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Burnside Church: a sweet
stop on the road.
Travel
COASTING
WITH THE POST
Liz Light explores Wairarapa’s South Coast with the postie.
Wairarapa’s long-distance
postman Gordon Wyeth.
G
ordon Wyeth, a postman
for nine years, reckons he
has the world’s best job.
Six days a week, he drives 220km
through one of the most beautiful
areas of New Zealand: the gentle,
fecund, flat lands of the Wairarapa
and its wild, rugged South Coast. He
loves the changing seasons, whatever
moods the weather puts on this
landscape and the tempers of the
sea, be it a Southern Ocean thrashing
or, occasionally, simply sloppy.
But this long-distance postman also
likes a good chat, a shared joke and a
hearty laugh and some days, he says,
it can be lonely. When Gordon found
out that, as an independent Rural
Post contractor, he’s allowed to take
passengers, it was problem solved.
Now he runs a little tourism venture
on the side, taking up to three people
along on his run – charging them
$85 each for a seat in the van. They
happily help him do his job and
he tells them everything he knows
about the South Coast and the
people who live there. And believe
me, after nine years of delivering
all sorts of things, that’s a lot.
My husband, Sam, and I meet
Gordz (he also answers to Gordo and
Flash) in Featherston at eight in the
morning. He’d started work at 6.30:
sorting mail and picking up milk,
papers and the other things that
need delivering along the way. Then
it’s zoom, zoom – the red van heads
east out of Featherston for Kahutara
School, where Gordz’s run begins.
Half-round barns full of bales,
four-wheelers with dogs on the
back and drivers without helmets,
utes loaded with farm stuff, and
plenty of dairy farms with, on one
LIZ LIGHT IS A NORTH & SOUTH CONTRIBUTING WRITER. PHOTOGRAPHY BY LIZ LIGHT.
108 | NORTH & SOUTH | NOVEMBER 2014
The fishing village of Ngawi is squeezed between steep hills and the sea.
occasion, the cows ambling under
the road through their private
tunnel; we’ve left Wairarapa grape
vines behind and are driving south.
Gordz gives us an on-the-job lesson
on letterboxes. “Plastic letterboxes
are efficient, but impersonal,” he
says, deftly slotting in mail. He
pulls up at a wooden box sitting
on a pole, “This is the dumbest
letterbox on the run. It doesn’t
have a lid and the mail gets wet.”
A few kilometres later we admire
his favourite letterbox. Three
cream cans, lying on their sides
have been welded together to make
three letterboxes and each has
a spring-loaded lid; imaginative
engineering and dry mail forever.
The first stop that doesn’t involve
mail is Burnside Church, standing
alone on the edge of a flat field. It’s
little changed in 140 years. “It doesn’t
have electricity or a toilet and that’s
the way people like it,” says Gordz.
He knows where the key is hidden.
The interior is dark wood, with
no-nonsense wooden pews and
pulpit, built in 1875. It’s shadowy
and cool inside, simple and
respectfully sombre. The windows,
with wonky old glass, become
individual bright pictures – of sheep
grazing in breeze-blown grass, a
neatly trimmed settlers’ cemetery
with white marble headstones,
110 | NORTH & SOUTH | NOVEMBER 2014
agapanthus flowering blue in the
garden and, not quite so quaint,
the recently gravelled car park.
Gordz is a good-as-gold type.
There’s a post-it note stuck to a
stamp-less letter. “Dear Gordon, I
haven’t got any change but can you
post this for me? I will give you
the money on Tuesday after I have
been into town. Thanks lots, Pam.”
He runs accounts for milk, stamps
and a few other things but says
everyone pays their bills. “It makes
no sense to fall out with the postie.”
The van pulls in to Pirinoa general
store where Gordz unloads a
crate of milk, a box of bread, a few
newspapers and a bunch of mail.
