Great Alpine Highway 73: Castle Hill, Southern Alps

One perfect winter's day, cirrus cloudy and windless, I drove westwards from Yaldhurst Road, Christchurch, along the Great Alpine Highway 73, as we wanted to see Castle Hill Reserve in the Southern Alps, about 100 kms from our Burnside home. Early on the Canterbury Plains, a digital road sign flickered:

PORTERS PASS OPEN
CHAINS NEEDED
NO TOWING

I thought, "Bugger that!" as we'd hired chains before to climb Porter Heights ski resort road, but didn't need chains. We passed through Canterbury Plains towns Darfield and Sheffield, with grand views of snowy Southern Alps against blue skies.


2009. Springfield on Great Alpine Highway 73, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps Torlesse Range, NZ

We stopped at Springfield for petrol and coolpix, and looked at the war memorial and aluminium plane table indicating distances to Alpine peaks and cities like Christchurch, Wellington, Buenos Aires, Sydney, Perth, London... We passed Rewi Alley Reserve, as we'd stopped there several times before. Leah's boss at Jean Seabrook Memorial School, London Street, Christchurch, often visited Springfield, the last town before the Alps, as her grandchildren lived there.


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass westwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass northwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Bottom of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

By a hut at the bottom of Porters Pass, road workers stopped us, as they were only allowing batches of cars up Porters Pass, giving leeway for slippery compacted ice on Porters Pass. We waited for about 15 minutes, with a line of cars behind us, while cars came down Porters Pass. While waiting, Leah talked to a family of Dutch immigrants.


2009. Porters Pass northern view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Top of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Grader on top of Porters Pass eastwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Grader on top of Porters Pass westwards view, Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

Sunny midday, our Toyota Corolla easily climbed the slippery ice and grit on Porters Pass (942m). We stopped on top to coolpix spectacular snowy views. I was interested in the road graders parked on top, which reminded me of De Beers roadworks vehicles I'd photographed and written job descriptions for in the 1980s.


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of frozen Lake Lyndon near Porters Pass, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Moraine & Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of Moraine & Torlesse Range near Castle Hill, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73: Car view of frozen paddocks & Torlesse Range near Castle Hill, Southern Alps, NZ

Snow lay thick in the Alps down to the great Alpine Highway, but graders had heaped blackened sludge beside the road, making the highway passable. We passed icy Lake Lyndon where we'd skated before. Snowy Craigieburn Range was on our left with snowy Torlesse Range on our right, with the Great Alpine Highway going through a great basin between the snowy ranges. We passed icy creeks and ancient moraines. Sheep and black cattle in snowy paddocks grazed fodder left on icy ground by farmers. Otherwise paddocks were snow white as far as the eye could see. Several farm gate signs stated:

CASTLE HILL STATION
IS A WORKING FARM
NO ACCESS


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 view of Castle Hill Station & Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 view of sheep in frozen paddock, Castle Hill Station, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 eastwards view towards Porters Pass: Lunch by Castle Hill Reserve entrance, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Great Alpine Highway 73 westwards view, near Castle Hill Reserve entrance, on the way to Arthurs Pass, Southern Alps, NZ

At Castle Hill Reserve entrance, we lunched beside the Great Alpine Highway, with trucks thundering past and great views of nearby Mount Torlesse and Castle Hill which loomed above us over karst landscape. Sunlight sparkled on snow like billions of diamonds.


2009. Castle Hill Station / Reserve westwards view of Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Carpark by Great Alpine Highway 73: Castle Hill Reserve, Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Carpark by Great Alpine Highway 73: Craigieburn Range backdrop to Castle Hill Reserve Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Great Alpine Highway 73 Info Map, Castle Hill Reserve Carpark, Southern Alps, NZ

At Castle Hill Reserve carpark, we read the Department of Conservation info board, which mapped sights along the Great Alpine Highway, including Castle Hill, from Christchurch in the east to Greymouth and Hokitika in the west, beyond Southern Alps. The DOC board stated stuff in Maori, as Castle Hill / Kura Tawhiti was a Maori sacred place. DOC rules, aka "Code of Conduct," were inevitably stated too:

"Welcome to Kura Tawhiti a special place with many historic and cultural values. It is ideal for exploring, picknicking, bouldering and rock climbing.

Visitors here to enjoy this intriguing landscape are asked to help protect these values by following the code of conduct.

Enjoy your visit."


2009. DOC Info Board, Castle Hill Reserve Carpark, Southern Alps, NZ

"Code of conduct.

Please stay on the track and within the reserve...

Please use the toilet facilities provided

Refrain from digging holes and disturbing the surface of the ground...

Avoid trampling on endangered plants...

Respect fenced areas...

Take ALL rubbish away with you.

Please do not mark the surface of rocks...

Consider others in the area.

Rock climbers please read and comply with the climbers' code of conduct and respect the value of the rock art to Ngai Tahu." (DOC)


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Path to Limestone Outcrops in Karst Landscape. Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve path northwards view of Castle Hill Station & Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southwards view of Limestone Outcrops, Kart Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Station northwards view of Craigieburn Range, Southern Alps, NZ

Along the sunny path to Castle Hill karst rocks, we passed a woman in the snow reading a book by a pine tree. We had Castle Hill rocks to ourselves, except for the noisy Dutch family: fat yelling wife, fat sister, tall handsome muscley men, noisy blonde kids. They reminded us of holiday Vaalies in Durban. Along the path another DOC sign stated:

"Sculpture in stone - art or nature?

These spectacular rocks are natural outcrops of soft limestone, not the ruins of some ancient city. Their sculptured forms have attracted the attention of travellers past and present. This scenic limestone landscape supports a variety of significant natural and cultural values."


2009. DOC Castle Hill Reserve "Sculpture in Stone" Info Board, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"A natural treasure house.

This limestone landscape contains classic examples of geological structures formed during the most recent mountain-building period. Beds of fossils are also present.

The rock outcrops are the home of several endemic plants, some of which are discovered only recently."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve northwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve westwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"On the Maori trails.

Rock shelters amongst the limestone outcrops were used by early Maori. They were travellers on a network of trails that gave access to rich food and fibre reserves in the Waimakariri basin.

Some shelters contain rock art drawn by these first occupants.

The traditions of knowledge associated with this landscape are still held and valued by present-day Maori. Kura Tawhiti now has topuni status, symbolising a chiefly cloak of protection. This recognises the area's significance to the early Maori and the role of their Ngai Tahu descendents in the continuing protection of cultural values.

This topuni (dog skin cloak) and the remains of the backpack shown in the drawing... can be seen in the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch." (DOC)



2009. Castle Hill Reserve south-eastwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve southern Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape & Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. DOC Castle Hill Reserve Signs by Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

We'd visited Castle Rock several times over the years, and had never seen Maori there. I was skeptical of "cultural values," as during apartheid I'd had Afrikaner cultural values rammed down my throat for decades, and where did that get us? Post apartheid SA black cultural values of affirmative action, transformation, "African Renaissance," aka Black Economic Empowerment, communism and sangomas were rammed down everyone's throats, and where did that get SA?
(RW Johnson, South Africa's Brave New World, The Beloved Country Since The End Of Apartheid, Allen Lane, Penguin, London, 2009)


2009. DOC Sign "Natures Sculpture," Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

Below Castle Hill rocks were more DOC signs. One stated:

"Nature's Sculpture.

Limestone rock erodes into the sculptured landforms you see around you. This is called karst landscape."


2009. Tobogganing past DOC signs, Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Tobogganing, Castle Hill Reserve, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"What is limestone?

Limestone is formed from layers of organic sediment deposited in oceans far from land. The resulting rock can eventually end up hundreds of metres above sea level during periods of mountain-building.

The calcium-rich remains of tiny marine animals build up into layers on the ocean floor. These layers are compressed into soft rock."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve eastwards Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Southern Alps, NZ

"How are the sculptures created?

Limestone is soluble. The acids present in rainwater work on joints in the soft rock, gradually enlarging them. Small differences in rock structure and solubility cause a wide range of fluting, pits and grooves. These sculptured landforms are the result."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape & Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape north-westwards view, Southern Alps, NZ

"Why is limestone fragile?

Limestone is shedding its skin. The exposed surface layer gradually flakes off as the soft rock expands and contracts with changing temperature. This process makes limestone vulnerable to change."


2009. Castle Hill Reserve Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape westwards view. Craigieburn Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ

"Climbers' code of ethics.

