Hokitika - Lake Mahinapua V2- West Coast, New Zealand
Hokitika -
Tranquil Lake Mahinapua is set just 10km south of Hokitika on the West Coast of the Southern Alps, New Zealand. It is a scenic reserve and with a roomy DOC campsite and picnic areas, it is a great place to spend an afternoon or a few days.
Once a coastal lagoon, it is a lovely place for a swim and the water is surprisingly warm. Kids love jumping off the jetty into the lake or launching a canoe to explore. Fishing is best done from a boat, with perch and brown trout plentiful.
While you are likely to see a lovely sunset from Mahinapua the campers says the sight of the sun rising up over the Southern Alps, with its fingers of light touching the lake is something you'll never forget.
Bird spotters are likely to see black swans and grey and mallard ducks. In season you could also spot a magnificent white heron, or if you are lucky the rare fern bird.
There are a number of short walks including the Jon Michel and Bellbird trails which are very accessible for children and strollers. The two hour Mahinapua Walkway which traverses board-walked wetlands and forest, follows an old logging tramway and makes up part of the easy-cycling West Coast Wilderness Trail.
The West Coast Treetop Walk is situated on the south-easthern shore of Lake Mahinapua. It offers a birds eye view of the lush forest, suspended 25 metres above the forest floor and it's tower looks out over Lake Mahinapua to the Tasman Sea to the west and the Southern Alps to the east.
Day in the Life | Mananui Tramline (Mahinapua Walkway) | This Kiwi Life
We introduced some new coasters to the Hokitika lifestyle by taking them on a walk/swim/drink on the Mananui Tramline (Mahinapua Walkway). A day in the life of a West Coaster.
Hokitika - History and Heritage V2 - West Coast, New Zealand
Hokitika -
To say Hokitika, on the West Coast of New Zealand, has a colourful history and heritage is a bit of an understatement. At the height of the gold rushes in the 1860's it boasted 102 hotels, 84 of these crammed into Revell Street on what was known as the Crooked Mile. Throw in three opera houses and it must have been a rip-roaring place for the Irish, Americans, Chinese, British and Europeans who flocked here.
Fueled by gold fever Hokitika grew at an astonishing rate. A self-guided heritage walk around town takes in the most memorable sites.
History and heritage have now gone high tech and visitors can use augmented reality to view historic images on their mobile phones. Another option is to join one of the Coast's most interesting characters, Premier Richard John Seddon, for a guided tour around Hokitika's heritage hot spots.
The hills and streams surrounding Hokitika still hold gold and you can try your luck panning at the historic goldfields of Ross and Goldsborough. Both are official public fossicking areas and gold pans can be bought cheaply in town.
Before the gold rushes, Maori came to Hokitika in search of pounamu, New Zealand's own precious jade. It was highly prized and used for weapons, tools and personal ornaments.
Nearly half of all immigrants to New Zealand in 1866 came through Hokitika's river port although the constantly changing river bar and heavy surf claimed many with 43 vessels coming to grief. Many were buried at Hokitika's Cemetery. You can wander around the graves, which date back to 1865, to get a feel for how tough life was back then.
It is also a little known fact that Hokitika's airport was the home of New Zealand's first licensed air service, Air Travel (NZ) Ltd, which operated from 1934 until 1947. A replica of a Fox Moth biplane (ZD-ADI) can be found at the airport in memory of those pioneering aviators.
Back to earth, on many of the bush walks near Hokitika, especially in the Goldsborough and Blue Spur areas, you can still see authentic relics from the gold years including water races and tunnels.
If you are interested in the areas logging history try the Mahinapua Walkway which follows an old logging tramway and has fascinating interpretive panels along the way.
Mananui Tramline
Mananui Tramline Rail Trail
Hokitika, New Zealand
March 2018
'Twice if you're lucky' by Crowded House
Sunset point Hokitika NZ
Sunset point Hokitika NZ
Pancake Rocks (Blowholes), Shantytown and Hokitika - NZ South Island Trip #4
☛ Have fun with the 4th video from New Zealand's South Island! We drove along the beautiful West Coast and stopped at the Pancake Rocks, rocks looking like pancakes (with Blowholes). We then stopped at Shantytown, a recreated, old gold-mining/-panning village. Our last stop was Hokitika, a greenstone village. In the evening we arrived near the Franz Josef Glacier.
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Valentines Day 2018
Valentines Day 2018