I’m a sucker for heritage buildings
and this one, which opened in 1882,
is like an old-style country store
stocking a little bit of everything.
There’s a noticeboard with drawingpins spiking pieces of paper – sports
practice times, embroidery group
get-togethers, lost kittens. And there
are charming local photos, including
one of a seal companionably sitting
on a park bench next to a man. They
seem to be grinning at each other.
Lake Ferry, a bach village,
straggles along the road that edges
the lake. The village is known for
its pub, the fishing in Palliser Bay
and windsurfing on the lake. The
housekeeper at Lake Ferry Hotel is
Onoke Spit, where the fish are biting.
pleased when the post van arrives
with big bags of freshly laundered
sheets. It’s Friday and she was
running low on linen for the weekend.
The action is on the nearby beach.
Onoke Spit, a massive pebble bank,
separates Lake Ferry from Palliser
Bay, where the lake breaks through
and empties into the sea. The wind
comes from the north, flattening
the waves, peeling a curtain of
spray off behind them. The waves
make a noisy riff, up and down,
millions of grey pebbles rolling in
unison. And, the South Island’s
snow-capped Kaikouras hover in
the sky above blue-green sea.
Two seals rest at the end of the
spit, two surfers try for the rivermouth break and eight fishermen,
spaced out along the beach, cast
from the shore with long rods. A
couple of big kahawai are caught
in the few minutes we watch.
Gordz doubles back a few
kilometres and turns east into Cape
Palliser Rd. The post van zips along,
deviating down gravel side roads
to deliver mail. The dairy farms
are long gone and this is farmland
as it used to be with sheep – heads
down and grazing – and paddocks
of maize. Palliser Bay, with a 20km
sweep of beach, takes a great bite
out of southern Wairarapa.
And it’s still biting. Today the
Cute, whiskered baby fur seals play in a rock pool near Ngawi.
sea is benign, but ferocious storms
sometimes roar in from the south
and the waves roll up the beach
and eat away the land. The fields
all end in steep cliffs and are, over
time, slowly feeding the sea. The
folk in the seaside settlement of
Ning Nong know this well.
In Ning Nong, there were once
12 houses perched on the cliff top,
with prime views over eons of ocean
and the Kaikoura mountains, but
slowly the cliff slipped away, bit
by bit after every storm, the front
yard going, and then the verandah,
then the house. Now there are six.
It’s weird to stand on the beach
looking up; bathroom plumbing
is suspended in the air while the
house around it has gone, a corner
of broken house protrudes over
the cliff edge and, on the beach,
there are crumbled remains of
abandoned, fallen homes. The folk
remaining in Ning Nong are not
without humour; one of them has
built his bach in the shape of a boat.
From Ning Nong, the road clings to
the rugged coast and hills rise steeply
behind it. It’s a fine road, sealed
mostly, nice tarmac, but there is a
sense of impermanence, as if the hills
might slip down upon it or the sea
might, at any moment, undermine it.
Ngawi, a fishing town, is built
around a sickle-shaped bay and a
It’s weird to
stand on the
beach looking
up; bathroom
plumbing is
suspended in the
air while the
house around it
has gone...
graveyard for old bulldozers. Here
tractors aren’t big or strong enough to
pull boats up the beach so bulldozers
do the business. Fishermen seem
unable to share so each has his own
bulldozer, with a large boat and
trailer attached. Thirty bulldozers
line the beach, blade to blade, and
a few more are parked nearby.
We watch a rusty yellow one fire
up, chuffing smoke rings, to reverse
a massive trailer into the sea. A
fishing boat, Rhapsody, roars in and
mounts the trailer. The bulldozer
hauls it slowly up the beach into
its road-side parking place. These
fishermen have had a successful
morning and proudly hold up
two 10kg groper to prove it.
S
am and Gordz are so busy
raving about bulldozers
and fishing, we nearly
forget to deliver the beer. And it’s
Friday, so there would have been
hell to pay if Ngawi Community
Hall hadn’t received its kegs.
