North and South Mackenzie Country New Zealand - some contrasts, some environmental dilemmas

My son Dougal has always been keen on science, and with Uni. looming next year, I had the idea these recent school holidays to visit the Mt John astronomy observatory at Lake Tekapo in the northern Mackenzie country, so he could see first hand what goes on at this University of Canterbury outpost.

Before our "appointment" with manager Alan we left the beaten track the day before to spend the night in the seldom visited area encompassing Mt Cook Station. The trip and locality give a unique experience that is very different to the normal approach road to Mt Cook National Park. Essentially the route leaves Tekapo and heads overland to Lake Pukaki.

Enroute to Mt Cook Station...


En-route to Mt Cook Station still - Braemar Dome. I've always fancied skiing these gentle big slopes, but access ain't easy..


Mt Sefton on the left and Mt Cook on the right. Our companions for our camp out in the truck just beside the wild and cold Tasman River. However the Dept. of Conservation seems to be doing a wonderful job here, as many banded dotterel actually wandered around the truck - curious I guess. How wonderful to witness this as they're an endangered species...


A nesting banded dotterel shot I made a year or two ago, while helping DOC on a braided river bird survey...


Heading back to Tekapo we were witness to some impressive stock handling and dogs...


And we met John the grader driver. He'd got his 18 ton machine bogged. While I had no hope of pulling him out with a 2.5 ton Land Cruiser, his colleague nearby in another grader did so in short order. John has spent 27 years, summer and winter keeping all Mackenzie Country secondary roads clear and in order...


Our NZ military use a great swathe of land to practice on. It says what they leave lying around could kill you...




It seems a real shame they've laid claim many years ago to what is a fragile environment then driven and shelled hell out of the place, leaving wounds in the landscape that may never heal...


Mt John Observatory...


Alan gave a fascinating and insightful tour. Here Dougal inspects the new 1.8 meter [mirror] telescope. What Alan, his wife, team, and University of Canterbury astronomers are doing there is very inspirational [see link below]...


So what are some of the contrasts and dilemmas?

The Mackenzie is just one of many unique areas in this compact country, but I know it quite well - I used to live there, so did my grandfather who was a musterer, fencer and shearer.

Lately it's increasingly been coming to the forefront of news. I think people are noticing the unique landscape more, maybe because quite recently it's been changing due to new intensive farming styles. Many want it back how it was, but for this we sadly have to go back much more than several years.

But times are a changing and just last week the head of the Department Conservation (DOC) was calling for urgent and "radical" change in a refreshingly honest presentation [see link below].

Anyway this is some of what I've seen and figured out [with massive thanks to many conservationists, soil conservators, Dept. of Conservation staff, farmers, visionaries, historians, restoration ecologists, and friends - you know who you are!]...

The Tekapo area is actually quite high altitude - cold and windy. But the southern Mackenzie is a bit more user friendly. Trouble is it's all suffered degradation from the late 19th century onwards, when it was all apparently waist deep in snow and red tussock. I should imagine moa would have roamed there a long time ago.

But for most of my life time vast areas have looked like this...


Hieracium infestation seems to kill off snow tussock and most other grasses. It's very invasive in some areas - rabbits have been part of it. It's only saving grace is it looks pretty in Nov. each year, but stock cannot eat it. Note the Twizel township and Twizel and Fraser rivers in background...


Down by the Twizel and Fraser rivers it becomes evident that irrigation totally changes the eco system, just like hieracium and rabbit infestation. However in this instance the irrigation is more natural and much less energy dependent - this is probably reclaimed wetland, point being that the grasses are deep rooted and not superficial, therefore more able to cope with the extremes of climate typical of the area, and maintain old time habitats...


And the hand of man also changed the scenario in yet another way in the 1970s, with a series of canals and power stations. The project developers did an amazing job under budget always [politicians kept at bay so there was minimal ego informed bungling], and gave us an asset that actually [unlike the Clutha's Clyde dam debacle], produces a lot of energy. But there was a cost, despite their mandate to leave the land better then they found it: We lost wetlands, wild rivers and even a gorge so wild and remote few know about it, for back then these features were not seen as assets...


