Back Over My Shoulder

We visited the hothouse at Botanica which is at the Council Fernery and indoor plant house.

Cambridge Fire Station

The Cambridge Fire Station is one of the nicer looking ones in New Zealand, and is well kept.

Unfortunately in recent years many new ones have been constructed of steel corrugated iron materials and often are painted in colours like green - well removed from the traditional red doors, so you could well go past them not realising what they were..

Up & Over

Waipu Cove hosted the 2008 Northern Region Surf LifesavingInflatable Rescue Boat competitions. The weather was great for it.

Nice Place to Go In

These are the stylish public toilets in Matakana, not far north of Auckland, sometimes referred to as Auckland's playground.

Whangarei is Hilly

The view from 242 metres at Mt Parihaka, with panoramic views of Whangarei and the harbour.

You can drive and park very near the top, which has a lookout and a War Memorial, with a red light that glows at night. There are bush trails around it, and one leading from the Hatea River to the top.

The Trees are Not Part of the Training Exercise

The trees caught fire when firefighters burnt an old house for practice, on the outskirts of Whangarei.

Hands Full

Each November a free family festival - Artbeat - is held in a central Whangarei park.

These jugglers were one of the attractions last year. We missed it this year as we went to New Plymouth last weekend. That's why the postings here haven't been every day.

Time in Blue

The Clock Tower in New Plymouth tonight. Tried to climb it but it was locked at Level 2.

Lake Life

The beautiful Kai Iwi Lakes, north of Dargaville, photographed in January.

It's a low cost place to camp, with lovely shallows for all ages to paddle in and a white sand beach, but has no electricity.

Nice Day for Reflecting

The view across Whangarei Harbour from One Tree Point, with Mount Manaia on the opposite shore, and Port Marsden visible on the right. The sand dam was there during construction of the Marsden Covemarina and housing development.

Red Fleet

Portland Volunteer Fire Brigade held celebrations to mark 50 years of service to their community last year, including a parade of these vehicles through Whangarei.

Fireworks Over The Beach

Last night we went to Ngunguru School's fireworks display, for Guy Fawkes. The school has a lovely outlook, onto the sandspit and beach.

Wave and Waka

The Wave and Waka sculpture is a recent addition to the entrance to Whangarei's inner harbour.

Blowing in the Wind

The Manawatu Gorge hills are host to Te Apiti, one of New Zealand's growing number of wind farms, providing clean renewable energy.

Big Squirt

Takahiwai, one of the tugs that also provide fire protection at Marsden Point for the port and oil refinery.

Just Been For a Quick Spin

The Whangarei Kart Club is currently replacing its track with an improved layout.

You can start karting at a young age, as can be seen here.

Beside the CBD

A 5 minute stroll away from the central business district and this is the view, the upper harbour and some of the many yachts moored there - local and international.

Some Railways Are Not Busy

The long disused section of the railway which runs through the main street of Kawakawa to the port of Opua in the Bay of Islands.

It is slowly being restored by the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway group, and regular short passenger trips are run with a steam locomotive from Kawakawa part way towards Opua.

This photo is from a stretch I walked besides a bay near the Opua end.

Not Your Average Fire Engine

This was photographed in 2007 at Waimihia Fire Depot on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo.

I have never seen anything like it before or since.

Specifications are:-
Make: FORD
Model: QUAD
Year: 1942
Submodel: 4X4
Main colour: Red
Vehicle type: Special Purpose Vehicle
Body style: Other Truck
No of seats: 1
CC rating: 3,620
Fuel type: Petrol
Assembly type: NZ Assembled/Built
Country of origin: United States Of America
Gross vehicle mass: 6,800kg
Tare weight: 3,800
Axle type: 2-Axle
No of axles: 2
Wheelbase: 2,570