The van ambles around Ngawi’s
three streets with Gordon popping
post into letterboxes and talking flat
out. He clearly loves this place, with
its bulldozers, big sea and harsh hills,
and hopes to buy a bach here one day.
The tarseal ends at Ngawi and the
fur seals begin. We see a few solo
seals sunning themselves on rocks,
but the colony home base, where the
mothers keep their pups, isn’t easy to
find. There are no signposts but, of
course, Gordz knows exactly where
the babies are. The van heads down
a dirt track, bumping through large
potholes, and stops by a rocky inlet.
I smell them first, a pungent mix
of rotten fish, ammonia and sulphur,
then hear them; heavy breathing
and yelping. After clambering
around rocks I see seals, a few
grownups, a couple of lazy lolling
teenagers and lots of babies.
Bear with me while I go gaga.
Baby fur seals are adorably cute.
They have huge brown eyes, fully
surrounded by dark eyeliner, little
down-facing ears, cute black pointed
noses and lots of whiskers. And
NORTH & SOUTH | NOVEMBER 2014 | 111
Greytown also has designer shops,
excellent cafes and bars, and pleasant
walking and cycling in the country
lanes nearby. Hire bikes from Green
Jersey Cycle Tour Company.
Ph (021) 074-6640, www.greenjersey.co.nz
TO STAY
MARTINBOROUGH
THE MARTINBOROUGH HOTEL is part of
the Heritage Boutique Collection
(www.heritageboutique.co.nz) and this
Victorian heritage delight is the
classiest hotel in the area. Rates from
$160 per night. The Square, ph (06)
306-9350, www.martinboroughhotel.co.nz
GREYTOWN
THE SADDLERY, an 1868 historic bed and
breakfast that once belonged to
Greytown’s saddler, is tastefully
renovated, comfortable and quiet,
with a beautiful garden and great
breakfast. Double room $165.
Above: Whangaimoana Garden Retreat – “the Castle” – on Cape Palliser Rd.
174 Main St, ph (06) 304-7228,
T A H P N S www.thesaddlery.co.nz
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2 0 1 4 - 0 9 - 2 6 T1 2 : 2 4 : 5 3 + 1 2 : 0 0
Palliser Bay’s sweep of beach takes a great bite out of Southern Wairarapa.
while the rest of the colony lie about,
the babies play. They clamber over
rocks to peep at me, have swimming
races in pools, and chase each other
around, before flopping together
in damp furry, flippery heaps.
Meanwhile, Gordz and Sam,
both of whom got over the seals
before I did, are happily munching
sandwiches and slurping cups
of tea. Lunch with baby seals
nearby; not much beats that.
Cape Palliser Lighthouse, perched
on a rocky prominence 78m above
the sea, is the exclamation mark
at the end of the road. This coast
was, still is, notorious for its Cook
Strait gales and back in the days
of sail and steam many ships were
wrecked and lives lost. The tower
was finished and the light lit in 1897.
Sam and I puff up 253 steep steps
to pay homage to the red-and-whitestriped monolith whose white
flash every 10 seconds still keeps
mariners safe on this perilous coast.
The van points west and we are on
112 | NORTH & SOUTH | NOVEMBER 2014
the no-stops home run. Gordz asks
us how he could improve his tourism
venture. Magnificent scenery, seals,
an insider’s stories and plenty of
post hilarity – I can’t think of a
way to make this great day better.
But Sam can. He suggests including
driving a Ngawi bulldozer along
the beach; perhaps moving around
a few tonnes of pebbles would turn
a very good day into a perfect one.
TO DO
GORDON WYETH, South Coast
postman, does the post run Monday
through Saturday. Book a seat in
his van for $85 per person (three
people maximum), lunch and
snacks included, plenty of photo
opportunities. Ph (027) 430-8866 or
email [email protected]
THE FOUR-DAY Wairarapa Balloon
Fiesta is held on the middle weekend
of March each year. The balloons take
off from Masterton, Carterton and
Martinborough spreading the fun
around the district, www.nzballoons.co.nz.