Use of bolts is an intrusion in a nature reserve. The metal accelerates rock weathering and alters the environment for plants. Fixing new bolts or replacing existing ones requires special permission from the Department of Conservation.

Brushing or preparing of rock surfaces damages the habitat of small plants such as lichens. Please do not use these techniques.

Cleaning or gardening clefts or depressions destroys important refuges for plants and animals no longer found elsewhere. Please do not use these techniques."


2009. Mark JS Esslemont amongst Limestone Outcrops, Karst Landscape, Castle Hill Reserve, Torlesse Range backdrop, Southern Alps, NZ. Straight line in mid-ground is the Great Alpine Highway 73

"Concentrations of people disturbs fragile habitats and the plants growing at the base of rocks. Please do not gather in these places.

Remove all equipment at the end of your day.

Climbing in a conservation area is a privilege not a right. Please observe these requirements." (DOC)


2009. Castle Hill Reserve eastwards view of Torlesse Range, Southern Alps, NZ

Leah and son Luke enjoyed tobogganing below giant rocks on Castle Hill slopes, especially Leah, growing young disgracefully. Luke's girlfriend was wary of such wild things, and watched, like me. Back at the DOC carpark, Leah was unimpressed by the portaloo, chock-a-block with frozen crap.


2009. Entrance to DOC Castle Hill Reserve from Great Alpine Highway 73, Southern Alps, NZ

We left about 4pm as ice would still be on Porters Pass, and I didn't want to drive Canterbury Plains in icy darkness. Going past Porter Heights ski resort gate, we saw cars leaving the ski field too. On our way down Porters Pass, gritted ice was still thick at the bottom hairpin bend. Before reaching Canterbury Plains, we followed a flashing-light Caterpillar grader at 50 kms / hour. I was impressed by strong chains on the back of the grader, useful for towing snowbound vehicles.


2009. Caterpillar Grader on Great Alpine Highway 73, bottom of Porters Pass, Southern Alps, NZ

It took about ten minutes' driving through snowy sheep paddocks before we left Alpine shadow behind. At Darfield we stopped at Luke's favourite Great Alpine Highway tearoom to buy a scoop of chips to scoff. Only low cloud we saw that afternoon was a long white cloud over distant Port Hills, while the sun set behind Southern Alps, and Port Hills glowed salmon pink.

See "Wits starts training first 100 sangomas" (MSN)

Avon River Jubilee Walk and Avon Estuary, Christchurch

I parked my car at the end of Avonside Drive near Avondale Road Bridge, as I wanted to walk New Brighton's Jubilee Walk down Avon River, then walk around Avon Estuary via South Brighton Bridge and Bexley Wetland, then walk upriver on the other side of the Avon. New
Brighton reminded me of Brighton Beach in Durban where I'd sometimes swam.


2009. Avondale Road Bridge downriver view of Avon River Kayakers, Christchurch

I crossed busy Saturday afternoon Avondale Road Bridge to busy New Brighton Road, and watched 4 one-man outrigger kayaks paddle downriver. I walked along a tarsealed track past native plantings and poplars. The track left New Brighton Road and went through Amelia Rogers Reserve. By a small wooden pier, the tarsealed track morphed into a gravel track.


2009. Amelia Rogers Reserve downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch

I passed more native plantings: griselinias; corokias; totaras; kanukas; hebes; flax; cabbage trees; Coprosma robusta with orange berries; poroporo with creamy-yellow berries; dodoneas; ribbonwoods; olearias; pittosporums; tussock grass. The plethora of native plantings, most of which I'd seen growing "wild" on the Port Hills, obscured the Avon. There were alders and poplars too.


2009. Enhancement of Avon River Bank, upriver of Anzac Drive Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Enhancement of Avon River Bank near Amelia Rogers Reserve, Christchurch

Walkers, joggers and cyclists passed me. By a tributary creek near the end of Amelia Rogers Reserve, I saw muddy riverbank excavations, and wooden footbridge and gravel path construction sitework done by Calcon. Back on New Brighton Road pavement, a Christchurch City Council sign stated: "Waterway Enhancement and Reserve Development.." I'd have to return later, as the "enhancement" was a sludgy mess.


2009. New Brighton Road downriver view of Avon River & Anzac Drive Bridge, Christchurch

I walked below busy Anzac Drive Bridge, and further on by Barkers Lane I crossed a concrete tarsealed footbridge over tributary water from Travis Wetland. I crossed New Brighton Road to coolpix Canadian geese in the swamp.


2009. Travis Wetland Tributary into Avon River, view from New Brighton Road, Christchurch


2009. Avon River downriver view of Wainoni Road Bridge, Christchurch

With noisy New Brighton Road on my left and Avon River on my right, I walked briskly to Bower Park, roadside left, and Wainoni Road Bridge. Christchurch's wintry, wet Mediterranean climate ensured that I made the most of sunny winter days. Despite the sun and blue sky, I walked in beanie, scarf, T shirt, 2 jerseys, mittens, tracksuit longs and slip-slops. My long ago Comrades Marathon running had given my feet good circulation, stopping them feeling cold. I crossed busy Wainoni Road Bridge, and watched 3 fishermen trying their luck by the bridge.

Riverbank track became gravel again, and a riverside signboard stated:

JUBILEE WALK
<- 2.3 km TO ESTUARY WALK

Below, a green and white sign stated:

CONSTRUCTED BY COMMUNITY
ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE 125th JUBILEE OF
NEW BRIGHTON, DECEMBER 1985

Next to the Jubilee Walk sign, a black marble plaque on a concrete block stated:

NEW BRIGHTON WAS NAMED
ON THIS SPOT IN 1860
ERECTED BY THE
NTH NEW BRIGHTON COMMUNITY


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk Sign by Wainoni Road Bridge, Christchurch

Below, a bronze plaque stated:

ON THIS SITE THE FIRST
HOUSE IN NEW BRIGHTON
WAS BUILT IN THE YEAR
1860.
THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY
THE NEW BRIGHTON DISTRICT
BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
THE FIRST CENTENNIAL YEAR


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Swamp, Jubilee Walk, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Swamp, Jubilee Walk, Christchurch. New Brighton Road backdrop.

I ambled a long stretch of gravel track with New Brighton Road and flax-tussock-bullrush swamp matrixed with cabbage trees and water on my left, and Avon River on my right. Beyond the Avon I had panoramic views of distant Port Hills. Over a tributary creek, I crossed an old wooden footbridge where 2 lumpy ladies jogged by, wafting stale deodorant and sweat.


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk view of Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Swamp Cabbage Trees, Jubilee Walk, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk Footbridge, Christchurch

Beyond the swamp, closer to New Brighton Road again, I passed through native and exotic parkland, and stopped by 2 memorial trees. A bronze plaque stated:

ARBOR DAY 1990
PLANTED BY MEMBERS
OF THE FIRST
BURWOOD / PEGASUS
COMMUNITY BOARD.


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk downriver view, Christchurch. Port Hills backdrop

A black granite plaque stated:

PLANTED BY THE PUPILS OF
NEW BRIGHTON DISTRICT SCHOOL
TO COMMEMORATE THE MARRIAGE OF
KING GEORGE V
TO
QUEEN MARY
1911


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk downriver distant view of Pages Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk downriver close view of Pages Road Bridge, Christchurch

I remembered in 1960s Durban our Indian servant Rosie reminiscing about "King Georgie's Wedding..." While I walked, I thought about ex SA president Thabo Mbeki studying at Sussex University, Brighton, UK, in the 1960s, and his father Govan Mbeki retiring to New Brighton township, Port Elizabeth, SA, after his gaol years on Robben Island, a far cry from Christchurch NZ.


2009. Pages Road Bridge upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. New Brighton Road right


2009. Avon River Jubilee Walk Sign by Pages Road Bridge, Christchurch

After crossing busy Pages Road Bridge to Owles Terrace, I saw another Jubilee Walk sign. I walked along the gravel / clay path by Owles Terrace, with widening Avon River and Port Hills views on my right. At New Brighton Power Boat Club, the Avon took a wide south-eastwards bend towards Avon-Heathcote Estuary and the Port Hills. I read the RULES OF THE RIVER info board, and coolpixed the concrete power boat ramp and aluminium / plastic pontoon boat ramp with its 5 KNOTS warning sign.