Old time locals have been pushed into smaller areas. And what they live on has been altered by all scenarios so far mentioned. It seems minor, but that green blur is a "wilding" pine tree. Yet another highly invasive weed in NZ's high country, that is especially a huge almost incomprehensible problem down-wind from the above mentioned Mt Cook area...


So just as maybe a hundred years ago, the landscape is changing yet again! Now we have the New Zealand version of crop circles, but in our case there is no mystery or aliens - they're called pivot irrigators...


So we have two extremes down on the flats in this photo looking towards Lake Ohau, and neither are favorable hosts to the native snow or red tussock, and all the bugs and birdlife that can live with them...


The latest mooted change in the southern Mackenzie, is diary cattle will have huge sheds to live in - so called cubicle farming. These plans of a few farmers are causing quite a fuss right now, with claims this will improve things, and counter claims from conservationists, [who in some instances perhaps think the status quo of 2-3 years ago is desirable]. The intensive farming lobby argue that they're stopping the scarce soil from eroding away, and actually creating new, but seemingly almost as an aside, water quality issues compromised by effluent get glossed over.

But all this irrigation is actually making even more changes to the eco systems - those places where numerous bugs live. Many are rare apparently.

I might be more impressed if their grasses and techniques could survive drought - in other words be less dependent on technology [it often costs a lot to pump water to irrigators]. I don't seem to see enough evidence of sound dry-land farming techniques that have been impressively employed by the established fine wool farmers for many years. And, yes, rabbits don't like it green, but neither will snow tussock establish easily [once mature/established, they're more tolerant]. Sadly I see few attempts to establish corners, corridors or shelter belts comprised of these natives, and others.

So for our children and future generations, how do we get back more areas to something approximating this scene...?


As I drove back home over the Lindis Pass, a reserve of snow tussock, yet again, just as I've noted for years, they're just surviving and not really recovering at all to waist deep status...

Restoration ecology is a huge challenge in the Mackenzie because of the scale, but one we could easily win at with cooperation, less greed and more education.

More treasuring what we've been gifted by nature would help, as would more acknowledgement that there are many old time farmers who've achieved great insights and land management skills, and a Dept. of Conservation that is staffed at ground level by people with a passion for their work, and now headed by a manager who sees things with a big picture in mind, and is not afraid to speak out.

We have more resources than we think!

It's all about perception! We need to lift our awareness that we are the land, and not stuff it all up - then we'll all be healthier in mind and body.

Links:
NZ "trashing our environment" - Dept. of Conservation chief speaks out
Dept. of Conservation's efforts in the Twizel area
Mt John observatory
Mackenzie Guardians...
Forest and Bird's Save our Mackenzie Country

It does not seem to help that either end of the Mackenzie is administered by different Councils. Environment Canterbury and Waitaki

A Deed of Recognition, from the Crown for a taonga [treasure of Ngai Tahu]

"Hikurangi and Manawapopore [upper and lower Mavora Lakes] are an integral part of a network of trails which were used by Ngai Tahu in order to ensure safe journeys. Activities along the way including camping overnight and gathering kai [food].

The trails were part of summer-time pursuits such as kai-hau-kai, whanaungatanga [the renewal and strengthening of family links] and arranging marriages with hapu from the neighboring area of Otago and further afield. Such strategic marriages strengthened the kupenga [net] of whakapapa [genealogy].

The mauri [life force] of the two lakes represents the essence that binds the physical and spiritual elements of all things together, generating and upholding life.

All elements of the natural environment possess a life force, and all forms of life are related. Mauri is a critical element of the spiritual relationship of Ngai Tahu Whanui with this area."

Copied two days ago from a Dept. of Conservation sign in the area

Lower Mavora Lake...


Craig and Nic construct a new Dept. of Conservation swing bridge by the mouth of the Lower Mavora Lake...


Lower Mavora Lake...

My first visit to this area was several years ago with my son Dougal [aged 9 years at the time]. It was our first significant holiday post separation/divorce, and I somehow knew some significant insights would come our way if we checked out this place known more to Southland locals than tourists.

Lower Mavora Lake...

