Southern Bounty

Stewart Island is New Zealand’s third largest island – a place of unspoiled beauty that sits 30 kilometres off the bottom of the South Island’s coast, across the wild waters of Foveaux Strait. Surprisingly, it is similar in size to Singapore and only 1% of the island is inhabited. The first time I visited the island – around ten years ago – I was amazed by its balmy climate. It can get cold of course, but it much less so than most people imagine. I was back there again in February and I had three days of perfect weather. It was great to have the time to roam about with my camera, exploring accessible parts of the island I hadn’t visited previously. And it’s always fun to hang out around the wharf – you’re never short of good photo opportunities on any wharf but at Stewart Island’s wharf, the action never stops.

It’s the only berthing place for the ferry that shuttles people to and from the South Island; its where the tourist vessels tie up; and it’s home to the numerous fishing vessels that frequent these waters. I got these shots of one of the crayfishing boats coming in to tie up. I was attracted to the rusty cray pots set against the brilliant blue-green water – lovely! The waters all around the island are incredibly clear and clean and most of the island’s population (around 360) are involved in either commercial fishing of some sort, or tourism. Given that so much of the island is now dedicated to Rakiura National Park (our newest national park), it’s also a magnet for hikers, bird watchers, and general adventurers. www.stewartisland.co.nz

Thule Bay Boatsheds

Thule Bay, Stewart Island. February 2009. Ajr

Here's another of my favourite boatshed scenes on Stewart Island - a place where the water is so clear and so richly coloured you just want to dive straight in!

StreetscapeNZ - 24

Elgin Terrace,

Oban, Stewart Island

To see the rest of this series, click on StreetscapeNZ in the label line below

The Best Little Kai Kart in the South

Oban, Stewart Island. Feb 2009. Ajr

This, believe it or not, is one of the most popular eateries on Stewart Island. The Kai Kart is famous for its cod-and-chip lunches and when I was on the island a few weeks ago the queue was constant - with many taking their newspaper chip parcels to the nearby shore to eat....... surrounded byseagulls of course. www.stewartisland.co.nz

Northern Island Paradise

Medlands Beach, Great Barrier Island. Image Courtesy Toursim Auckland 2007.

If you scroll down you'll see some of the photos I took last week on the largest of our southern isles, Stewart Island. Most people are surprised to see Stewart Island's beautiful white sand beaches - that's something they associate more with the north of New Zealand - like the above. This is exactly how the very beautiful Medlands Beach on Great Barrier Island looks. In fact, it's exactly how all of their beaches look. I visited Great Barrier in 2007 and I was always amazed to find I was the only person on these pristine expanses. It's all about the isolation you see. Great Barrier may only be a 35-minute small plane ride from Auckland airport (or a 4-5 hour ferry ride), but the island is still without many of the conveniences of the mainland. That's the beauty of it. It's unspoiled and because the Department of Conservation administers over 70% of the island, you can be guaranteed beautiful bush landscapes and thriving bird life. It is well worth the effort of getting there!

Southern Sunset

Paterson Inlet, Stewart Island, NZ. Feb 2009. Ajr

When I was on Stewart Island earlier this week, I had a lovely experience - a night kiwi spotting tour, which took us from Oban and Half Moon Bay, around the coastline and into Paterson Inlet to Glory Cove. It was just on dusk when we left Oban and as the skies closed in we were treated to one of Stewart Island's famous sunsets. This was just the beginning of it. And yes, we did see kiwis - three in fact, roaming the lonely sands of remote Ocean Beach, pecking for sandhoppers in the seaweed. It's the only place in New Zealand where you can see them (on a tour) in the wild, roaming beaches foraging for food.

Boatshed Bounty

Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island. Feb 2009. Ajr

I love a good boatshed - there's something very appealing to me about their simple architecture - and on Stewart Island in New Zealand's deep south, you can still find plenty of them. This pretty little cluster sits on the edge of Half Moon Bay in Oban, the main settlement on the island. www.stewartisland.co.nz

It's A Sign - or Two

Oban, Stewart Island, NZ. Feb 2009 Ajr

Loved this gathering of signs - complete with resting gull - at Oban on Stewart Island.

A perfect blue-skied day helped too of course www.stewartisland.co.nz

School's In

Oban, Stewart Island, NZ Feb 2009. Ajr

This, believe it or not, is a classroom!

The lucky kids at Stewart Island Primary School get to have some of their lessons on the beach at Half Moon Bay in Oban, which is directly across the road from their school. When I was there on Wednesday, the teacher led her 'brood' across the road and set about taking their sports lesson in the sand. Delightful. They must be the luckiest school kids in New Zealand. www.stewartisland.co.nz

Island Sanctuary

Small Nugget at Sydney Cove, Ulva Island. Feb 2009. Ajr Sydney Cove, Ulva Island Feb 2009 Ajr I've just spent three glorious days working in the deep south - on Stewart Island, which sits about 30 kilometres south of Bluff, across the Foveaux Strait. And for those of you who thought the sun only shone in the North Island, take a look at those blue skies! The two shots above were taken at Sydney Cove, a completely empty beach on Ulva Island, which is a bird sanctuary in Paterson Inlet. It is a near perfect little island with just 11 kilometres of coastline and you get to it via a seven-minute water taxi ride from Stewart Island. Oban, Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island. Feb 2009 Ajr And these were taken at Stewart Island's main - and only - township, Oban. It was a beautiful afternoon when I took these shots but regardless of weather, Half Moon Bay is always pretty with its multitude of boats moored in the harbour and its little holiday homes creeping up the bushy hillsides.

Sea & Sky

Leaving Stewart Island by Ferry

Feb 2009. Ajr