Feeling particularly un-energetic, I opted for the short twenty minute loop to the top look-out. Of course, I could have gone for a three hour walk, but not today.
Needless to say, my short walk was still worthwhile, pics below.
Showing posts with label Photos: Waterfalls. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Photos: Waterfalls. Show all posts
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Hunua Falls
When is the best time to visit a waterfall? The day after rain of course - hence my trip out to the Hunua falls, just south of Auckland.
Feeling particularly un-energetic, I opted for the short twenty minute loop to the top look-out. Of course, I could have gone for a three hour walk, but not today.
Needless to say, my short walk was still worthwhile, pics below.
Feeling particularly un-energetic, I opted for the short twenty minute loop to the top look-out. Of course, I could have gone for a three hour walk, but not today.
Needless to say, my short walk was still worthwhile, pics below.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Omanawa Falls
On the way over to Tauranga, just on the far side of the Kaimai ranges lies this neat little waterfall, the Omanawa falls (which are logically located on Omanawa Falls Road).
The falls are a neat 20 minute walk from the road down a well formed farm track (the track is gravelled and could easily be traversed by a 4WD, where it not locked). After a walk through farmland and some bush, you get to a portal, which leads to a track along with excellent views of the falls (shown below).
Sadly, you cannot get access to the water. Access would be via the steel door at the end of the path, which is looked, but leads down to the old hydro powerstation at the base of the falls. The blue water does look appealing to swim in - but then again, it's probably icy cold! The other means to access the water would be via a flying fox - I'd love to have a go, but getting out could be a bit of a climb.
The hydro-electric station was approved in 1914, and first powered up in 1915. The power station fell out of use in the 1990's, but came back online after restoration in 2008 - it's still running the original turbine, and generates 200KW of electricity.
The falls are a neat 20 minute walk from the road down a well formed farm track (the track is gravelled and could easily be traversed by a 4WD, where it not locked). After a walk through farmland and some bush, you get to a portal, which leads to a track along with excellent views of the falls (shown below).
Sadly, you cannot get access to the water. Access would be via the steel door at the end of the path, which is looked, but leads down to the old hydro powerstation at the base of the falls. The blue water does look appealing to swim in - but then again, it's probably icy cold! The other means to access the water would be via a flying fox - I'd love to have a go, but getting out could be a bit of a climb.
The hydro-electric station was approved in 1914, and first powered up in 1915. The power station fell out of use in the 1990's, but came back online after restoration in 2008 - it's still running the original turbine, and generates 200KW of electricity.
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| Omanawa Falls - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls Track - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls Track - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls Track - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Power Station - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls Track - April 2011 |
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| Omanawa Falls and Power Station, 1915 |
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| Omanawa Power Station, 1921 |
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Marokopa Falls
Not far from Sunday's first walk, lies Marokopa falls - again, an hour and a half's drive from Hamilton, and a 10 minute walk each way from the parking area. The forest is pretty standard fare - but the falls are well worthwhile, as the following photos atest to:
Of course, the falls aren't the only scenery around here. The drive is rather scenic:
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| Marokopa Falls - 2011 |
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| Fungi |
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| Marokopa Esplanade - 2011 |
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| Marokopa Esplanade - 2011 |
Of course, the falls aren't the only scenery around here. The drive is rather scenic:
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| Phone booth - Marokopa 2011 |
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| Horses near Marokopa - 2011 |
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| Marokopa to Kawhia route - 2011 |
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| Marokopa to Kawhia route 2011 |
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| Marokopa to Kawhia route - 2011 |
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