Lindis Pass, Kawerau Pass to Lumsden

After several easy days traveling, it was a much longer day (150km) from Twizel to Lowburn,  and driving up and over Lindis Pass.  On the first part of the journey we passed the results of farmers cutting hay, first we saw rectangular bales piled high, and then paddock after paddock of round hay bales.  All getting ready for winter feed.

Time to make hay

Driving over the Lindis Pass we noticed that the hills had changed from the very bare hills that we saw around Twizel, and now were lightly covered in scrub.  The  Lindis Pass links the Mackenzie Basin with Central Otago, crossing  a saddle between the valleys of the Lindis and Ahuriri Rivers at an altitude of 971m..

There was no room for us to pull into the lookout, but a little further on we stopped at this sign.  We had now arrived at Central Otago, or as the locals call it, “Central”.  It was all downhill from here, and this side of the pass seemed much steeper than the ascent.

We are now in Central Otago

The road took us alongside Lake Dunstan, and we soon arrived al Lowburn NZMCA Park, another new to us camp right on the lake side.  Set in  a large graveled area, rubbish facilities but no water or dump station.

Lowburn NZMCA Park

The town of Cromwell was not too far away, and look, there is the famous fruit sign, the huge  1.7 tonne apple, pear, nectarine and apricot landmark.   Designed by  Otto Muller  the landmark cost $64,000 to build and a further $24,000 in voluntary labour, and was completed in November 1989.    Cromwell  has a well-earned reputation as the fruit bowl of New Zealand. The ideal climate makes  Cromwell’s cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines and plums  sought-after by high-end export markets, supermarkets, and visitors who call in to buy from the local growers. 

Cromwell Fruit Sign

As we did, buying a box of delicious peaches, and a bag of new seasons apples, then queuing up with other eager customers to buy  a “real fruit” ice-cream.    Absolutely delicious – there is nothing better than an ice-cream on a hot sunny day!

In the 1970s Cromwell became the site of a hydro-electric power scheme which created the huge Clyde Dam to harness the Clutha River.  Lake Dunstan, which formed behind the dam, submerged much of the area in 1992, but a number of historic buildings were saved and relocated.

Lake Dunstan, and a view of the camp from the lake edge

Then it was another big day, 161km from Lowburn to Lumsden along SH6.  This took us through the steep and winding Kawerau Gorge.  In 1880 engineer Harry Higginson was called on to built a bridge over the Kawarau Gorge, a difficult task in a sheer rocky gorge that was known as a tunnel for strong winds. To  meet this challenge, he came up with an innovative bridge design with a suspension bridge that was 42 m high with a 120m long span. The work won a world’s top engineering award, a Telford Premium, in 1882.  In 1963 a new bridge opened and the 1880 bridge was retained for its historic value.  Over 100 years after the bridge was originally constructed,  the bridge became the site of the world's first commercial bungy jump. A.J. Hackett set up operation on the bridge in 1988, with people testing their limits by leaping from the equivalent of a 10-storey building held safe by just a giant elastic band around their ankles. Since 1988, the bridge has primarily been used for bungy jumping and biking.

Gold mining also took part in this inhospitable place, and the remains or maybe replicas of Chinese goldminers huts can still be seen.    The Goldfields Mining Centre is an historic reserve which has been set aside by New Zealand's Department of Conservation to preserve an authentic mining site where gold has been mined for over 100 years and can still be found in the rocks & gravels. 

Goldminers huts in Kawerau Gorge

Driving through Frankton, we were astounded to see just how much this place has grown since we were last here, and the road followed lower Lake Wakatipu – the name means “place where the demon lies”.  According to Maori legend the curiously shaped lake was created when a giant demon captured the daughter of a Maori chief and took her to his home in the mountains.  After struggling against a strong north-easterly wind, the demon lay down with his head near Glenorchy, his knees at Queenstown, and his feet at Kingston.  The girl’s lover crept up to sleeping demon and set it on fire, and its body burnt deep into the earth.  All that remained was the beating heart within a gigantic trench which gradually filled with water to form an enormous lake in the shape of the demon.  We pulled off the road at a photo stop to capture some snaps of this beautiful lake.

Lake Wakatipu

Our stop for the night was at the Lumsden Reserve NZMCA Park, not actually overflowing with campers as there were only a big bus and a motorhome parked up.  We all enjoyed happy Hour together later in the afternoon.

Overnighting at Lumsden

After settling in, and having a late lunch, we drove up town to check out Lumsden – and discovered that the pie shop we remembered from our last visit has now closed down.  The  railway station is now preserved as a tourist information centre. The Lumsden Heritage Trust has displayed the chassis of New Zealand Railways steam train.  Lumsden welcomes freedom campers and the  railway station offers free parking for caravans and motor homes, sinks available for dish washing, toilets, fresh water and a dump station. 

Trains on display at Lumsden Station

Lumsden used to be a major railway junction with lines departing to all four points of the compass. The Kingston Branch from Invercargill ran north–south through the town, while to the west was the Mossburn Branch and to the east was the Waimea Plains Railway that connected with the Main South Line in Gore.  Sadly, those days are long gone now.

The weather has been fabulous lately, real ”blue dome days” as we have been traveling about – lets hope it stays that way.  Next stop, Te Anau.