Discover Golden Bay in more depth, from mountain top glacial lakes to amazing karst limestone rocks, to hearing firsthand the local history of bygone days of mineral mines all in a natural geological wonderland. Next date is March 22-28, 2025.
Tour Review
“A road well-travelled is a road whose stories are told. For new roads to discover with South Island Tours, consider the Golden Bay Geological Gems Tour. Gerard Hindmarsh joined us as the guide. Gerard is the author of three books of Kahurangi stories, so there could not be a better guide for the tour.
Kahurangi only has two major roads. The first day exploring was to the Cobb Scheme powerhouse and Cobb Dam in the East side of Kahurangi National Park. The powerhouse is in a mountain valley. The Dam is above the powerhouse and is reached by going over a mountain. The weather was cool and bright. The scenery for lunch could not be bettered. The Cobb Scheme is a big story with many related stories. Gerard knows how to craft a story.
On the second day exploring we did ‘Kahurangi Out West’ [one of Gerard’s titles] which is Westhaven, the harbour at the top of the West Coast, all the way to the end of the county road. This area is Gerard’s forte. It has an extensive history of exploitative industries, plus the story of the road itself. As per my favourite story, I saw where cattle were driven, from the Coast to market near Nelson for 30+ years before trucks took over the job. Gerard was out there, getting to know the last of the ‘tough nuts’ before electricity arrived.
This is a tour for people who want to connect with pioneering history. A genuine connection exists. Try this tour for real stories.” Rod Cameron, Rotorua
