Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Huts and dwellings on the Nevis Valley route Garston to Bannockburn

Every year or two I like to do a trip through the Nevis Valley in Central Otago, and on every occasion I end up taking longer and longer, as it's just full of history and points of interest.

So working our way from Garston back to Bannockburn here are a few of the dwellings in the valley...

The historic Southland Ski Club hut near the top of the Nevis Saddle...Southland Ski Club hut


This hut has been restored, but being beside a road can leave it open to abuse. Still it is dry and clean enough...home-chairs.jpg

The carpark beside what is a public 4wd road [closed over winter though]...Southland Ski Club hut car park

This style chair was a product of the 60s. My parents had a set, so this took me right back down memory lane. This one even made the same noise as I placed it by the light...still-life-chair.jpg

The above's out-house...out-house Southland Ski Club.jpg

Sadly this state of disrepair of a hut down in the head of the Nevis river, and up a side stream, could easily be put right...messy-hut.jpg

Modern day miner's cottages I suspect, turned bach /crib/ holiday home...miners-cottages-nevis.jpg

Beside an old gold dredging hole/lakehut-remains-nevis.jpg

Fireplace in above remains...fire-place-nevis.jpg

Again a modern day miner's cottage...corrugated-iron-hut-nevis.jpg

Up a side valley - new lean-to on the side of a really old mud and stone hut...stone-cottage-nevis.jpg

The perfect situation for those roasting summer days, where shade is everything...hut-in-willows.jpg

Selwyn's house has been lovingly restored and inside is lined with hi-tech astro foil for insulation that was developed by NASA...selwyns-hut.jpg

Ken's house was built by his grand-father, and is over a hundred years old with the roof still the original iron bought here from Scotland...kens-house.jpg



Labels: , ,

Share |

8 Comments:

Blogger Shirley Goodwin said...

I love that first photo, Donald, and also the old stone hut. How do you get time to make all these trips? I am so busy just trying to make a few dollars.

November 2, 2010 at 3:32 PM  
Blogger Donald said...

Hi Shirley

Yes, interesting who likes what.

The time: well these places are just so close - in this case 45 mins to Bannockburn and I'm among it! So they're usually a weekend thing.

Cheers

Donald

November 2, 2010 at 4:22 PM  
Blogger The Field of Gold said...

The Nevis is such an amazing place. The huge sweep of landscape and the firm traces of humans all right there. But despite the traces. Nobody there right now.

Kerry Hand
www.thefieldofgold.blogspot.com

November 3, 2010 at 4:18 PM  
Blogger Donald said...

Hi Kerry

Yes it an amazing place. Time seems to leave it alone.

With every passing year I realise I'd like to experience it in mid winter. Maybe next year!

I think it'd draw even more to attention what you mentioned, where we've left our mark, but there is no one about.

Cheers

Donald

November 3, 2010 at 5:16 PM  
Blogger Bob McKerrow - Wayfarer said...

Lots of history here Donald. Thanks, Bob

November 5, 2010 at 3:21 AM  
Blogger Donald said...

Hi Bob

Yes, it reeks of the endeavours of many people over a long period of time.

I'm always intrigued as to how to find out more - certainly I never meet many people there apart from folk driving through, most of whom don't seem to have the inclination to stop and chat. Maybe they're a bit overawed by the isolation and vastness of the landscape.

Cheers

Donald

November 5, 2010 at 8:44 AM  
Blogger Marg said...

here is smething I did not know. I had no idea it was possible to get from Garston to Bannockburn over the hills. Also never in my life had I been to bannockburn until this week on the way home from queestown on friday we took a detour and drove around there a little bit finally having a coffee at the cafe there. I would like to go there again sometime.

November 6, 2010 at 7:16 PM  
Blogger Donald said...

Dear Marg,

Yes it's true the Nevis is a bit hidden - I tend to forget this as I've been fortunate to travel through there many times since I first discovered it in the late seventies. I did get through in a car back then, but the road has quietly got worse.

Glad you discovered Bannockburn though - it's a nice wee place and I bought a muffin there on my way through last Sat.

This weekend is a stay at home one, so I might do my next blog on another aspect of the Nevis again.

I'll catch up more soon too.

Cheers

Donald

November 6, 2010 at 8:57 PM  

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home