A Drive Through the Rainbow Valley & then Molesworth Station

Karla had suggested that we climb Mt Owen but the weather wasn’t too flash (thank goodness) so she said what about Molesworth? It was a book that she was reading that brought this up, so we  left home at 6am arriving at the old Rainbow Homestead or accommodation house at 8am with a frost on the ground. And of course a locked gate. Here we had to pay a toll of $25.00. I really can’t believe this as the road was put through by the taxpayer and it is all taxpayer land (leasehold). The road through to Hanmer, I think is almost a direct route to Christchurch. We hear of talk now and then of new road proposals through the Heaphy and also of from Haast to Milford Sound through the Hollyford but what about this route? The road is already in existence so it must be a saving in resources, fuel, time and such which surely is important today. There doesn’t seem to be any logical thinking or plain common sense. It is really weird and then to have to pay a toll just seems to rub salt into the wound? However, we paid the toll and as we came back the next day, we didn’t have to pay again. That at least was nice. Funnily enough the original lessee was required to maintain an accommodation house for travellers passing through and no mention of any toll. How sad the situation today!

Hut

Molesworth, the largest run, station or farm in New Zealand of over 185,000 hectares with most of the area over 3000 feet and up to 7000 feet above sea level. Moa’s once grazed the grasslands where cattle now graze but we never saw either.

Molesworth Station

As we started early, from the Rainbow Run, we drove right through Molesworth to the homestead, had a look around then drove back to the old Acheron Accommodation House and campground just before the gate closed and then pitched the tent for the night. The road through was dust and dust and dust. It was very dry and this made for more dust. We saw magpies, briar, wilding pines and broom. Not good. We also gentians and blue borage but they were very dried up. Why do the weeds always look to be in good health while the good ‘weeds’ struggle? Maybe they should thin the wilding pines and harvest them when fully grown?

On the way back we called into Hanmer Springs for a quick look around. It is certainly a pleasant little town but it does seem to be geared for the rich and tourists.  We looked in on the old sanatorium and were surprised  to see a flame burning methane gas in the old vegetable gardens. I asked one of the workman nearby and was told that if they used the gas they would have to buy the mining rights. What a waste?

Mainly Oystercatchers

The Motueka Spit

Shirl and I went for a walk along the length of the spit, which took about two hours to reach the end. It wasn’t a really high tide but we hoped to see some of the godwits before they took off for their long flight to Alaska. On the way back we did come across two to three large flocks resting plus another group of oystercatchers. Also seen were knots, caspian terns, white fronted herons, royal spoonbills, NZ plover (?), pied stilts and black backed seagulls. Unfortunately we also saw dogs beyond the no dogs signs.  It would be best to do this walk early March, a high tide of close to 5 metres and not at a weekend.

Tarns at Head of Lees Creek (photo Frank Saxton via glider at 9000 ft).

Up a Creek with No Paddle and Over a Saddle

Up the Rainbow and here we go again! Drop me off at Lees Creek, pay the toll, hide his pushbike and return to park his car does friend Frank. Meanwhile I wander along the track to Lees Creek Hut which was quite pleasant on this fine day. Clear skies with mountains rising up to around 1800 metres above sea level on each side of the valley. The track follows the bush clad stream edge, narrower at the start to a large clearing about two hours up stream. This clearing took a twenty minute walk to reach the bush edge again and would be about 300 metres wide. Past a wasp nest right on the track edge and bumbling bumble bees feeding on the scattered blue borage in the upper valley and then I came to some fungus waiting for rain to disperse their spore to the wind. These were the type that if you tapped the fungus, the spores poured like dust from the tulip shaped bowl, something like a little air brush at work – but don’t sniff in. Once while just standing (and being there), a pair of brown creepers passed through nearby beech trees, inspecting branches and searching for any insects no doubt. Frank caught up and we soon came to the Lees Creek Hut looking a little forlorn and lonely in the middle of a large clearing. It has four bunks and a wasp nest in the chimney. It wasn’t that cold but nevertheless we thought the wasps might like some warmth which we duly provided. The humming stopped anyway. 

Frank at Lees Creek Hut

Out from the hut the creek was flowing but only just, however, a little downstream it had dried up. The sun  sent shadows to the valley, but higher up it bathed those rocky tops in a golden light. As full darkness came to the valley floor, up high the moon shone its light on those rocky tops making them seem like silent watchers of the night.  Well, it was better than that but this is the best I can do. it was good to hear moreporks calling through out the night.

No wasps were heard from the chimney as we had breakfast the next morning. We travelled upstream through beech for a start then it was threading a way through rough low scrub with just an exposed stream bed. What could you call a stream with no water? Following the “stream” on the left bank we eventually emerged above the bushline to a very steep sided valley with very large rock screes and the stream sides covered in tussock, spear grass, prickly matagouri, celmisias and other alpine plants. Except for about the first half hour or so, there were no tracks, only a route. We spotted several silvereyes which seemed to be feeding on speargrass seeds or was it the insects upon the speargrass? At around 1400 m asl, I was surprised to see them here. A falcon flew by up high. We stopped for lunch and then a short while later, reached the tarns at 12.45pm. From here it only took about a quarter of an hour to reach the saddle on Mangerton Ridge (at about 1900 metres above sea level)  and to see the long view down Coldwater Creek.

Frank coming down the Scree

Looking down the Coldwater Valley

From the saddle it was a long scree ride down and when I looked back to see how Frank was getting on, I had to really look for him such was the scale of the place. I did spot some Haastie sinclaii growing on scree too. Further down, soon after reaching the tussock, we disturbed six chamois and then a little further, out pops another which was probably a buck we thought. As it had been a good climb, we had agreed to stop at the first spot good campsite and this turned out to be about 3 km down the valley under a large  beech tree with a nice layer of grass.

Campsite in Coldwater Valley

The next morning it was a long slog down the valley, walking in a stream with no water in the middle section of the valley. It is sort of strange walking in a creek with no water. I felt inclined to look back, just in case the flow had started again. Nearer the road, we passed cattle grazing and then we came to the Rainbow Road at about 11.30am.

Fortunately, a fisherman was about to leave for the bridge on the way to the old homestead and he kindly offered us a lift. Frank rode his pushbike (recovered from some nearby bushes) and at the bridge, Frank continued his ride to his car while I walked the road to a little past the old homestead, taking one hour and six minutes, before I met up with Frank once more and so to home. Except for some low mist when we left the Lees Creek hut, we had clear blue skies for the whole trip.

My pack weighed 12.55kg (27 lbs) this included half the tent but no tripod or long camera lens.