Thurs, 12th Mar, 2026 (part3) Recreation Reserve free camp, Waikawa to Thornbury-Aparima Bridge West, Thornbury, NZ (Invercargill & Bluff)

Wandered along the street - St Paul’s Presbyterian Church and old buildings. Invercargill is NZ’s southernmost city. It was founded in th 1850s as a Scottish settlement. Bit chilly out here. Pretty flowers as we head to the War Memorial. Pretty pine trees in the park. The Hayes Hardware Store is huge. 

Back to the camper then we drove around to Queens Park. Pulled into small carpark to check out Burt Munro’s Memorial.

Around to the another entrance into Queens Park where we parked and had a cuppa. Walked along through the garden to the Aviary which opened in 1998. Nice area with some NZ birds. No sign for these little ones and we all know who this is.

Met a Kaka who sang us a lovely song.

Great info about the birds etc in NZ.

Into the free fly area. 

A sign said the Golden-headed Pheasant was starting to show off to his girlfriends - he thinks it is Spring! We watched him strut his stuff but the girls weren’t interested.

Very windy now and more blue sky is showing as we drove around to the impressive water tower, constructed in 1889 taking 12 months to lay the 300,000 bricks and stands 42.6m high.

Checked out the PacNSave food store - very big and has a lot more to chose from then we saw in Woolies.

Quick photo as we pass the impressive Town Hall and another war memorial as we head out to Oreti Beach where Burt and other riders tried out and raced their motorbikes. The Burt Munro Challenge had it’s 19^th event here early February - that would have been interesting.

The wind has certainly picked up. Across a waterway and wide mud flats of the inlet - low tide.

Through the homes of Otatara then across the Oreti River which flows into that inlet.

Along to the beach access.

We turned around and went back to a parking area and then walked to the beach via a little pathway. Windsurfers were making use of the strong wind. Not sure what the hut is for.

Back to the camper for our afternoon drink. Steve christened his cooler.

I found some more information near the toilet block.

Back over the Oreti River again - upstream photo this time.

Then a Maori display area before we cross the waterway again.

Through Invercargill and onto the Bluff Highway following the railway line by the wide estuary on our right. Passed a few hikers with big packs trying to thumb a ride.

We continued on through more farms then we met another estuary on our left. A big smoke stack stands out in the distance. Where we are on Wikicamps.

At the town sign, Bluff - established 1824 we turned off into Ocean Beach free camp as marked on Wikicamps. Unfortunately it is now closed - I have the old version of NZ Wikicamps as the company was updating it like the Aust version and I know how bad they stuff that one up. Hence we will find a few things closed or new ones open that isn’t on mine but it is still a good guide. That kills that idea of a spot for the night. View to east. The actual ‘beach’ is on the other side of the road we drove along.

Continued on passed some more bent over trees.

That’s one thing we haven’t seen a lot of - wind farms. Must be one around here as there are blades here.

The mural artists have been here.

Up the winding road to the Bluff Lookout. Parked and walked across to the check the view over little islands and back up to the coastline. Very windy and hazy.

Found the wind farm

Walked along a path in the bush to the site of the old radar station.

Over to the other side then up curved concrete-sided path reading all the info as we climbed to the top. We have seen lots of yellow-flowered bushes - Gorse.

Reached the top and nearly got blown off - lucky they have the concrete walls! Great view - looking back over the narrow area where Ocean Beach carpark is that we stopped at.

I had fun trying to hold the camera still in the wind. Scanning around over the estuary to the east of Bluff over the timber loading area. Then the long loading jetty from the refinery on Tiwai Point. It is the NZ’s only Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) and primarily owned by Rio Tinto. It is NZ’s largest electricity user. A new deal with Meridan Energy in 2024 means it will continue to operate until at least 2044.

Zoomed in to the other side of the estuary - more farming.

Back to the camper and back down the winding road - boy it is steep. I was holding on tight. Didn’t notice the steepness as bad coming up.

The ferry to Stewart Island leaves from here - too windy for a boat ride! More murals.

Around the foreshore of North Channel to Stirling Point, site of historic Pilot Station.

Not much room for parking so I jumped out to take a photo while Steve got a park. A lady took a photo of me with the sign as I had stood here with Kerri & Debbie on 28 Mar, 1982.

The view.

A group of hikers were popping corks from their bubbly wine. I enquired and they had just finished 5 month trek from the top of North Island, Cape Reinga to here. Wow - that’s commitment. Those others we passed were part of this group too. More arrived as I walked back to the camper. Obviously the yellow sign is straight line north compared to the hiking route.

I saw a sculpture further along the street so went down to check them out. Found the Stirling Point info board too.

Zoomed in on the other lighthouse on Stewart Island.

No camping signs everywhere so we headed back to Invercargill. Continued northward then turned off towards Riverton hoping that free camp there is still available.

Through Wallacetown, established 1859, nice little town and across the Oreti River which we crossed west of Invercargill.

More dairy cows along here. Turned off then cross the Aparima River to a big grassy paddock which is the freedom camping area. It is 8pm and still enough sunlight for camp photo. Lots of other travellers here too but there is plenty of room.

Our route for today.

Got dinner on then I sent Kerri & Debbie the photo of us in 1982 and me now at the Bluff - we had a great time on that trip and I am having a fantastic time again with Steve.