During the fiesta you can take a long
balloon ride ($350 per person),
www.kiwiballooncompany.co.nz and
www.ballooningcanterbury.co.nz
Be in to WIN* a luxury holiday for 2 to Rarotonga!
Includes return flights, 5 nights luxury accommodation at
Crown Beach Resort & Spa with breakfast daily and transfers.
CYCLE AROUND the Martinborough
wineries: flat roads, great wine, good
fun and no need for a sober driver.
March Hare Cycles has old-style bikes,
with big comfortable seats and baskets
(for the wine bottles); $40 per person
per day, www.march-hare.co.nz. For
information about the many wineries in
easy cycling distance of Martinborough,
www.winesfrommartinborough.com,
and www.wairarapawines.co.nz
EXPLORE GREYTOWN, New Zealand’s
most architecturally complete
Victorian town. The main street is
a treat of prettily titivated heritage
buildings. Visit Cobblestones Early
Settlers Museum, especially on
Sundays when a market is held,
www.cobblestonesmuseum.org.nz.
Call 0800 840 787
To enter: Sign up to get the latest deals
from Travel Associates by 30 Nov 2014
at travel-associates.co.nz/rarotonga
*Terms and conditions: To be eligible, entrants must register their details at www.travel-associates.co.nz/rarotonga prior to 5pm, 30 November 14. Competition entrants must be 18 years or over at the time of entry to
qualify. The winning entrant shall receive a prize of two return economy class flights to Rarotonga from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch which is subject to availability and at Travel Associates’ discretion. Prize also
includes 5 nights’ accommodation at Crown Beach Resort in a Courtyard Pool Suite with breakfast daily & return shared airport transfers for 2 people. Accommodation is subject to availability. Travel must be taken between
24 January-31 March or 16-30 April 2015 (blackout dates apply), subject to availability. Travel must be booked before 20 Dec 14. All incidentals including, but not limited to airline taxes, travel insurance, domestic airfares
if required, meals, extra sightseeing or activities, additional accommodation, personal spending money, passports, travel visas, transport to and from departure point and all other ancillary costs as well as obtaining any of
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you agree to receive promotional offers from Travel Associates via email, post and/or TXT of which you can opt out at any stage. Employees of any travel agency, airline, Flight Centre (NZ) Ltd & members of the employees’
immediate family are not eligible to enter. Winner will be drawn at random on 3 Dec 14 & will be notified by phone or email. Judges decision is final. Prize is non-transferable & not redeemable for cash or foreign exchange.
Travel Associates reserves the right to verify the validity of entries & to disqualify any entry that is not in accordance with these terms & conditions. Prize is subject to Flight Centre (NZ) Limited trading as Travel Associates.
For standard terms and conditions please refer to www.travelassociates.co.nz/company/legal/booking-conditions and those of the service provider.
TAHPNS131014
LAKE FERRY
LAKE FERRY HOTEL has motel-style
accommodation and excellent pub
food, on the shores of Lake Ferry/
Onoke and close to Martinborough
and Palliser Bay. The Thursday
evening music night rocks. Bring
your guitar or fiddle and prepare
to dance. Double room, $75.
Ph (06) 307-7831, www.lakeferryhotel.co.nz
TO EAT
Best Drives with Mitsubishi
T
he “PHEV” in the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV stands for “plug-in hybrid
electric vehicle” and while there are other vehicles that use some of those
words in their names, the Outlander is the first production car on sale in New
Zealand – and the first SUV anywhere in the world – to use all of them together. With
its 2L petrol engine and two electric motors, the PHEV offers remarkable versatility
and fuel efficiency (combined, it sips a miserly 1.9L per 100km). Plug the PHEV in to
charge its batteries overnight (for as little as $1.41) and when you head out in the
morning on your work commute or round-town errands, you have an electric-only
range of up to 52km. Demand more of the vehicle, however, and it determines the
optimal power to use, flitting imperceptibly and quietly between petrol and electric
power. One of three clever drive modes is automatically selected, depending on the
driving conditions, to ensure maximum fuel efficiency and peak performance.
