13 – 19 March 2023

Lake Brunner

13 – 17 March 2023

On the Way

The weather has been cooperative for most of the trip. Raining mostly on travel days.

Kura Tawhiti

Limestone formations that are revered by the Māori. Too cold to get an close look!

More on the Way

Arthur’s Pass for Lunch

Accommodations

The Lake Brunner Eco Lodge was established as the Mitchell’s Lake Hotel in 1868 and rebuilt in the 1930’s in a classic arts and crafts style with wood paneling. A beautiful old place with eight guest rooms, a pool room, a library, lounge, and dining room. Because it is not close to any power grid, the early owners harnessed the hydro power of the nearby Carew Falls. The lodge, down a gravel road on the southern shore of Lake Brunner, is surrounded by some of the oldest protected podocarp rainforest in the world. When the railroad arrived at the turn of the last century, saw mills sprang up to harvest the native hardwood forest.

Lake Brunner is the largest lake in the region. Its outlet feeds the Arnold River. It is more than 15 square miles in size and 335 feet in depth. New Zealand lakes are deep! The area, including both lake and rivers, is known for brown trout. Of course. Why else would Robert drag Bonnie here?!

The lodge is a historic part of the lake region and once flourished as a mecca for flyfishing. A few relics of that era adorn the walls—cane poles, mounted trout, a collection of flies. Because the lodge is remote and not well known, not many tourists stop here. Ian and Marjolein, who have managed the lodge for eighteen months, have decided to move to greener pastures. We hope a new lodge manager will turn things around because the lodge’s setting and access to great fishing are terrific.

Our hosts were great. Marjolein did all the cooking, offering a wide variety of dishes. Ian is the man of all trades and maintains the property including the pelton wheel that generates electricity from the nearby waterfall. We were their last guests because they are moving to Methven to take over a Japanese restaurant. Methven is a base for skiing in the winter and is turning into a year round location for a wide range of recreation activities. Some say it has the potential to become the Whistler of New Zealand. We are sure that they will do well given their talent and kiwi can do spirit.

The other two guests at the lodge were Dave and Scott, two friends from Washington State and Florida who travel extensively to fish. It was fun to swap stories with them at dinner every night. When Scott would say he caught one fish that day, he would show Robert a photo of a five-pound brown trout. Not bad!

The highlight of the stay, beyond fishing, was Ian and Marjolein’s two dogs—Enzo, a Cairn terrier, and Zeke, a Westie. They stand guard on the deck outside or by looking out the door of the dining room. Their names come from the Wizard of Oz. Enzo was one of the munchkins, and Zeke was the name of the cowardly lion. We asked why not Toto? Unfortunately, their Toto died a few years ago. Enzo is a truly independent dog. He took us on a walk to the boardwalk trail through a marsh next to the lake, patiently waiting for us when we lagged behind. Bonnie thinks he is a reverse herding dog because he always wants to be out in front. After the first day, he would greet Robert every morning at his 7:00 am breakfast. He has a GPS tracking collar his owners use to check on where he is or to summon him back to the lodge. In a prior locale, they calculated that he roamed more than 30 kilometers (eighteen miles) in one day. The furry white Zeke was once lost for several days and his owners called in helicopters twice to look for him. Zeke eventually found his way home. Now he is less adventurous and sticks around the lodge unless he is on the seat of the truck when Ian goes out on errands.

Wandering About

Food and Drinks

All prepared by Marjolien at the lodge. All very good.

Gloriavale

Robert and our fishing guide Charles stopped here to ask for permission from the Gloriavale community to cross the land to reach a river. Gloriavale looks like the set for a movie, but it is actually the home of a Christian cult. The clothes harken back to the Amish, but the community is shrouded in secrecy. This location houses 600 people, of which 200 are children. The school is fairly new and large. The community has been very successful in agriculture—dairy, chickens, crops—as well as servicing helicopters. But it has been embroiled in scandal for at least a decade, with charges including child labor and sexual abuse.

Punakaiki

17 – 19 March 2023

The West Coast of the South Island in another isolated spot with no grocery stores or gas stations for long stretches, so you are warned to plan ahead. This area was once known for coal mining and gold mining. Logging continues. The highway along the coast is a bit like Highway One in West Marin—winding and dramatic.

Lunch in Greymouth on the Way

On the Way to Punakaiki After Lunch

Accommodations

We stayed in a very nice, comfortable home that the founder of The Best of New Zealand Flyfishing owns. It sits a bit above the beach with magnificent views of the Tasman Sea, hence its name—wave watchers retreat. We had stunning sunsets the first night along with thunder and lighting. A pub restaurant was only a five-minute walk away. Plus we were able to catch up on laundry!

Geologically, the area has dramatic rock formations that thrust vertically out of the ground and the ocean. The heavy vegetation and the crashing waves complete the composition.

Strolling Briefly

Pancake Rocks

The main tourist attraction is the small national park at the Pancake Rocks. A short hike through the bush brings you to the unusual formations that emerge from the Tasman Sea.

Food and Beer

Next Stop – Nelson!