2009. New Brighton Power Boat Club, Owles Terrace, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. New Brighton Power Boat Ramp & Pontoon Boat Ramp, Owles Terrace, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Bends downriver of New Brighton Power Boat Club, Christchurch. Port Hills backdrop

The downriver clay path followed Evans Avenue, where I saw a -> 11000 VOLT M.E.D. CABLES sign. Another sign pointed in opposite directions:

<- ESTUARY WALK 3.6 km to EBBTIDE St
JUBILEE WALK 2.3 km to WAINONI Rd ->


2009. Avon River Estuary Walk & Jubilee Walk signs near Blighs Garden, Christchurch


2009. Blighs Garden view of Avon Estuary & Port Hills, Christchurch

I entered Blighs Garden and walked through mature pines with Avon Estuary wetland on my right. While I walked around Avon Estuary I saw many waterfowl: ducks; grey gulls; terns; black swans; white faced herons; Canadian geese. A noticeboard with a Christchurch City Council notice stated: "South Brighton Domain and Estuary Corridor Draft Management Plan..."


2009. Blighs Garden downriver view of Avon Estuary Mudflats, South Brighton Bridge & Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Avon Estuary Wetlands downriver view. Port Hills backdrop, Christchurch

Further around Avon Estuary another CCC sign stated:

WETLAND
CONSERVATION
RESERVE

THIS WILDLIFE AREA CONTAINS MANY
NESTING BIRDS AND RARE VEGETATION
DISTURBANCE AWAY FROM FORMED
TRACKS WILL AFFECT THEIR SURVIVAL


2009. Avon Estuary downriver view near Kibblewhite Reserve, Christchurch


2009. Bridge Street view of Avon Estuary & Port Hills, Christchurch

Beyond Kibblewhite Street, I passed through mature pines and macrocarpas in Kibblewhite Reserve to Bridge Street, where I crossed Avon River again on South Brighton Bridge, 1980. There, I saw Avon Estuary merging into Avon-Heathcote Estuary, a kingfisher and a pied shag perched on poles on one bank, and Pleasant Point Yacht Club perched on the opposite bank.


2009. South Brighton Bridge downriver view of Avon Estuary & Pleasant Point Yacht Club, Christchurch. Port Hills backdrop


2009. South Brighton Bridge upriver view of Avon Estuary, Christchurch. Blighs Garden backdrop


2009. South Brighton Bridge upriver view of Avon Estuary, Christchurch. Blighs Garden left & Kibblwhite Reserve right backdrop

By South Brighton Bridge I watched kayakers paddling in Avon Estuary, sunlight glistening on the water. I walked a tarsealed track by Bexley Road a bit, before entering Bexley Wetland Conservation Reserve, where the track became gravel again. On a wooden bench overlooking Bexley Wetland, a bronze plaque stated:

THIS PLAQUE ACKNOWLEDGES
HAP HILL
BEXLEY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
BEXLEY WETLANDS TRUST, ST JAMES SCHOOL
AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR WORK
IN THE RESTORATION OF BEXLEY WETLAND


2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Wetland view of South Brighton Bridge, Christchurch. Port Hills backdrop


2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Wetland view of Blighs Garden, Christchurch


2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Wetland view of Bexley Road & Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Bexley Wetland, Avon Estuary view of Blighs Garden, Christchurch

2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Swamp Houses & Bexley Wetland view of Blighs Garden, Christchurch

I walked along busy Bexley Road some more, then entered Bexley Wetland again, along a gravel track with new houses on my left and wetland on my right, with Port Hills in the distance. I watched ducks and pied stilts foraging food in the mud. I walked on a newly raised levee protecting new swamp houses, and thought if Avon River ever flooded, or a tsunami ever hit the estuary, Bexley swamp houses would be destroyed.



2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Wetland view of Kibblewhite Reserve, Christchurch


2009. Avon Estuary Bexley Wetland view of Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Ducks view of Bexley Wetland, Avon Estuary & Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Pied Stilt, Bexley Wetland, Avon Estuary, Christchurch


2009. Pied Stilt & Duck, Bexley Wetland, Avon Estuary, Christchurch

Beyond Bexley Wetland, I walked upriver along Avon River bank, and watched shags on the opposite mudflat hanging their wings out to dry. By Wairoa Street opposite New Brighton Power Boat Club again, the muddy path reverted to tar. Thereafter I walked tarsealed track all the way upriver to my car.


2009. Waterfowl downriver view of Avon River, Blighs Garden & Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Walkway Sign: Bexley Road & South Brighton Bridge, downriver view of New Brighton Power Boat Club, Christchurch


2009. Avon River downriver view of New Brighton Road left & Pages Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Avon River Walkway between Pages Road Bridge & Wainoni Road Bridge, Christchurch

On my long dawdle behind houses between Pages Road Bridge and Wainoni Road Bridge, late afternoon joggers, walkers and cyclists passed me on the straight track, even a rollerblader using ski poles whizzed by, and an old man on his electric wheelchair rolled his head in greeting as he passed. Several kayakers passed on the Avon.


2009. Downriver view of Avon River Walkway between Wainoni Road Bridge & Pages Road Bridge, Christchurch



2009. Jack Hinton VC Reserve, Avon River, Christchurch

I stopped at Jack Hinton VC rose garden, where a rock memorial, bronze plaque stated:

JOHN (JACK) DANIEL HINTON VC
20th NEW ZEALAND BATTALION
1909-1997

"This reserve is dedicated to the memory of Jack Hinton VC of the 20th New Zealand Battalion. Jack Hinton was awarded the Victoria Cross for his fearless actions in Kalamata, Greece, 28-29 April 1941, in which he was taken prisoner of war.


2009. Bronze Plaque below Kalamata Memorial Stone, Jack Hinton VC Reserve, Avon River, Christchurch

In later years Jack Hinton and his wife Molly Hinton retired to Bexley and walked the banks of the Avon River next to this reserve.

The foundation stone above this plaque has been donated by the mayor of Kalamata in recognition of the heroic contributions of Jack Hinton and the allied soldiers."


2009. Downriver view of Avon River near Jack Hinton VC Reserve, Christchurch

Deja vu, as wife Leah and I'd backpacked Kalamata in August 1981. Beyond Wainoni Road Bridge, a 6-man outrigger skiff went fast upriver. As winter sun was setting, and I was getting cold, I went fast upriver too, under Anzac Drive Bridge, and along riverside Hulverstone Drive, back to my car. The walk took me 3 hours 10 minutes.


2009. Six-Man Skiff paddling up Avon River near Wainoni Road Bridge, Christchurch

Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

2009. Gayhurst Road Bridge downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Drive right.

Near Gayhurst Road Bridge I parked my car on Locksley Avenue, as I wanted to walk downriver to New Brighton Road and Avondale Road Bridge, then return upriver via Avonside Drive and Kerrs Reach. While I coolpixed the Avon from Gayhurst Road bridge, I saw a man on his bike being pulled along by his leashed pitbull terrier through Gayhurst Road / Avonside Drive intersection. The dog looked fit, the madman helmetless.


2009. Locksley Avenue view of Avon River & Avonside Drive, Christchurch, downriver of Gayhurst Road Bridge.



2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue left, Avonside Drive right


2009. Locksley Avenue upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right, Avonside Drive left

By Locksley Avenue I walked downriver on a muddy path past floating ducks and Canadian geese. On the riverbank I passed grey gulls, willows, alders, birches and an Oregon pine. Near Snell Place by a bend in the river, I passed native plantings and a concrete footbridge between Locksley Avenue and Avonside Drive. Hanging below the footbridge a wooden sign stated: 9 FOOT CLEARANCE AT HIGH TIDE.


2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Concrete Footbridge over Avon River to Avonside Drive right, Christchurch


2009. Near Kerrs Reach, upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Drive & Avon Park soccer field left, Locksley Avenue right

Along a tarsealed cycle track I walked through wintry Christchurch suburbia, while admiring bare branches of deciduous trees, looking like giant leaf skeletons against a louring sky. After another riverbend the Avon widened to about 45 m into Kerrs Reach, a straight Avon length where rowing clubs stood on the opposite bank.


2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Left to right: Canterbury Rowing Club; Union Rowing Club, Avon Rowing Club


2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Christ's College Rowing left, Arawa Canoe Club right


2009. Locksley Avenue upriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Rowing Clubs, Christchurch

Beside Kerrs Reach below willows, I passed a woman pushing a pram and walking her leashed, black Staffordshire terrier. Two male kayakers paddled downriver past ducks, Canadian geese and black swans to Christ's College Rowing boatshed. Kerrs Reach reminded me of longer, wider, deeper Buffalo River, East London, where Selborne College oarsmen competed in rowing regattas. I thought I'd better see the next rowing regatta at Kerrs Reach.