The Outlander PHEV comes with a five-star safety rating – and Super All
Wheel Control (S-AWC), which regulates the braking system to further improve
driving stability and handling precision. The car also comes with an app for
Apple and Android users which lets drivers set the 6.5-hour charging time for
off-peak power, start the air-conditioning remotely, check vehicle information
and even turn on the headlights when looking for your car in the dark! All
this, plus comfort, good looks and a surprisingly modest price tag.
Castlepoint
From Masterton head east, into the hills. The sheep-farming land is spring
green with woolsheds, rows of poplar trees and willows in the valleys. Stop at
the heritage village in Tinui; there is a museum, craft shop and, on weekends,
Devonshire teas served from a country cottage. The hills get steeper; the road
winds along the Tinui River valley. There’s a ridge to cross and another valley to
follow before you get a sniff of sea. The road ends at Castlepoint. The geography
is extraordinary. A long, fossil-filled reef juts from the sea and, at the end of it,
Castle Rock thrusts up, a massive buttress between ocean and sky. To the north
and south, sandy surf beaches sweep to infinity. A lighthouse on the reef adds a
tall, elegant extension to nature’s already dramatic creation. Distance 65km.
Lake Ferry to Cape Palliser
The road from Lake Ferry passes through farmland, hills on one side and flat land
on the other. From Ning Nong, a bach community being gradually undermined by
the sea, the road is squeezed between steep hills and the sea. Although it’s sealed,
it has been washed out in parts, so roadworks are a regular occurrence. The views
over the wild waves of the Southern Ocean to the snowy Kaikoura mountains are
spectacular. At Ngawi, a fishing village, rows of ancient bulldozers are lined up
at the road’s edge. These launch fishing boats over the steep, stony beach.
Beyond Ngawi, stop to view a fur seal colony at home in the rocks. Cape Palliser
Lighthouse, and the end of the road, is around the corner. Distance 40km.
114 | NORTH & SOUTH | NOVEMBER 2014
GREYTOWN
BAR SALUTE. A restaurant with an
award-winning tapas bar, full meals
also. Nice vibe, attentive and fast
service, with wide choice of food you
wouldn’t think to cook at home.
83 Main St, ph (06) 304-9825,
www.salute.net.nz
SCHOC CHOCOLATES is housed in a
former colonial grocery store. At
the chocolate-tasting bar try curry,
lime and chilli, apricot and rosemary,
carrot and coriander, fennel, salted
caramel and many more left-field,
sensational chocolate flavours.
177 Main St, ph (06) 304-8960,
www.schoc.co.nz
CARTERTON
THE GOODNESS OF FOOD cafe is gluten-
free – all the sweet treats, bagels,
croissants, pies and pasties are
made without wheat flour or other
gluten products. Boasts possibly
the only chef in New Zealand who
can make gluten-free croissants
and flaky pastry look and taste like
the usual flour-based versions.
75 High St, ph (06) 379-7778,
www.frillys.co.nz
MARTINBOROUGH
THE MARTINBOROUGH HOTEL (also see
“To Stay”) has a formal dining room,
as well as a hip cafe. Both options
have imaginative menus and
reasonable prices. The Square,
www.martinboroughhotel.co.nz
MURDOCH JAMES, vineyard, bar and
restaurant. Fun wine tours, fine wine
and a restaurant with pretty rural
views and fresh, tasty food.
284 Dry River Rd, ph (06) 306-9165,
www.murdochjames.co.nz +