We arrived in the dark, erected the tent and in the morning woke to snow on the ground. By the time we were the 30 Kms back on the main road the next morning much had been learnt with few words - in fact none except the usual to facilitate what needed doing. I had the sense the place had bought us both a much needed equanimity.

Beech Forest by the Lower Mavora Lake...

A few years later I returned, alone this time with a problem: I'd been asked to express some ideas on our friend Riley's education and where he should live, given his mum's pending return to homeland Canada. He had his dad there and yet had bonded very significantly with my son's friends at school in Wanaka. Through his association with Dougal and myself over the years I'd inadvertently become a significant other male figure in his life - a privilege I might add!

Lower Mavora Lake...

So in Nov. 2007 I found myself back at Mavora Lakes, and in the dark parked up by the water's edge in my camper truck, well up the upper lake away from the usual camping areas. At the edge of the water and the beech forest I settled down to making some decisions while cooking tea to the melody of water lapping the shore and the sigh of wind in the forest: basically arriving with giving advice consistent with the needs of a teenage boy, that would see him much less in our lives and back in Canada near his dad for 2008 and onwards.

Night time snowstorm, Upper Mavora Lake...

The next morning, after negotiating a 4wd track back at the normal camping area I saw a new DOC sign, the contents of which I've quoted to begin this post, and I stopped to read it.

Upper Mavora Lake...

I was simply stunned to learn the Maori locals of old had used this place for similar purposes to my own, and most of all that I'd been drawn to the place. You could say "called" if you like, to the energy of "renewal and strengthening of family links"! On this trip I was also en-route to a family reunion day in Invercargill!

Lower Mavora Lake...

Night time snowstorm, Upper Mavora Lake...


The above selection of landscape photos of the area were all taken over the last 2-3 days on a road trip through Northern Southland to Invercargill, to visit my friends Roger and Kara in Invercargill.

I always make the time now, in light of the above, to be kind to myself and gather in the essence of this special place whenever possible.

... on this visit determined to make photos expressing what calls me here, or for other purposes?!

PS: A couple of hours after posting the above one of my distant relations I hardly ever hear from rang me up requesting family genealogy details for an update of a family book, and lo there is another family reunion coming up in Southland in Jan. 2011! And the connection to myself: in the generation preceding my grandmother Elizabeth Harris, three Soper family brothers married three Harris family sisters. Both are very well known and large family names in Southland. The Sopers once fielding a complete rugby team

The distant relation who rang me up, well her mum's name is Mavora. She is my late dad's cousin, and was born at Lake Mavora!

More Clutha River wanderings

When the sun looked like dissipating the inversion cloud this morning I packed a lunch and Dougal and I headed off for a walk, heading yet again on further personal exploration of the Clutha River near home.

Looking west towards Black Peak and Treble Cone, while we walked in hope of the cloud letting the sun shine on us...


Further downstream past Reko's Point, and looking south to the end of the Pisa and Criffel Ranges...


It had been bothering me - just who was Reko? I knew the name and then I recalled he was the guide of Surveyor J.T. Thomson:

He persuaded Reko of Tuturau to guide him from Otago to Canterbury by an inland route. In September 1853, he, Reko and another Maori companion set off up the Mataura and the Nokomai valleys and over the hills to the Nevis and Kawarau valleys. They crossed the Kawarau River on the natural rock bridge and went downriver to the flats above Cromwell. They made their way to Wanaka and Hawea, before Chalmers, who was exhausted, gave up any idea of going further, and the group returned by raft down the Clutha River (McClymont 1959: 70). More on the New Zealand Dept of Conservation website

Thomson was an accomplished artist and I found a picture he made of a spooky crossing of the Mataura River with Reko on the teara.govt.nz web site

As we walked I asked Dougal to consider that there are people that want to dam this amazing river and drown the landscape. I think he had trouble grasping this and I guess age 16 has not given him enough time yet to ponder the losses I've seen...


I've paddled this river in a past life, camping on the way and that was adventure enough. It must have been something else for Reko, Thomson and Chalmers to build their own raft and head off, bobbing along at speed as the craft became water-logged, and not have much of a clue as to what lay ahead. On many stretches of the river it's really hard to get into the edge as boil ups keeping pushing upwards denying access...


