| Fairlie, McKenzie County | |
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Leaving Christchurch in glorious weather we drove the 160kms via Highways 73 and 77, crossing the Rakaia river onto the 73 towards Geraldine. This is the inland route recommended by a friendly garage owner (what other type of New Zealander is there?) and it really was worthwhile. Rakaia Gorge bridge below with Mount Euys and Taylor beyond. |
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Our destination was Fairlie, some 47kms West on Highway 79 and the homestead of Anne and Norman McConnell. What a wonderful lifestyle, 105 hectare sheep, beef cattle and deer farm with peacocks and ducks situated close to Fairlie township. The large mature mature garden with 100 year old trees has views of the mountains and two ski slopes are close by. Norman is pictured in the shearing shed alongside his woolpress. |
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Marian with Anne McConnell outside the farmstead. |
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Calves are big business in NZ and seem to outnumber the sheep. |
| Fairlie is a small rural town servicing a large sheep farming
area situated in the McKenzie County. It's a very picturesque area with rolling
hills to skiable mountain ranges. The township grew around the first hotel
built in 1865, in what was then known as Fairlie Creek. It's named after
Fairlie in Ayreshire, Scotland, the birthplace of the original owner of the
hotel.
Again, we only had a one night stay to pack in all the wonderful things around us, I think we could easily have occupied a week. Norman took us on a tour of the farm and we were treated to an impromptu sheep dog demonstration when one of the pigs got into a flock of sheep. Normans control of his dogs using a "sheepo" whistle was something else. I bought one but up to yet haven't mastered blowing it! |
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