Help – we are Surrounded by Cows!

We heard them first before we saw them.  There they were, a whole herd of black and white dairy cows, tearing at the grass and noisily going munch, munch, munch as they chewed it to ribbons.  Down the throat it went in a big swallow, to come out the other end not long after with a loud smelly plop!  We were surrounded by cows going about their bovine business on three sides with only a wire fence to keep us safe.  There were cows at the front of the caravan by the garage.

That cow’s looking at me!

Now she’s brought some of her friends along

And there were a whole lot of the huge beasts milling around at the rear of the caravan.  When they had finished tearing the grass out by the roots, they stuck their heads through that flimsy looking wire fence to nibble on Geoff and Eileen’s small trees.  (No wonder the trees are small, they never have time to grow between visits from the cows).

Cows at the back of the caravan

It’s not that we are scared, but then, they are so much bigger than us.  And that fence wouldn’t keep them out if they were determined to get in to our camping area.  They all had their numbered ear tags attached to an ear, and looked in excellent condition, with nice shiny coats.  And to tell the truth, our black and white visitors weren’t there that long.  They settled down quietly overnight to chew their cuds, as they like to do, then early the next morning the farmer came along on his farm quad bike  and quietly moved his girls along to another paddock after a visit to the milking shed.  No wonder a farm needs lots of land, the cows had made short work of the pasture on this paddock in no time at all. Geoff will now have to go around and straighten all the fence posts once again.

In the Cool of the Evening

It’s hard work cutting a large lawn – but not with a ride-on mower.  That’s almost like having fun, especially if the job is put off till later in the day when the temperatures are starting to cool.  Robin got to play on the mower yesterday at our hosts property in rural Otaki.  Up and down the lawn he went, this way and that, getting in as close as he could to the trees in the orchard.  He will have to get the motor mower out to finish off in between the multitude of trees.   The lawns had really grown while we were all away on our recent caravan safari.

Lawn mowing time again

The sun went down in a blaze of orange.

Trees reflected in the house windows.

The sun sunk further below the horizon, the skies lost that glorious colour and darkened into night.  Another lovely day is laid to rest.

You Know you’re in the Country…..

When the farmer’s hay barn is just over the fence in the next paddock.

And there’s a dilapidated old barn close by.

When the water comes from a tank.

And the cows come calling.

But we were most surprised to see a pair of White-faced Herons high up in an adjacent macrocarpa tree.  What were they doing, we wondered?  On consulting our book, “Know your New Zealand Birds”, we discovered that the herons build large loose nests of twigs and sticks in tall trees.  The flimsy nests are often dislodged by storms and strong winds, so the birds frequently re-nest in summer.   So that is what they were doing!

Our safari trip is now over and we are staying in our caravan on the rural Otaki property of our friends Geoff and Eileen, eagerly waiting while our new home is being built.  Just about three more weeks to go, we believe, but we still have time to squeeze in another caravan rally next week.

Back to Otaki to Check out our House

The caravan safari came to a wet and windy end this morning – the strong wind was whistling through the totara trees surrounding our camp site at Ashhurst Domain and shaking their branches.  Dot and Derek left camp bright and early, to take their motor home Gypsy Rover into Palmerston North for a service.

 

Geoff and Derek checking under Gypsy Rover’s bonnet

Our remaining two caravans made a much more leisurely departure mid morning, and we drove through intermittent drizzly showers before the sun made an appearance.  Our new house had been preying on our minds as we had been away for a couple of weeks on safari and we had no idea what stage the builders were up to.  So we made a stop at Levin to check it out.  It was immediately obvious that the bricks had been laid, the exterior timber was in place, and the front door was now installed.  Robin peered through the windows and could see two plasterers working away inside.

Looking inside

We explained that this was our new house they were working on, and the men worked diligently as we had a quick look around. 

Plastering the kitchen walls

  Not much in the bathroom yet

And in the garage we found that the drop down attic stairs had been installed to give us extra storage in the roof space.

Robin checking the attic stairs

One of the workmen told us that the stilts they use when plastering the ceiling take a little time to get used to.

Plastering stilts

The weather had cleared nicely by the afternoon but the mist was covering the Tararua Ranges away in the background.  It’s no surprise that the village our new home is in is called “Rangeview Villas”. 

  

Mist covered Tararua Ranges

Ashhurst – now we are three

After two idyllic days in rural Rangiwahia it was time to break camp and head off to our next stopover.  Don and Pamela left us here and headed homewards.  With the mighty Ruahine Ranges off to the side, we drove past the turnoff to the quaintly named “Peep-O-Day” and down past the Kimbolton Gardens which specialise in rhododendrons and azaleas.  Our original plan to overnight at Cheltenham was scotched, Peter and Elaine chose to travel on to Palmerston North, and the three remaining vans decided to move on to the Ashhurst Domain.

Rolling farmland with the Ruahine Ranges in the background

The Domain was full of families enjoying picnics in the sunshine but the campsite was empty so it was just a matter of picking our sites, plugging in to the power boxes and we were all set.  The camp is surrounded by mature totara trees and we were happy to use the welcome shade they gave as we had a lazy afternoon.  The promised rain arrived overnight and soaked away into the hard dry ground.  Although wet, the high temperatures were making us feel hot and sticky.

 

Just three vans still on safari

This campsite is a little unusual as just across the way is a large grave yard.  Luckily non of the occupants bothered us in the dark of the night.

