Riwaka Resurgence?

Another beautiful day in Paradise, what more could we ask. This morning was spent doing the laundry and sunning ourselves during morning tea and lunch.

After lunch Robin took us on one of his Tiki Tours, first to the local museum which is housed in the old High School building. Here we found out that the airfield alongside the camp grounds has been in existence for quite a while. It has made a name for itself with quite a few early aviation landmarks and is prospering very nicely with it’s sky diving, flight training both fixed wing and helicopters. There has been a few mishaps, one where a plane crash landed on a house roof.

Motueka museum in the 1913 District High School building.

The area is also known for it’s fruit and Hop growing  for the Brewing industry. They also used to grow Tobacco Hops but I believe this has now finished. In early days all produce had to be shipped out through the Port of Motueka until the railway arrived but that ceased in 1955 after improvements to roads and the emergence of road transport.

Mock up cabin of an 1800's sailing ship.

The only reminder of the Port of Motueka is a monument which also commemorates the Accession of King Edward VII and the death of a local soldier in the Boer War.

This double sided memorial is to a soldier in the Boer War and the Accession of King Edward VII

Out on the mud flats lies the rusting hulk of the Janie Seddon which was supposed to have been called the Janie Spotswood but the Prime Minister of the time, the Rt Hon Richard Seddon decided to name it after his niece. The ship was built in 1901 in Scotland as a Submarine Mining vessel serving in both World Wars in Wellington Harbour. In 1946 she was decommissioned and sold. Her new owner converted her to a trawler which she was not really suited too. She was laid up at Motueka Wharf in 1950 and beached for scrapping in 1955.

The Janie Seddon, examination boat and converted to a trawler. Built 1901,laid up 1950 beached for scrap 1955.

Another place of interest was the Riwaka Resurgence which is the headwater of the Riwaka river. Hidden away in the Kahurangi National Forest the river surges out of an underground cave, cold and crystal clear.

The Riwaka Resurgence in the Kahurangi National Park. Headwaters of the Riwaka River.

The whole area is cold, dark and damp with Moss and Lichen growing on everything. Sunshine obviously doesn’t reach this deep canyon very often.

So damp and cold below the Riwaka Resurgence that moss and lichen grow everywhere.The pathway through the Kahurangi National Park to the Riwaka Resurgence.