2009. Locksley Avenue Tarsealed Track view of downriver Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

I walked along cold Kerrs Reach to New Brighton Road. A lady passed me walking her Jack Russel. We walked in winter gear: tracksuits, beanies, gloves. I wore my green wind-cheating hoody too. A cyclist passed, the only cyclist on the cold, tarsealed cycle-track that wintry Saturday afternoon.


2009. Locksley Avenue Stormwater Outlet into Kerrs Reach, downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Locksley Avenue downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. New Brighton Road ahead, Avonside Drive right

Beside the Avon I passed a concrete and padlocked galvanized-iron-grilled stormwater outlet. Where Locksley Avenue joined New Brighton Road, I left the tarsealed track and strolled a muddy path beside busy New Brighton Road on my left and by a big bend in Kerrs Reach on my right.


2009. New Brighton Road view of World Wars Monument to "Burwood Boys," Burwood School, Christchurch


2009. World Wars & Post World War 11 Conflicts Monument, Burwood School, New Brighton Road, Christchurch


2009. Burwood School World Wars Monument view of New Brighton Road, upriver Avon River & cloudy Port Hills, Christchurch

By Burwood School, I crossed New Brighton Road to see the World War monuments to "Burwood Boys." Behind the grey granite obelisk stood two wooden benches flanked by creamy Oamaru stone pillars. One pillar had a bronze plaque commemorating World Wars. On the other pillar a bronze plaque stated:

IN MEMORY
OF THOSE WHO
FELL IN ALL POST
WORLD WAR 11
CONFLICTS


2009. Entrance to All Saints Burwood Cemetery, New Brighton Road, Christchurch

It was like other war monuments I'd seen in Canterbury: old monuments revamped with new bits. Next to Burwood School a cemetery board stated:

ALL SAINTS BURWOOD
HISTORIC CEMETERY
EST 1877
MAINTAINED BY VOLUNTEERS
PLEASE METAL OR PLASTIC FLOWER CONTAINERS ONLY


2009. New Brighton Road downriver view of Avondale Road Bridge over Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch


2009. Avondale Road Bridge upriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. New Brighton Road right



2009. Avonside Drive "Whitebait Spawning" info Board, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Drive downriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. New Brighton Road left

Eight Canadian geese flew overhead in V formation while I crossed Avondale Road Bridge to the end of Avonside Drive. On Avon riverbank I passed two "whitebait spawning" info boards, like a board I'd seen on Clarendon Terrace by Heathcote River. Avoiding the tarsealed track I walked the clay path upriver, which was easier on my feet. A cold southerly blew in my face, as it had rained for days with southerly clouds still obscuring the Port Hills.


2009. Avonside Drive view of Black Swans on Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view Avon River Gulls, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of litter-free Avon River, Kerrs Reach, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right

I paused to delete old coolpix from my Nikon memory-card, then snapped begging black swans, which boldly left the Avon, looking for food, then slid back when they realized I had none. While I admired two tree stumps carved into Avonside chairs, two male kayakers paddled upriver.


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Carved Stump Seats beside Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Waterfowl near Kerrs Reach Rowing Clubhouses, Avon River. Locksley Avenue right. Port Hills backdrop, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Meander by Christ's College Rowing Boatshed, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Concrete Footbridge over Avon River Meander & downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Avonside Drive ahead

By Christ's College Rowing boatshed, I crossed a concrete footbridge over an old Avon horseshoe meander, which included Porritt Park hockey fields. Between Christ's College Rowing and Arawa Canoe Club I read a "RULES OF THE RIVER" info board:

"Welcome to the Avon River

For your safety the following rules have been devised as a special case for water craft using the Avon River from Kerrs Reach to the Avon / Heathcote Estuary. These rules are a summary of Environment Canterbury Navigation Safety Bylaws.


2009. Downriver view of a Kerrs Reach Boat Ramp between Arawa Canoe Club & Christ's College Rowing, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Rules of the River info board by Arawa Canoe Club, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

* Rowers and large paddled craft eg. 6 man out-rigger, dragon boats and surf boats travel upstream and downstream on the right of the river.
* Small paddled craft eg. kayaks and 2 man out-riggers travel upstream and downstream on the left side of the river.
* When passing head on, small paddled craft move to the bank, larger craft move to the centre.
* Overtaking vessels give way.
* Vessels moving downstream give way to those travelling upstream.
* If in doubt STOP.
* If a collision seems imminent, shout a warning to the crew of the other boat...


2009. Downriver view of a Boat Ramp & Pontoon, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Pontoons & Boat Ramps, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Union Rowing Club & Avon Rowing Club left

GUIDLINES FOR USE OF FACILITIES

* The floating pontoons are only to be used to launch and retrieve boats.
* The pontoons are for everyone's use but rowing and large two or more person craft have priority for use over small single person vessels.
* There is to be no fishing (including white-baiting) from the pontoons.
* There are three main launch points for water craft which are as follows.
- Kerrs Reach pontoons
- Owles Terrace boat ramp
- Bower Bridge ramp." (CCC, Environment Canterbury)


2009. Downriver view of Kerrs Reach Pontoons & Boat Ramps, Avon River, Christchurch. Union Rowing Club right & Arawa Canoe Club in distance


2009. Avon Rowing Club Advert on Union Rowing Club wall, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Rowing Clubs Direction Board, Kerrs Reach Carpark, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avon Rowing Club Building, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch

I looked at the aluminium boat ramps and aluminium and plastic pontoons on the bank below Canterbury Rowing Club, Union Rowing Club and Avon Rowing Club. A woman walker stood by a clubhouse sheltering from the wind. I snapped Avon Rowing Club building and its advert boards on outside walls. Near KERRS REACH signboard, I crossed the clubs' carpark roadbridge over the old Avon meander.



2009. Kerrs Reach Board on Avon River Meander Roadbridge, Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Beginning of Kerrs Reach (right), by a meander & Avon River confluence, near Avon Rowing Club, Christchurch. Avon Park soccer field left


2009. Avonside Drive downriver view of Kerrs Reach, Avon River, Christchurch. Rowing Clubhouses right.


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Concrete Footbridge over Avon River to Locksley Avenue right, Christchurch

At the beginning of Kerrs Reach where the Avon narrowed again, I watched soccer being played on Avon Park soccer field. I took a last look down Kerrs Reach, and by the concrete footbridge again, I passed another concrete and padlocked iron-grilled stormwater outlet. On my river walks I'd passed hundreds of drainpipes spewing into the Avon River and Heathcote River. I continued along the clay track by Avonside Drive, and crossed Gayhurst Road Bridge to my car. The walk took me 2.5 hours.


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Gayhurst Road Bridge over Avon River, Christchurch. Locksley Avenue right

Avonside and Six Bridges, Christchurch

2009. River Road upriver view of Avon River & Fitzgerald Avenue Bridge, Christchurch

As I wanted to continue walking beside the Avon River which I'd begun seven months ago, I parked my car on River Road beside the Avon near Fitzgerald Avenue Bridge. I avoided Avonside Drive on the opposite riverbank as it was a busy, narrow road with a narrow cycleway and no riverside walkway between Fitzgerald Avenue Bridge and Stanmore Road Bridge.


2009. River Road downriver view of Avon River & Avonside Drive, Christchurch

I walked downriver along a muddy path with duck dung on the grassy bank, past riverside houses, past leafless wintry willows, alders, liquidambars and lindens. I passed Avonside Tennis Club, and switched off my hearing-aid as traffic noise on the opposite bank was irritating. Despite my switch-off, I still heard a St John Ambulance when it howled past.


2009. River Road view of Christchurch City Council Organic Refuse Wheelie Bin in Avon River

Two male joggers passed me on River Road while I looked at ducks swimming in the Avon. I wandered past riverbank litter: paper, cardboard, paper cups, booze bottles, a supermarket trolley half sunk in the Avon, and a Christchurch City Council green-lid, organic refuse wheelie-bin fully sunk in the Avon. Ha!