Locally so many of us have concerns about ill conceived ideas to mess up this planet, rivers and all that we live on - and everyone is a local relevant to where they live, so in a wider and more global context take some time please to check out the movie "home"on youtube by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. It has beautiful imagery of our mother earth and commentary of our evolution into where we have brought our planet to today. It's free on the web for a few more days [and is a 1.4 Gb download so it is not a short one].

Last week I found some stellar GPS software for my iPhone for about $NZ7 so we tried it out alongside my old GPS and found it remarkably good - nothing like a good day to play with new toys!

Dougal thought it was funny that the map is courtesy of the US Navy - us being inland and all that. This screen shot is of Reko's Point - I wonder if this is where they built the raft, as it's too close to Lake Wanaka to be the first night's camping spot. The green "init" maker is a way-point the phone generates each time it's turned on...


And this week's head's up is to cousin Deirdre's Tininn Lodge site where she has posted photos of her grand daughter Aleisha doing some part time modeling.

Note: Phil Lloyd commented on posts relating to the Nevis Valley and gold mining, and has since been in touch via email. Here is his story:

"I spent two summer holidays in the 1970's with Lex Maclean and his parents working a goldmine just after the gorge in the upper Nevis. His parents were quite elderly even then and had moved to Milton after the population in the Nevis had dwindled away but they still came back to work the mine each summer.

I met up with Lex in Clyde last winter and he said they have no photos of those days, despite having many travellers call in and take photos.

I undertook to try to track down some of those photos but have had no luck so far."

If you can help Phil please contact him:

+64 9 573 0421 or Phil.Lloyd@visy.co.nz

Cascade Saddle Mt Aspiring National Park

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to take a few more shots while helping search for a missing tramper [Irina Yun - now presumed drowned - if you wish to read a comprehensive overview of the scenario then Bob McKerrow a highly respected and experienced NZ mountaineer has compiled an overview on his blog].

The Cascade Saddle is actually the low point on the middle to top right of this photo. The original route way back in the days of my boyhood was called the "Ernie Smith route" if I recall correctly, and it was replaced by improving on what was to be a new evolving [safer?] route known as the "Cullers Route" which exited higher up at or near where I took this photo at "the Pylon". The current incarnation and improvements of that line descends from this point to the Cascade Stream [or river - take your pick], and then ascends again to the Cascade Saddle. Yes, lots of ups and downs, but an infinitely more straightforward route on relatively easier ground [as long as it's not wet]...

All week I have been pondering the sad fact that far too many people have died or come to grief in this "hard country", which can be so delightful on a good day, yet diabolical in any other sort of conditions, especially those featuring rain, wind or snow.

I don't recall the exact date as again it would have been when I was a youngster, but a person went missing in the bluffs back then, and a Royal New Zealand Air Force pilot by the name of Christopher Johnson was called on to search, and he did in a Harvard fighter plane, but unfortunately crashed and perished in the lower Cascade Stream, and so the initial tragedy was compounded! He has had a glacier named after him, but this is a sad "2nd best" to a life lost in the prime...

Of course I never knew Christopher, but I was to get to know people who knew and loved him, and I often have reflected how life would have worked out differently for many had he not perished at such a young age. On another level at the time of this tragic event he'd already had quite an influence on the climbing scene of the day in the NZ Alpine Club, where my outdoor skills were nurtured by those who knew him too. We live in a funny world of connectedness!

A sample of the terrain we searched between the Cascade Saddle and the Pylon...


Cascade Stream [which has to be crossed - and shelter is a scant commodity if you cannot] drops maybe 500 meters vertically where it goes out of sight in this photo. A drop so awesome it's totally beyond capture on camera, however there is a taste of it about five photos down...


Plunket Dome, despite the easy accessibility from the Saddle it's not frequented often - maybe it's the cumulative distance...


Upstream view of some of "our task" to poke our noses into: up Cascade Stream - some wild country and big...

