my views of New Zealand

7/20/2020

taramakau road-rail bridge

This photo was taken in 2016 when we visited the South Island. The bridge has been replaced in 2018 and you can no longer drive over it.

Built in 1893 in Hokitika, it was the last road and rail bridge on the state highway network.

The train line that used this bridge is the Ross Branch, officially known as the Hokitika Line.

7/07/2020

Hubby and I like to drive the backroads of New Zealand where I take a lot of photos, as you probably already know. I am usually oblivious to where we are, knowing that Hubby has it all under control, and so I am at a loss as to where many photos are taken.

That's not a problem since I can use whereisthepicture.com/ to pinpoint the location.

More times than not, I usually get curious about the town or area name and I go hunting on the internet to see what I can find. When I used google, I didn't get much information most of the time and was left very unhappy.

Then I switched to DuckDuckGo (click here for info) and found the answer to my questions!!

DuckDuckGo told me that the names of many of the places we venture to are simply meshblocks with no history at all.

Of course, I had to find out more so I'm sharing it with you...

A meshblock is both a geographic unit and a classification. It is the smallest geographic unit for which statistical data is reported by Stats NZ. A meshblock is a defined geographic area, varying in size from part of a city block to large areas of rural land. Meshblocks are contiguous: each meshblock borders on another to form a network covering all of New Zealand, including coasts and inlets.http://archive.stats.govt.nz/methods/classifications-and-standards/classification-related-stats-standards/meshblock/definition.aspx#gsc.tab=0

These are the NZ meshblocks. You can scroll inside the picture below to see all of them.

Meshblock 2018 (generalised) on Stats NZ Geographic Data Service

So, now I know there is not always a history behind each name place!

6/21/2020

Dugald MacKenzie Rose Gardens

When we stopped at this garden in Palmerston North several years ago, I

had no idea how special it was.

Opened in 1968, the garden has three sections: the formal rose beds, the trial grounds and the plant variety rights collection. The garden contains over 5000 roses in named beds. The garden was named after Dugald MacKenzie the Superintendent of Parks and Reserves from 1946 to 1966. He contributed significantly to the gardens development.

The garden is also home of the New Zealand Rose Society International Rose Trial Grounds.

Click here to read more.