2009. River Road downriver view of Stanmore Road Bridge, Christchurch

At Stanmore Road Bridge near Leah's work at Jean Seabrook Memorial School, London Street, I read a bronze plaque which stated:

"In pre-European times the Avon then known as Atakaroro was at this point the boundary between two families within the Nagai Tahu tribe. The swampland adjacent to the bridge site provided highly prized foods for the local Maori.

In the early days of European settlement the Avon and Heathcote rivers were used as vital shipping access to the infant City of Christchurch. Bridges were regarded as a nuisance and their construction was discouraged outside the city boundaries.


2009. Stanmore Road Bridge Plaque, Avon River, Christchurch

The first Stanmore Road Bridge was built at this site in 1862 and largely ignored ships statutory navigation rights. As a result in 1865 part of the bridge was cut away by Mr John Mills and his men to allow his steamer 'Maid of Avon' to pass.


2009. River Road upriver view of Avon River & Stanmore Road bridge, Christchurch

By 1875 the bridge was in a state of bad repair and in 1878 a new bridge was constructed with a 6ft path each side of a 24ft carriageway. Since then the bridge has been further widened and strengthened over the years.

By 1995 the old bridge had reached the end of its economic life and was replaced by the present bridge. The stone facing on the wingwalls and the light support pillars are built from materials recycled from the old bridge."


2009. River Road upriver view of Avon River near Stanmore Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. River Road view of Avon River downriver bend. Linwood Avenue on opposite bank, Christchurch

It was pleasing to know we'd arrived in Christchurch the same year, 1995, when the new Stanmore Road Bridge arrived. I remembered its construction and Leah and I drove over it many times. I continued walking along River Road where the Avon took a sharp bend northwards. On the opposite bank, Linwood Avenue began its long stretch towards Avon-Heathcote Estuary. I walked past houses, willows, Taxodium, liquidambars, toe-toe, flax and cabbage trees. Mostly bare, wintry trees enabled me to see Avonside better through a mesh of branches.


2009. River Road downriver view of Avon River opposite Avonside Girls High School, Avonside Drive, Christchurch


2009. Black Swan & Mallard Ducks, Avon River, Christchurch

With sunlight glistening Avon waters opposite Avonside Girls High School, two black swans floated over to scavenge food with a retinue of ducks. A man paddled upriver in his kayak. I stopped to coolpix a small flock of Canadian geese on Avon River bank. Two men walking by with leashed dogs, scared the geese, which splashed into the Avon.



2009. Canadian Goose, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Canadian Geese, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. River Road downriver view of Swanns Road Bridge, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. River Road view downriver of Swanns Road Bridge, Avon River, Christchurch

After I crossed Swanns Road Bridge 1954, Avon River meandered north-eastwards past birches, cabbage trees, flax and toe-toe. I strolled past riverside suburbia and on the grassy riverbank I found a smelly concrete and iron stormwater (sewage?) outlet covered by a solid iron hatch, right by Avon waters. While I examined the hatch, small flocks of grey gulls and Canadian geese stood around expecting titbits.

2009. River Road downriver Avon view of Canadian Geese. Avonside Drive on opposite bank, Christchurch


2009. River Road Stormwater Outlet, Avon River & upriver view of Avonside Drive, Christchurch


2009. River Road downriver view of Gulls, Avon River & Avonside Drive, Christchurch


2009. River Road downriver view of Footbridge, Avon River, Christchurch

Near Medway Street, I walked past a wooden footbridge across the Avon, and further on by a south-eastwards bend, a tributary flowed into the Avon. River Road began / ended as a road bridge over the tributary, then continued round the riverbend as Dallington Terrace. Beside the road bridge, I walked across a wooden footbridge, and coolpixed grey gulls on the handrail, then I followed Dallington Terrace along Avon meander.


2009. River Road upriver view of Footbridge, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Tributary Footbridge, River Road, Christchurch


2009. Avon River Tributary Footbridge downriver view, River Road, Christchurch


2009. Dallington Terrace downriver view, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Dallington Terrace upriver view, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Dallington Terrace downriver view of Avon River & Witch Hill backdrop, Port Hills, Christchurch

Warm sun on my back, on a long reach past Dallington houses on my left and Avon River on my right, I admired Port Hills in the distance and St Pauls school on my left. I crossed the Avon at Gayhurst Road Bridge and returned upstream to my car along Avonside Drive:


2009. Gayhurst Road Bridge upriver view of Avon River. Dallington Terrace right, Christchurch


2009. Avon River downriver view of Dallington Terrace left & Gayhurst Road Bridge, Christchurch

I followed three women pushing prams along the tarsealed track splattered with bird dung. I thought they were safer on Avonside Drive side of Avon River, as River Road and Dallington Terrace side of Avon River had muddy, clay tracks. By a wooden boatramp, I passed a yellow CCC sign on a post warning about Egeria aquatic weed. As a biology teacher in SA, I'd used Egeria leaves to microscopically study plant cell structures like chloroplasts. I watched a male kayaker paddle upstream, while grey gulls stood on the bank and ducks swam towards me begging food.


2009. Avonside Drive upriver view of Avon River near Gayhurst Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Drive Boatramp downriver view of Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Drive Stormwater Outlet left, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Avon River Bend by Tributary Bridges. River Road left, Dallington Terrace right, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Avon River Footbridge between Avonside Drive & River Road, Christchurch

By another Avon bend, I passed another concrete stormwater outlet, with thick iron grills, padlocked closed, and disguised by riverside trees near a weeping elm. After passing the two footbridges again, Avonside track became muddy and slippery. Below willows, I watched a woman and her infant daughter on a pink tricycle, throw food to grey gulls swirling above the Avon.


2009. Upriver view of Avon River Gulls & River Road, between Gayhurst Road Bridge & Swanns Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Avon River between Gayhurst Road Bridge & Swanns Road Bridge, Christchurch


2009. Avonside Girls High School Students crossing Swanns Road Bridge from Avonside Drive, Avon River, Christchurch


2009. River Road upriver view of Avon River & Avonside Girls High School, Avonside Drive, Christchurch


2009. River Road view of Avon River Canadian Geese & Avonside Girls High School, Christchurch

Back at Swann Road Bridge, to avoid Avonside Drive congestion, I recrossed the Avon to River Road again, where groups of Avonside Girls High School girls also crossed the Avon on their way home after school. I was thankful I no longer taught turbulent teenagers. Near Avonside Tennis Club, three cop cars and a St John Ambulance pulled up, and a cop led a middle-aged woman from a house to the ambulance. She looked battered.


2009. River Road upriver view of Avon River near Avonside Tennis Club, Christchurch


2009. River Road view of Cop & Ambulance Call Out near Avonside Tennis Club, Avon River, Christchurch

I kicked my way through ugly litter mulch, mowed by CCC mowers on Avon River bank. I examined a discarded bottle: "Woodstock Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Cola 5%." And a discarded aluminium can: "William Cody's 8% Bourbon and Cola." I thought Avonside alcohol and Avonside assault were a toxic mix. The Avonside walk took me 2.5 hours with many coolpix stops.


2009. River Road Litter. Upriver view of Avon River near Fitzgerald Avenue Bridge. Avonside Drive left, Christchurch


2009. Upriver view of Avon River & Fitzgerald Avenue Bridge, Christchurch

Spawn of Liberation Before Education Generation

South Africans endured sharpened vigilance against attack, which added stress to normal living. Thankfully we lost that sharpened vigilance and stress after emigrating to Christchurch NZ. It wasn't necessary as NZ was safe. My email response to an Auckland SA expat, who emailed me material from Dr Rudolph Zinn's research into SA's violent robberies - UNISA School of Criminal Justice:

"Thanks..., a reminder of some reasons why we left SA: Armed robbery, murder, female torture, rape & arrest rates are bad. Current SA black burglars are spawn of the 1976 Soweto 'liberation before education' generation. Moral of SA robbery stats: Sack black servants & do without, as they're either in cahoots with black robbers, or are intimidated by black robbers to supply property information.

For 6 years, 1989-1995, incl, at the two East London houses we lived in: Two Rivers Drive & Sandhurst Road, we had a flood of racist black door-knockers targeting & harassing us for work, or begging, or door-knocking to suss out our home security. We had a front door with a strong iron-hatch which we first opened when anyone knocked. We never opened our front door before checking out the knocker through the security hatch. Our black rubbish bags on road verges were regularly rifled by Xhosa street kids & hustlers.

