Saturday 5 May 2012

Richmond.

There was nothing exciting planned for today. Just a short journey to Richmond taking us closer to Nelson. There was no rush to get away from Motueka and before we left we stocked up on apples from the laundry. We don’t know who was supplying the apples and pears but they just kept on appearing. At the last count there were 5 boxes.

Yer, I can pull it, no sweat!Yer, I can pull it, no sweat!

The road through to Richmond seemed to be a relatively new road as it was reasonably straight and fast. We soon found our next camp at the Richmond A&P grounds. Unfortunately the only draw back is no showers but we can live with that, we do have our own in the motorhome after all..

Moutere inlet.Waimea inlet between Motueka and Richmond.

This afternoon we walked into town for a nosey and had a look at a huge tree stump we had seen on the way into the camp.It turned out to be a Tasmanian Blue Gum planted by Francis Otterson, an early Nelson pioneer in 1847. It was one of 2 planted but the other was cut down in 1959. The remaining tree was put under court order protection until 2005 when a limb broke off. Inspection showed that the tree although still sound was a public liability so was cut down leaving the huge stump.

Otterson's Gum, Richmond. 158 years old but felled in 2005 for safety reasons.Otterson's Gum, Richmond. 158 years old but felled in 2005 for safety reasons.

The tree measured approximately 44m in height with a 32m x 26m crown spread. The trunk measured 3.9m in diameter at a point 1.5m above the ground. All was not lost as a sapling from the tree was presented to and planted by descendants of Francis on another family property.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello from Chris and Peter in the UK.

Firstly to put your mind at rest this is NOT spam.

I hope you do not mind I have been following your blog, I picked it up from the narrow boat blog site and soon realised that now you are in South Island NZ a place that we Love and have wonderful memories of!

Now, the reason that prompted me to write a comment is that we stayed on a Apple and Pear orchard in Motueka 2010, called The Queen Vic, situated on Queen Victoria Ave, the owners had converted their garage into a bedsit and they provided breakfast, they were such lovely people, they said we could help our selves to apples and pears as much as we wanted, outside their farm the left bags of apples and pears and an honesty box. I have a feeling they could have been leaving the fruit in the Laundry!

We loved our tour of the top of South Island, I did some blogs on a photographic site you may like to have a look if you have time!

http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/blog/123/172705

http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/blog/123/225212

and the very top of the South Island Farewell Spit and awesome place!

http://www.myfinepix.co.uk/blog/123/180008

We are returning to NZ in December this year, when we are touring to the top of North Island by hire car, and spending Christmas with our relations in New Plymouth.

I hope you do not mind this intrusion into your blogging, I will continue with interest looking at your blogs.

take care and safe journeys,

Chris from Northamptonshire UK

Derek and Dot said...

Hi Chris and Peter

Thanks for your comments, could you send us your email address, we would like to catch up if we can while you are over here later this year. We also plan to be in North later in the year.

Anonymous said...

Kia ora,from Chris UK

Yes we would love that, although we are on a tight schedule,we may end up staying in the same area at the same time!

cbsubs@hotmail.co.uk

kind regards,

Chris & Peter