Haast River Estuary

Time to say Goodbye to the West Coast

I never expected to feel regret when time came for us to say goodbye to the West Coast. But I could have stayed much longer. There is just so much to see and do. As we settle in Central Otago for a couple of nights we’re so thankful for the weather we experienced over the last couple of weeks. It is wet and even cold in Alexandra – a town normally with the highest summer temperatures in New Zealand. While many places have been experiencing heavy rain with accompanying thunder and lightning, we have avoided all of this.

Before we left Haast, we drove to the bottom of the road to Jackson Bay. Despite it being a one way drive, I enjoyed this slightly different outlook, stopping frequently to take photos. I walked along the beach at Jackson Bay, and yeah, you guessed it, collected a couple more stones. I might have stayed there longer but sandflies drove me back to the car.

There is a new subdivision around Haast Beach if my memory serves me. I wonder if the sections will sell as quickly as those at Colac Bay? They must look lovely on the internet, right next to the sea. But will prospective purchasers visit before forking out money to buy their “ideal beachside” summer holiday place?

Roaring Billy Falls

Roaring Billy Falls

On the lookout for Roaring Billy Falls, which our map suggested is 25 km from Haast, we’d decided we had missed this walking opportunity. But approximately 10 km further on, there it was. Parking was a problem as the dozen plus camper vans and cars jollied for space. The walk into the Falls, about ten minutes, was probably the most beautiful of all the bush walks we have done. The photo does not do justice to these falls. If you notice the couple on the river bed, this might help put their size into perspective.

We had a little rain as we travelled through Haast Pass. However as we approached Lake Wanaka the clouds began to lighten. By the time we were half way around the lake, the sun was blazing down on us. Now for some family time.