In EL, we had two vicious little rottweiler X & bull terrier X black bitches. Their baying at our home gates & front door kept most attackers off our EL property. We never bothered with expensive cctv, alarms, razorwire, high walls, etc, although some of our neighbours did. Our first Xhosa maid in EL regularly stole food from our pantry, until we locked our pantry door whenever she came. After a while she got the hint & didn't return to work. Our next Xhosa domestic maid didn't live on our property, & she house-cleaned & did washing & ironing for us once a week. Other domestic work, cleaning, gardening, etc, we did ourselves. Our maid was scared of our dogs, rightfully so, & we locked them away whenever she arrived.

We always kept our solid-wood back gate locked, & our two garden gates separating our front & back yards stayed locked too. Our three front gates stayed unlocked but closed. Some of our house & outbuilding windows in EL weren't burglar-guarded. Fortunately our Sandhurst Road house was on an upper slope which gave us good views of front roads, & day & night, our dogs roamed our back yard which had a back wall at the end of a cul de sac. I believed in low perimeter walls so I could see attackers coming, if I had to pot-shot with my .22 pistol. It seemed to work. I also kept perimeter shrubs & trees trimmed short in our front & back yards. Didn't please my neighbours tho!

In EL, I remember Leah once calling me from painting our garage roof, as a cheeky coloured man insisted to Leah at our front door he, "Wanted to speak to the baas!" Annoyed at being called from the roof & his disrespect for Leah, I told him to, "Bugger off!" And was ready to shove him off our front steps as a trespasser if he didn't comply. It was a 5 foot fall to slasto stones below. He left, looking for easier pickings. I once told a black oke to, "Fuck off!" at Vincent carpark when he followed me from the library towards Pick 'n Pay supermarket. He'd sussed me out while we read newspapers in Vincent library! On two occasions black hustlers followed Leah from the street onto our property after she drove in. She reversed out, & pointedly waited for them to leave.

When I saw black hustlers on our street, I drove my car following & intimidating hustlers sussing out properties for burglaries, & that was in the early 90s. I also regularly did Vincent / Selborne Neighbourhood Watch volunteer duties late at night in my car, sometimes on my own & sometimes with a male neighbour, to keep in touch with neighbours & the security situation & what cops were doing to keep our district safe from vagrants, robbers, burglars & rapists.

Despite our watchdogs, our clothes were stolen off our backyard clothes line twice in 6 years in EL. Two of my sports-jackets were stolen from my classroom chair at Selborne College, & a bike was stolen from outside my class in broad daylight. My fifth form biology boys chased the black thief & recovered the bike. At night, black vagrants regularly slept on the back steps of Guild Theatre next to Selborne College grandstand, & black vagrants dossed in a room below the grandstand, until I suggested Selborne install a door to stop black vagrants using the room as a toilet & khaya.

Money I'd foolishly left in my Golf cubbyhole, when I took the car for a VW service, was stolen. The VW dealer denied the theft after I complained, but years later when the VW garage black driver delivered my car to my home after another service, he looked guilty. I didn't say a word & let him squirm on our trip back to the VW garage. I drove back via Cambridge SAP copshop to make him squirm more, but didn't bother to report him.

Recently my over six foot brother-in-law was mugged in Durban, money, cellphone, keys stolen. He had to change all the locks of his house. Durban bus services had collapsed: no buses. Hospitals were on strike. Private hospitals just had to cope. SATV was in debt & kept showing repeats or local garbage.

Thankfully, black racist 'you owe me whitey' harassment doesn't happen in Chch NZ. We're left to live in peace & quiet, & black African immigrants are left to live in peace & quiet too, without vicious dogs, high fences, locked gates, razorwire, alarms, cctv & burglar guards. We do have security lights at our present Chch rented house. The lights switch on automatically if a 'visitor' arrives..."

The Auckland expat's emails:

"Yep... we were in the Eastern Cape for much of the time that you were there... and in that time had our vehicles broken into three times, our house once, sporadic theft of hose pipes, slip slops (this really irritated me... they had beautiful contours worn into them and were paper thin on the sole in parts but special and someone who would steal something of so little value either had to be absolutely desperate or doing it out of spite and I often thought the latter applied), etc.

My wife also had her wallet stolen from the passenger seat while at a traffic light and while being distracted on the driver side, someone in cahoots leaned in from the other side and helped themselves. She also had cash stolen out of her hand while paying at the till at Ackermans. We still have a fridge with locks on it and it is a real talking point when Kiwis see it. And, we still have a surplus of Tupperware lids... it is amazing how many containers managed to go walkabout... probably filled with sugar or rice or mealie meal...

[At work] I had a tab on unemployment rates in the 9 provinces and the Eastern Cape was one of the highest... in the late 80s / early 90s, unemployment was around the 70% mark... somehow suspect that it hasn't changed but governments have wonderful ways in which they measure these things and disguise the truth... here in NZ we start getting speed wobbles when we hit 7% (and ignore all those up north who live from Thursday to Thursday and grow wacky-backy in between)!...

And, while there is unemployment, there will be theft, even purely to survive. The real tragedy is that there is so little value placed on life in Africa... those who stoop to theft become brazen and will snuff you out if they encounter resistance or feel threatened... Zinn also mentions the aspect of [no] eye contact [by robbery victims] and I think his comment is valid.

We are very glad to be in NZ (even if a tad crisp at sparrow at present)...

I was Googling to find info about a gent who was shot in the hand and stomach who lived in the same.... complex... as my mother... he died of his wounds..."

"Later yesterday, got [an email] from some friends... and although he is a colonial... and she is Brit, they spent 6 years in Lesotho (late 80s)... they identified with all Zinn had to say. And his brother was burgled in... and he and his two children were tied up with wire ties while four blacks ransacked the place and left them like that. The... daughter managed to work her way to where her father was, and using scissors, cut his ties. I have met him... in NZ when visiting his brother.

I think it was Zinn in The Times article where someone responded saying 'have two sets of valuables... the real stuff and the fake stuff and show the crims the latter'... I think this is excellent advice."


30.06.09. Police Investigation of 28.06.09 Sime Shooting: view up Guildford Street towards Wadhurst Place from Wayside Avenue corner, Burnside, Christchurch

Coda. Sunday night 28.06.09. Leah and I bought crepe paper from Northlands Countdown, Christchurch. On our way home to Heath Street an Asian Armed Offenders Squad cop, dressed in black and toting a black machine gun, stopped our car at the top of Wayside Avenue saying, "Shots were fired." Leah was alarmed that Luke was home alone nearby, but the AOS cop didn't let us through to Heath Street just down the road. I was annoyed that we were stopped from going home, and thought cops were hassling us.


2009. Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

I drove off and parked nearby on Grahams Road, and Leah and I walked home in the dark via a right of way. The area was quiet. I then walked via the top of Guildford Street back to my car and drove down Wayside Avenue where the Asian AOS cop stopped my car again, and rapped my car roof, saying, "Go back!"


2009. Paraplegic Gunman's House, 7 Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

I drove back up Wayside Avenue to Grahams Road and down the top of Guildford Street to our home in Heath Street. Earlier that evening our son Luke had skateboarded Guildford Street and said, "I thought I'd heard fireworks." We texted a neighbour, who said cops had warned people to stay inside their homes and stay away from street-facing windows.


2009. Shotgun Damage to Neighbour's House, Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch


2009. Shotgun Damage to Neighbour's Front Door, Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

Later that night we heard more shooting.


2009. Rifle-fire Damage to Neighbour's Window, Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

Monday morning: Tape sealed off the bottom of Guildford Street and a cop stood guard, turning traffic back. The Press headline Monday morning: GUNMAN SHOT DEAD. AOS had shot a suicidal paraplegic, who'd started pot-shotting neighbours and cops along Wadhurst Place. No neighbours and cops were seriously injured, as cops had evacuated people to nearby Burnside High School.


30.06.09. Police Investigation of 28.06.09 Sime Shooting: view up Guildford Street towards Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

Shayne Sime the dead gunman had lived about 500 metres from our home. Sime had previous alcohol convictions, was a paraplegic, had recently joined a gun club, and cops had investigated a February complaint from a neighbour when Sime had fired an airgun on his property.

Questions:

1. Given the above, why was Sime's firearm licence approved?
2. Why did Sime need to own firearms and ammunition in peaceful Burnside?
3. What screening procedures did the gun club have and do regarding Sime's membership?
4. As hundreds of school students, walkers like me, cyclists, bus commuters and motorists passed Sime's house daily, why was Sime allowed to own firearms?
5. Why did Sime's family and cops do nothing about confiscating his firearms after the February complaint and cop investigation?
6. Why did Housing NZ house Sime behind a Greers Road pre-school, the rabbit patch?


