Wednesday, October 28, 2015

A Fairlie Wander, Gateway to Mackenzie Country

Thurs 29.10.15. A circuit wander I often did around Fairlie, after Leah dropped me off by the Red Stag Restaurant / Rimuwhare, on Mt Cook Rd, SH 8, to Kimbell, en route to her catching Richies school bus to take her to work at Lake Tekapo School:

L into Alloway St: Great Alpine views of Dalgety Range & Mackenzie Pass, Albury Range & Burkes Pass, Mt Edward, Mt Maud, Tekapo Saddle, Mt Dobson & Sherwood Range, including Mt Fox. As the street was on Fairlie border, I saw sheep paddocks & an alpaca farm. I wandered past Fairlie Museum & housing.

R into Ayr St: Housing & Fairlie Medical Centre.

L into Sloan St: Housing. Mackenzie Kindergarten & High Country Carpentry. During our 2 years' stay in Mackenzie Country we'd seen those carpenters doing lots of building work.

L into Princes St: Housing.

R into Bank Street: Housing.

R into Regent St: Great view of Albury Range. Housing & Bell's housing development at the end. Early days we'd looked at some of Bell's houses as potential rentals, but found them old, relocated houses & pricy. Since then, we'd seen a new house built there & another relocated house tarted up. Mackenzie Country Motors was at the bottom of Regent St, where we had our cars serviced.

L into Martin St: Housing.

L into School Rd: Housing. Mackenzie Rugby Club, Squash Club, Bowls Club & swimming pool.

R into Gillingham St: Housing. Mackenzie College fields, Mackenzie A & P Society grounds.

L into Hamilton St: Housing. Fairlie Early Learners school. Past Gall St, where Leah taught on Fridays at St Josephs Primary. Old Age homes at the bottom of Hamilton St.

L into Main Rd, SH 8: Housing. Gladstone Hotel. Bronze statue of a WW1 soldier standing on Fairlie station platform, awaiting a train to take him to war. (Fairlie station & trains died years ago). The statue was erected in 2014 to commemorate WWI Anzacs. Mackenzie District Council bldgs. Fairlie Hotel & a bronze statue of sheep stealer, James Mackenzie & his sheepdog. Shops, cafes, businesses & public toilets. Tourists buses often parked there for tourists to relieve themselves, then move on to higher things.

R into Talbot Rd: Housing. Great views of Devils Peak & Brothers Range. Fairlie Golf Course. Sewage farm. Ravensdown fertilizers. Heslips Hatcheries. During summer all that organic stuff caused fly swarms.

The Fairlie wander took about 1 hour.

Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

See Fairlie WWI Soldier statue