DAY FOUR - Hanmer Springs - Greymouth

It was great that Sue Courtney gave everyone on the Convoy trip several different choices of routes they could take to the planned destination at the end of Day 4. Geoff will have told you about the route he took to Greymouth. We decided to go there via the famous Blackball Pub, as it's a bit off the beaten track and we had never been there. We were impressed with the wonderful road and scenery on the Lewis Pass - beautiful big trees on both sides of the road, overlapping into a tunnel of trees at several points. These things always look stunning on a nice sunny day.

We turned off at Ikamatua on the road to Blackball. There is nothing much in this town at all, except for the pub, named 'Formerly the Blackball Hilton' as they got into hot water with the Hilton group of Hotels a few years ago for calling it just 'The Blackball Hilton.' There was another quieter pub around the corner and a few old houses, with a school up the road. We walked into this pub to see other MGers from our convoy there, and a few others also joined us later.

We enjoyed a freshly made ham salad sandwich for lunch and admired an abundance of photos and newspaper clippings all over the walls of this fascinating pub. The Proprietor told us a bit about the history of the place, and also told us there were a few ghosts rumoured to be in the 2-storyed Community House around the corner. (I always get fascinated by things like that.) In 1893 a community developed in Blackball with the opening of the mine. The school opened in 1895 and apparently was well overdue as the headmaster had to prize the unruly older boys from the trees surrounding the school before he could begin the day's teaching. In 1908 Blackball made headlines with the miners breaking the law to go on a strike which lasted for 3 months, and they were fined in court. The miners were asking for their lunch break to be lengthened from 15 mins. to 30 mins. The Judge adjourned the court for 80 mins. for lunch! The miners eventually got what they wanted and the beginnings of the Labour Party evolved from this success at Blackball, and a big celebration was held at the Blackball pub.

The Ashley Hotel in Greymouth put on a fabulous 3-course dinner for us that night and everyone enjoyed it. They even had my favourite for desert - Brandy snaps!

DAY FIVE - Greymouth - Christchurch

After a good night's sleep we departed on Day 5 of our tour to Christchurch via Arthur's Pass.

Memories came back to me of the last time I had travelled over Arthur's Pass - it was an overcast freezing cold day in 1968 when our bus broke down on this road (we were heading the other way over to Greymouth). I was with my sister and other entertainers on the C'Mon! Show Tour travelling around the country. We were standing outside shivering while admiring the mountainous terrain for an hour, waiting for another bus to come from Christchurch to pick us up, but that bus broke down too on Arthur's Pass, so we had to wait yet another hour for a 2nd bus to come for us.

It was a lovely fine day this time though, and we drove via Dobson (where we passed a row of little old Austins parked on the side of the road) and Brunner - the historic site of one of the country's worst mine disasters on 26th March, 1896. An explosion deep in the Brunner mine killed all 65 miners inside. Among them was a Mr. John Roberts and his 3 sons who were all working that day. A big wheel was standing by the roadside - from the top of a mineshaft tower. There were photos displayed of the men who worked at the mine later in 1903. On the other side of the long suspension bridge hanging by cables, you can see big Beehive coke ovens and more information about the disaster.

We passed pretty Lake Brunner, and Inchbonnie (cute name - nothing there), before joining up with SH73 main route to Arthur's Pass. Passed Jacksons Historic Tavern and Otira (also don't blink you'll miss it) and Viaduct Lookout at Death's Corner, Otira Valley, before entering the Arthur's Pass National Park. The scenery was inspiring. We had a wonderful backdrop of mountains while we passed by 4 waterfalls, including one, the Reid Falls, which came out over the top of the windy road (you drive through a little tunnel) and dropped from a very high altitude into the river below. That was quite spectacular.

Sue had told us there was a café at the Arthur's Pass village called the 'Wobbly Kea' café, so when we reached the village of Arthur's Pass, high up in the mountains, there were two cafes on opposite sides of the road, but with a name like 'Wobbly Kea', how could we resist? We met up with other MGers in there and enjoyed some nice vegetable soup for lunch. Passed the Avalanche Creek Centre at Arthur's Pass, and noticed huge grey boulders in the river below. Passed Wilderness Lodge, Lake Pearson, Flock Hill Lodge, Craigeburn Valley, Castle Hill village and Porters Pass.

Next we had arrived in Springfield. "We're going to see The Simpsons" said Ross. No Simpsons, but we did see a yellow road sign saying MOA. (similar to the kangaroo warning signs in Aussie.) Should we be looking for Moas? In no time at all we were back in civilisation and heading for our booked accommodation at the Holiday Inn on Avon in Christchurch. We then found our way to the Rally Headquarters at the Cashmere Club to Register and get our Rally Packs, before meeting up with others, including our friends Bonnie and Jim Elsten from Long Beach, CA. After a relaxed BBQ dinner at the Cashmere Club, we were pleased to retire to our hotel which was, as its name suggests, right over the road from the Avon River, with all its big willow trees, ducks, geese and swans. What a lovely place to stay for the duration of the Rally.

Judy Hindman

Day 5 briefing at Greymouth

At the Brunner Mine