2009. Back of Gunman Sime's House in Wadhurst Place overlooking the rabbit patch pre-school, Greers Road, Christchurch

When I emigrated from SA 14 years ago, I chose not to bring my licensed firearm to protect myself and family, as I thought NZ was safe. I was wrong, as Sime could legally own two licensed shotguns and a licensed high-powered .308 rifle to shoot anyone he drunkenly chose within a high-powered radius of 7km from his home.


30.06.09. Police Investigation of 28.06.09 Sime Shooting: view down Guildford Street towards Wadhurst Place, Burnside, Christchurch

While our lives were at risk in Sunday Burnside, NZ government spends 9 million dollars having an August "Citizens Initiated Referendum" asking: "Should a smack as part of good parental correction be a criminal offence in New Zealand?" NZ has a recent anti-smacking law making it an offence to smack ones own children needing discipline. The money would've been better spent controlling firearm licences and firearm sales.


01.07.09 Sime Homicide Enquiry, Police letterbox drop Burnside, Christchurch

See "Anger over 'suicide by police'" (The Press)

See "Why the arms deal is rotten" in SA (politicsweb)

See "Constant Fear and Mob Rule in SA Slum" (New York Times)

Mulgans Track and Aranoni Track, Clifton and Sumner

2009. Moncks Bay, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Christchurch

I parked my car beside Main Road by Moncks Bay near Avon-Heathcote Estuary mouth, as I wanted to walk up Mulgans Track, go over the top of Clifton Hill and walk down Aranoni Track to Sumner. The Sumner / Redcliffs Rowing Club old wooden shed stood on posts above the water. The shed was later owned by Christchurch Yacht Club. A roadside info board gave the history:

"THE SUMNER AMATEUR ROWING CLUB

The Sumner Amateur Rowing club (later Redcliffs Rowing Club) was formed in 1909. The building was built from wood from old Burns Jetty which stood near Shag rock in 1912.

During World War 11 because the men were away overseas the Club went into recess and the Sumner Borough Council used it as Morgue No 2 in case of the arrival of the Japanese.

Later when Kerrs Reach was constructed the club folded and the building was finally bought by Christchurch Yacht Club." (CCC)


2009. Rowing Club Info Board, Main Road, Moncks Bay, Christchurch


2009. Start of Mulgans Track, Main Road, Christchurch

I crossed Main Road, and by a cliff-front house I began the steep climb up tarsealed Mulgans Track. I passed iceplants, cotyledons, geraniums and echiums on the north-facing cliff, while zigzagging up, which reminded me of Flowers Track and Edwin Mouldey Track on Scarborough. Along the way, I had spectacular views of Barnett Park, Moncks Spur, Mount Pleasant, Redcliffs and moored yachts in Moncks Bay.


2009. Mulgans Track westwards view of Main Road, Moncks Bay, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Redcliffs, Christchurch


2009. Mulgans Track southern view towards Barnett Park, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Kinsey Terrace westwards view of Moncks Bay, Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps


2009. Kinsey Terrace westwards view of Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps


2009. Kinsey Terrace view of Moncks Bay, Redcliffs, Moncks Spur & Mount Pleasant, Christchurch


2009. Kinsey Terrace view of Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Southshore Spit, Redcliffs, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps

At the top of Mulgans Track I walked up Kinsey Terrace a bit while admiring views over rooftops of Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Southshore Spit and beyond to Canterbury Plains and snowy Alps. I turned right up a steep tarsealed right-of-way between houses, and slogged straight up till I came to Tuawera Terrace.


2009. Right-of-Way below Kinsey Terrace view of Southshore Spit, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Christchurch


2009. Tuawera Terrace westwards view of Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps

While walking Tuawera Terrace, which went over the top of Clifton Hill and down the other side to Clifton Terrace, I admired views of Sumner Beach, Cave Rock and Sumner Esplanade towards distant Scarborough. While I walked I whistled, "The bear went over the mountain..."


2009. Tuawera Terrace eastwards view of Cave Rock & Sumner Esplanade. Scarborough backdrop, Christchurch


2009. Top of Aranoni Track with Cave Rock backdrop, Sumner, Christchurch


2009. Aranoni Track view of Sumner beachfront, Cave Rock & Pacific Ocean


2009. Lower Aranoni Track view of Nayland Street, Sumner & Scarborough, Christchurch

I crossed Clifton Terrace and went down Aranoni Track towards Sumner. Aranoni Track had wooden, tarsealed and concrete steps and track needing repairs. I zigzagged down with glimpses of Cave Rock and Sumner through shrubs and trees. At the bottom by Nayland Street an orange sign stated that Fulton Hogan would be repairing the zigzag track over two months.


2009. Nayland Street view of start of Aranoni Track up Clifton Hill, Christchurch. See bolted rocks above garage, left.

Clifton Hill was so steep, I watched a workman riding up to a house in a small gondola from Nayland Street. I walked along Nayland Street, and looked at cliff faces above garages and flats, protected by thick wire-mesh bolted against the cliffs, which reminded me of roofbolts I'd seen in De Beers mines. I thought building and living below a bolted cliff was insane, due to cold, water and falling rock hazards.


2009. Nayland Street, Sumner view of Clifton Hill, Christchurch

I strolled to the old Sumner Borough Council Chambers on the corner of Nayland Street and Wakefield Avenue, where I snapped the WW1 grey granite war memorial embedded in the wall. I walked past cafes, pubs and coffee shops, and thought how many had sprouted since our early expat months renting a house in nearby Denman Street, fourteen years ago.


2009. WW1 Memorial on Sumner Borough Council Chambers wall, Nayland Street & Wakefield Avenue corner, Christchurch


2009. Sumner Coronation Garden, Main Road, Sumner, Christchurch

At Clifton Bay, I stopped at Sumner Coronation Garden opposite Sumner beach to look at pohutukawas, palms, yuccas and Natal aloes. At the back of the garden a lamp memorial had a grey granite plaque stating:

"...TO COMMEMORATE THE CORONATION OF
HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH 11"


2009. Coronation Memorial to "Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 11," Coronation Garden, Clifton Bay, Sumner, Christchurch

A garden info board told of early Sumner:

"BEFORE THE FIRST FOUR SHIPS

Sumner was surveyed as a suitable access port for the new city of Christchurch. On this spot the first buildings were erected in anticipation of the arrival of the Canterbury Association settlers in 1850.

... In late 1849 a store was built here for the Canterbury Association to house goods in transit from Lyttelton to the city site.

A PIONEER ENTREPRENEUR

Like most successful pioneers, the first permanent resident in Sumner in 1849, George Day, could turn his hand to anything.

Goods shipped by Day in his 10-ton schooner Flirt, here to Clifton Bay from Banks Peninsular included timber for the Christchurch barracks and the first government buildings. He supervised North Island Maori labourers working on the road from Lyttelton to Sumner and became the first publican in Sumner.

In 1854 Day bought the Canterbury Association store and converted it into a hotel. A landmark here for many years, it became known as Days Hotel.


2009. Sumner History Info board, Sumner Coronation Garden, Clifton Bay, Christchurch

ACROSS THE BAR

Crossing the Sumner bar proved treacherous. The first recorded mishap involved three notable pioneer families.

In 1845, the Gebbies and Mansons set off from Deans farm at Riccarton to take up land at the head of Lyttelton harbour. In rough seas the men offloaded the women and children on the beach here to spend a cold night in a nearby cave. The men set off across the bar, but the boat capsized. They all survived although William Deans reached shore only by clinging to a box of tea.

Despite the difficulties, until the railway linking Lyttelton and Christchurch was completed in 1867 all heavy goods were landed here then shipped across the bar to the Avon or Heathcote rivers." (CCC)


2009. Clifton Hill Sea Cliff, Main Road, Sumner, Christchurch

I walked along Main Road with Sumner beach on my right and volcanic layers of Clifton sea cliff on my left. I walked past Gallons Point Cave and watched pigeons roosting on the sea cliff. Cars, walkers and cyclists passed me by.


