over the hill: Duntroon

About half an hour from Oamaru towards Kurow, in the Waitaki Valley, we came across Duntroon. A small farming town with some interesting and surprising sites.

The Duntroon Gaol was built around 1910 and was originally behind the Police Station down the road. It was moved here to make it more accessible for public viewing.

Then there was this interesting accommodation. Like a round barrel wagon on wheels. Although I expect this sign was more related to the old railway station off to the right (next picture).

The Railway Station was opened in 1834 and closed 100 years later in 1934. As per the above sign, it's now used as tourist accommodation. You can look up their website here. Their photos of the inside look really nice.

This water tank stand was built in 1878 and was used until 1934 to service the trains passing through.

The A2O sign near the bottom stands for the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail. We came across several people riding along this track. Later in the day, one lady told us that they get 15,000 cyclists through every year.

Nicol's Blacksmith's Shop has been operating since the 1890s. It was functioning when we visited.

Dave found someone to talk to . . . . Lucy wouldn't look at the camera. She was more interested in the real people inside!

In 1885, the road/rail bridge was built by the government. When it was replaced in 1975, this span from the original bridge was relocated to behind the Blacksmith's shop.

Also behind the Blacksmith's shop is a metal sculpture of a moa. It's enclosed in a fenced area, and immediately behind it is the Brewery Hole.

The Brewery Hole or pit is a hole in the limestone rock. The spring water is clear down there and Europeans used it to brew cider, hence the name. The traditional Maori name is "Waikoakoa" (Sweet Waters). Apparently they used it as a mirror when dressing their hair.

There are a number of old farm implements along the main street—part of Duntroon's farming history.

Sadly, the Flying Pig Cafe is permanently closed and is now someone's home.

The hotel is closed, but there are plans for its restoration.

Right next door is the Vanished World Fossils & Geology Centre. It costs $10 to have a look around this place. The lady who met us when we visited here was both passionate and knowledgeable.

Their displays are really interesting and there's even a room where you are given the tools (which looked like a toothbrush and small hoof pick) to find your own fossil. Apparently the kids love it. The fossil in the centre photo is of a shark-toothed dolphin.

St Martins Anglican Church. Built in 1896 out of limestone, this beautiful Gothic style building is on the main street—you can't miss it.

Directly behind the church is Earthquakes Road. We were told that further down this road is a landscape that was first thought to be caused by earthquakes. Hence the name of the road. The lady at the Fossils & Geology Centre told us that later it was found that a river of mud caused the interesting land formations. Duntroon boasts several sites that you can visit and we chose this one.

Stay on Earthquakes road out of Duntroon—it soon becomes gravel and quite narrow. Then you'll come to this sign on the left of the road. You can see the path going up the hill along the fenceline.

After I got to the top, my camera battery went flat, so I had to race back down to the ute to get a fresh one and climb back up again. My exercise for today all done. Tick. These cattle in the paddock next door were very intrigued. They'd never seen anyone do the hill climb twice in one day!

At the top, there was a sign about the area and this excavated part that was protected by mesh.

These are whale bone fossils—protected by the wire mesh in the place where they were discovered.

It's not much of a track—very narrow in places and uneven. You could easily twist an ankle if you weren't careful. But I squeezed through and kept going. Didn't want to miss anything!