was a threeday trip on Christchurch’s Show Weekend, 11-13 November. The focal point of the tour was a visit to Lake Rotoiti in the Nelson Lakes National Park. A total of 70 members filled two buses, but owing to limited accommodation being available in Murchison it was necessary to run the buses in opposite directions over the route chosen. The party of which I was in charge travelled over the Lewis Pass to Murchison on the Friday. Stops were made at Culverden for refreshments, the Maruia Hot Springs Hostel for lunch, and the Maruia Falls and other spots for sight seeing and bird watching. The second bus party, of which Mr. T. Hay was the leader, went up the east coast to Blenheim, stopping at Kaikoura for lunch, and at Cheviot and Clarence Bridge for refreshments. On the Saturday both parties headed inland for the lake, arriving within two minutes of each other, after journeys of 223 and 264 miles respectively. Unfortunately the weather was overcast and gloomy at the lake, with light drizzle at times, but this did not deter the enthusiasts from seeing as much as possible of the bush and scenic beauty of the area in the four hours of their stay. About mid afternoon the buses parted again, each to complete the circuit, changing over hotels, and going home.

on the Sunday over the route traversed by the other party on the Friday. Apart from the weather at the lake the trip was run in perfect conditions. Tuis were plentiful at Rotoiti, and they and robins were seen on the Shenandoah Saddle. / The eastcoast party were fortunate to see a few seals at the colony at Kaikoura, but none were seen by the second party, although they were amply rewarded with a close-up view of the red-billed gulls nesting at Goose Bay. The whole project was voted a great success, each bus covering about 500 miles; and with twoand three-star hotel accommodation provided throughout the ladies in the party were particularly appreciative of having to sit down to a meal without having to prepare it or wash up afterwards. Perhaps the best guide to its popularity was in the fact that the November 1961 tour, to Lake Ohau, was fully booked within a fortnight of the conclusion of the above trip.