2009. Hazard Signs, Shag Rock, Avon-Heathcote Estuary Mouth, Main Road, Christchurch

On the roadside by Shag Rock, three signs warned about strong currents, inshore holes, submerged rocks and falling rocks, as Main Road turned sharply round Clifton sea cliff by Avon-Heathcote Estuary mouth towards Moncks Bay. I stopped and watched walkers on the beach by Shag Rock, and read a roadside info board about Maori settlements, fishing and Shag Rock:

"LIVING NEAR THE ESTUARY

Early Waitaha had two main settlements near this estuary. They lived here year-round, taking advantage of the plentiful supply of eels, fish and shellfish.

When Europeans arrived Ngai Tahu no longer lived here, but still regularly visited their traditional food gathering sites.


2009. Info Board: Ancient Maori Fishing, Settlements & Rapanui, near Shag Rock, Main Road, Christchurch

A FISHING LIFE

From the arrival of the first people, the waters and mudflats of this estuary have provided many foods.

FISHING FOR FLOUNDER

Fishing grounds for flounder stretch across the mudflats from Redcliffs... their name Wai-pataki.

In early times Ngai Tahu waded the shallow water to fish for pataki by torchlight, using pronged wooden spears... In the right season, they caught the fish in kaka nets of woven flax.

Dried pataki were stored for winter and exchanged with other settlements. Hung on racks, the rows of drying fish were protected by a rough roof of raupo or flax.


2009. Shag Rock, Avon-Heathcote Estuary Mouth, Main Road, Christchurch

RAPANUI - SHAG ROCK

This striking column of rock guarding the entrance to the estuary is one of the oldest landmarks in Canterbury. Its ancient name Rapanui likens the rock to the sternpost of a canoe." (CCC)


2009. Rapanui - Shag Rock, Avon-Heathcote Estuary Mouth, Main Road, Christchurch

Given sewage and other estuary pollution, I doubted flounders were caught in Avon-Heathcote Estuary in 2009. Only flounders were idiots allowing pollution to happen. I looked across Avon-Heathcote Estuary towards Bromley sewage farm and thought of Shelley's words:

"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings:
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!"

Although Christchurch City Council claimed that water flushing from Bromley sewage farm into the estuary was clean, I wondered why it was necessary in 2008 for CCC to build a pipe to flush sewage directly into the Pacific? I though of all the waterbirds crapping in the estuary, and all the horse, cow and sheep dung flushed into the estuary by streams I'd crossed in Port Hills valleys. I thought kayakers paddling Christchurch rivers and Avon-Heathcote estuary would get the shits.

With wintry Pacific winds on my back, I returned to my car, enjoying views of Moncks Bay, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Port Hills, Canterbury Plains and Southern Alps. The circuit walk took me 1 hour 45 minutes, with many stops "to stand and stare."

See The Avon-Heathcote Estuary Factsheet (CCC)

Eastenders Track, Barnett Park, Christchurch

2009. Bay View Road Entrance to Barnett Park, Redcliffs, Christchurch

I parked my car at Barnett Park carpark, by Ferrymead Bays Soccer fields, as I wanted to climb Eastenders Track to the top of Clifton Hill by Summit Road, Port Hills. I walked past several Saturday afternoon soccer matches with fit players and fat linesmen. I went up the eastside of Barnett Park Valley, crossed a stile and wooden footbridge, and crossed another stile and wooden footbridge over the valley stream by Bay View Road entrance, where a sign stated:

BARNETT PARK
WALKWAY

THIS WALKWAY PASSES
THROUGH LAND WHICH
HAS BEEN LET FOR
GRAZING

DOGS MUST BE
KEPT ON A LEASH
AT ALL TIMES


2009. Lower Eastside of Barnett Park Walkway, Redcliffs Christchurch

I followed a grey-haired couple through a cattle paddock and passed a pylon on my left. I crossed another footbridge over the stream and climbed the steep path on the eastside of the valley, up Clifton Hill. On the fourth footbridge I passed the wheezing grey couple while they stopped and looked at the valley view. "Good for our cholesterol," I said and left them behind, my heart pounding.


2009. Barnett Park Walkway eastside view of Moncks Spur & Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Christchurch

At the EASTENDERS TRACK / CAVE junction, I briefly went left up Eastenders Track, crossed a stile, and turned right along a muddy cattle track beside the fence, to make my walk more interesting. I reasoned that stock tracks would be the easiest way up, so I followed hoofprints and dung. I headed towards caves at the valley head, then scrambled over rocks up the valley wall parallel to the ridge where Eastenders Track went.


2009. Eastside Barnett Park Walkway going southwards towards Caves, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Clifton Hill northern view of Moncks Spur, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch


2009. Clifton Hill northern view of Eastenders Track ridge, Barnett Park, Monks Spur, Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Pegasus Bay & Southern Alps



2009. Clifton Hill northern view of wintry Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Pegasus Bay & Southern Alps

I became intimate with cow dung, sheep dung and divaricating Muehlenbeckia, and at times slipped my slops off to climb the slippery slope over rocks and grazed grass. In windy tussock grassland above the cave bluffs, I had glorious views of John Britten Reserve on the skyline to my left, wintry Christchurch westwards, Pegasus Bay beyond New Brighton Pier and Avon-Heathcote Estuary. The wind was so strong, I had to grip my Nikon tightly to prevent blurry coolpix.


2009. Clifton Hill southern view of skyline John Britten Reserve, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Clifton Hill western view over Port Hills, Canterbury Plains & Southern Alps

I saw the grey couple up on my left and thereafter I lost them in the hills. The higher I went in tussock grassland the colder it became, due to a chilly southerly, which blew clouds over the Port Hills, with the same "tablecloth" effect as Cape Town's Table Mountain.


2009. Summit Road southern view of skyline John Britten Reserve, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Summit Road northern view of wintry Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Southern Alps

I reached the top in 1 hour by a pine shelterbelt, Summit Road. I coolpixed views, but didn't linger, as the southerly raced clouds down valleys and threatened me with hypothermia. I crossed the flat top of Clifton Hill and walked down Summit Road a bit to snap Sumner Valley and beyond to Scarborough. When clouds lifted briefly, I glimpsed Evans Pass and beyond to Lyttelton Harbour. It was pointless me summiting Mount Pleasant as it was cloud-covered.


2009. Clifton Hill view of north-facing wintry Sumner Valley & Scarborough, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Summit Road eastwards view of glimpses of Evans Pass & Lyttelton Harbour on left, with cloudy Banks Peninsular backdrop

By a sharp corner, three cyclists passed me when I returned up Summit Road to the pine shelterbelt. I crossed a stile into Greenwood Park on top of Clifton Hill, which evoked memories, as I'd lived 26 years in Durban North near Greenwood Park, and a Durban teacher friend who'd taught at Clifton Prep was carjack murdered in Durban shortly after we emigrated to NZ.


2009. Greenwood Park on Clifton Hill northern view of wintry Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch


2009. Clifton Hill northern view of misty Moncks Spur, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch


2009. Clifton Hill northern view of wintry Moncks Spur, Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch

Clouds raced over Port Hills down Barnett Park Valley and Sumner Valley, then dissipated in the rising warmth. Sheep and cattle trotted downhill to avoid the cold, wet wind. I crossed a stile and quickly walked down a wide, grassy track on Clifton westside. I crossed another stile, and further down the green track I came across the upper EASTENDERS TRACK sign.


2009. Upper Eastenders Track northern view of wintry Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch


2009. Eastenders Track northern view of wintry Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch

Further down Eastenders Track I passed cattle by a circular reservoir, crossed another stile, passed an unused footbridge due to a mudslip, then zigzagged down Eastenders Track, guided by fence standards with orange plastic caps beside the track. On the way down, I enjoyed views of cloudy Christchurch, low tide Avon-Heathcote Estuary, Pegasus Bay and glimpses of snowy Alps above clouds.


2009. Eastenders Track southern view of wintry Barnett Park Caves, Port Hills, Christchurch


2009. Eastenders Track northern view of wintry Barnett Park, Redcliffs, Avon-Heathcote Estuary & Pegasus Bay, Christchurch

I recrossed the stile above lower Eastenders Track sign, and returned to my car the way I'd come up. Every Eastenders Track stile had a red and white NO BIKES sign attached. A young couple returning from the caves followed me down. A man, slogging upwards, rocked his head in greeting.


2009. Ferrymead Bays Soccer, Barnett Park, Redcliffs, Christchurch

By my car, soccer matches were still being played, with spectators clad in thick winter clothes. The walk down from Summit Road took me 50 minutes.

See SA Confederation Soccer park-and-ride services hit by glitches (IOL)