Our neighbours across the park

Ashhurst is a small country town of about 3500 people, and the first European settlers arrived here in 1877.  A private English emigration company called the Emigrant and Colonists’ Aid Corporation bought a 106,000 acre block, known as the “Manchester Block”, named after the Duke of Manchester who was the chairman.  The town was named after Henry George Ashhurst, a successful London merchant, who was a director of the Corporation.   The two churches in town were built in quite different styles. 

St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church

St Columba’s Catholic Church

Ashhurst is a very pretty small town, and the camp facilities are well looked after and very reasonably priced.  and best of all, we  are back in cell phone and internet range again.  

Rangiwahia Domain

Where the heck is Rangiwahia you may well ask?  Leaving Waiouru and heading back into the Manawatu Region we turned off SH1 just before reaching Mangaweka onto Mangawharariki Road and crossed over a rather rickety looking bridge.

Over the bridge to Rangiwahia

The narrow road took us 20km up hill and down dale, past rolling countryside.  Last time we travelled this road it was unsealed, Robin remembered.  Here’s the welcome sign, we have arrived.  Our five vans fitted nicely into the domain grounds, which had three power points for us to share, water and toilets. 

 

Here we are at Rangiwahia

There is a War Memorial in the front of the grounds, a school and play centre just up the road, a few houses dotted around, and not much else in this rural heartland.  It’s a nice peaceful place, and we feel that having power is a real bonus.  No cell phone or internet coverage though.

Rangiwahia War Memorial

Rural communities like this rely on volunteers to help run things – and the Rangiwahia Volunteer Fire Brigade is no exception.  We stopped and chatted to the Deputy Fire Chief who told us that they have recently had a recruitment drive to boost the number of their volunteer firemen.  Luckily they have few fires to deal with, but often attend road accidents.

Robin and Peter checking out the fire station

Just a short stroll up the road is the pretty little St Barnabas Anglican Church.  Made of native timber, this lovely old building is over 100 years old, and holds monthly services.  A large clam shell on a pedestal is used for the baptismal font.

St Barnabas Church

Oh, just look at those cute pigs – they happily came to the fence, snuffled and snorted and talked to me in piggy language while they posed for a photo shoot.

I love pigs!

The pigs are owned by Jim and Bridgette, who run “REACT”, Rangiwahia Environmental Arts Centre Trust, from their home just along the road at the Old Dairy Factory.  They also run school programmes teaching children to make wearable art, and create giant puppets and lanterns from paper, incorporating willow grown on the property.  Jim explained about growing willow, how it is cut and stored, and showed us the art of willow stripping. 

Harvested willow ready for stripping

The Old Dairy Factory

Jim and Bridgette met overseas, and when his Kiwi lass wanted to return home, they took the long way back to New Zealand in their Daf truck, cleverly painted to show how they journeyed home.  Thanks so much for showing us around.

Daf truck

In planning our caravan safari, we decided to stay at places not previously visited, and our stop over at Rangiwahia has been a delight.  The domain grounds had everything we needed for a short stay, and the handful of local people we met were very friendly and more than happy to stop and chat to our bunch of travellers.  We are so glad that we took the time to stop.  

National Army Museum at Waiouru

With battlements on high like a medieval castle, the National Army Museum dominates the army town of Waiouru as it straddles SH1 at the southern end of the Desert Road.  With various tanks placed strategically in front, the granite grey building looks for all the world like an impregnable castle. 

   National Army Museum at Waiouru

But the building was far from impregnable some years ago when some of the museum’s most significant war medals were stolen.  When they were finally recovered several months later, new security measures were put in place, and the Medal Repository was redesigned.  Three glaziers were invited to submit safety glass for this and then as a test strong staff members spent days trying to smash their way through the glass panels, to determine what to use in the new facility.

   The Medal Repository

The museum is entered through the striking Tears on Greenstone Memorial area.  Boulders of uncut greenstone (pounamu)  were presented to the museum by the Ngai Tahu people in a gifting ceremony on May 2001 as a tribute to their warriors who had fallen in the wars.  The greenstone was cut and made into a large curving wall with a trickle of water running down to signify tears for the fallen, while the names of all New Zealand service people who lost their lives fighting for the country are recited.  All new army recruits make their Oath of Allegiance in front of this wall.

Tears on Greenstone Memorial Wall

The new exhibition “Harnessed” tells the story of the thousands of New Zealand horses who were sent into battle during the Boer War and WW1.  The horses suffered terribly, carrying heavy loads and trying to survive in desert conditions of heat, flies, thirst and blinding sand storms.  On the Western Front  they were used for hauling guns, stores and equipment, through freezing temperatures, snow, rain and mud.

Horses at War

The museum covered all the theatres of war, from the New Zealand Wars, Boer War, WW1 and WW11, the Home Front, Medical Corps, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam.  Tanks and armoured vehicles were displayed throughout, as were life size models.  You could spend days wandering around the museum.  

LCPR – Landing Craft Personnel and Ramp

25 Pounder Gun, Ammunition trailer & 4X4 Chev Tractor Unit

I was particularly interested in the Vietnam exhibition as my brother Brian served there for several years.  This display shows two gunners and a signaller leaving the helicopter for an operation.

Soldiers in Vietnam

The many tanks and guns on display in the grounds outside the museum are a magnet for families, and kids of all ages love nothing better than to climb up on top and play soldiers.

Bofors 40mm Light Anti-Aircraft Gun

Free parking is available to self contained caravans and motor homes behind the museum, and our group took advantage of this offer.  Security guards are on duty all night and patrol the grounds regularly so we had no worries about our safety.

Parked overnight behind the museum in Waiouru