The last time I was on a Search and Rescue mission on the Cascade Saddle route back in about the late 1980s, was when we were responding to the fact that early one morning a young student had run down to Aspiring Hut and raised the alarm. His companion had slipped on snow the evening before and slid head-first into some rocks just above bush-line sustaining head injuries. He'd got her [unconscious] onto safe flat ground somehow, then erected their tent, and he'd looked after her all night essentially ensuring a clear airway in a situation where he could not sleep. Our pick-up was far from simple as we had to carry her across the same 30 degree ice/snow she'd slipped on. The Jet Ranger, which at least was "shut-down" on an area the size of it's skids precisely on the very edge of a vertical drop-off into the bluffs, was a welcome sight on our return! I'm glad it was not windy, and it could park up, 'cause it could well have been!

Our helicopter heading into the Dart Glacier to pick up one of our group - we had to wait quite sometime for our pickup and we discussed anything but what we'd have to do if it could not make it back before more cloud drifted in and night became a reality, not just a promise...


The Dart Glacier again - on the right is the drop off for Cascade Stream as mentioned earlier...


Mt Rob Roy, second only in height in the area to Mt Aspiring which is hiding on the left...


Plunket Dome as the sun sets...

I've only touched on three tragedies on this route, but there have been countless others despite education attempts and warnings. In fact at least 3 people, with significant local knowledge advised Irina to not attempt the crossing in heavy rain - especially not alone. Regularly there is a theme of disregard for conditions accompanied by a goal deemed to be pressing! Search and Rescue personal do their best in what are all-to-often "fine" [in every sense of the word] scenarios heightened by short weather windows, for time is of the essence!

Experience and respect for weather and terrain with good team work and decision making is essential and I'm posting this blog to bring these concepts onto the radar of all those who browse the web for information, while planning to enjoy our amazing New Zealand mountains and landscapes!

The comments of Marg, one of my blog readers says it nicely:

"It is a grim reality that no matter how awe inspiring , beautiful and breathtaking the mountains are we would be fools to ever call them friends or expect the elements to deal kindly to us just because we expect it to be so. I am so dreadfully sorry that these beautiful photos are inspired by a search and rescue operation. It makes the sights all the more staggering and also more reverent I suppose if that is the right word."

Some points for people to keep in mind when planning some tramping in New Zealand:

1] The terrain in geological terms and weather is far more dynamic than most realise - even those with experience in other countries fail to grasp this! History repeatedly reinforces this in the minds of us Kiwis dedicated to education and Search and Rescue [as far as I'm concerned the latter is in the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" catagory - it's better we're all on the top!]

2] Just because high profile [irresponsible?] travel guides tout gems of trips to promote readership, don't believe what you read. Seek local advice! The Dept of Conservation and New Zealand Mountain Safety Council are great resources.

3] Make sure all experiences a small ones, and thus survivable. The big ones don't enhance learning [maybe in the next life]!

4] All actions, or in-actions in life have consequences. If we're traveling alone in New Zealand mountains expect those consequences to be dramatic if we're not mentally prepared and "trained up".

5] Be very aware of our capabilities, and the potential for good and bad times on New Zealand walks. I've seen too many in our hills with one foot on a banana skin and the other one in the grave! The sad thing to observe is that there is often no self perception of the lack of knowledge and experience.

6] In retrospect many of us have been "saved" by bad weather. By this I mean we have all had ill conceived ideas, but never had the chance to try them because the weather intervened!

7] Leave a record of intentions [I find the written word to be best]. This is called "signing in", so be it with the Dept of Conservation or a friend or whomever, don't forget to sign out! If I'm doing a solo trip I plan it well and make the plan part of the intentions. On the trip I always do my best to stick to this plan [which often will incorporate a backup or retreat option], so that if anything happens I've left the best clues possible behind. I'd also leave messages en-route, and if things were getting tough I'd leave even more e.g. an arrow made of stones or sticks incorporating my name.

Wanaka bound...

This was another memorable mountain day in the New Zealand Southern Alps, but I would have much rather have had a different reason to be in this area once again! A nice quiet trip in light airs and sunshine with my son, with lots of rests, light fluffy clouds and good cheer, with time to indulge in some serious landscape photography would be my pick for a perfect crossing!

Sharks Tooth from the air...