Where in the World has Wendy been working................

GORE.... that's right, the Country Music Capital of New Zealand.

Yeeha.

The Rhododendrons are in full flower at the moment and they look absolutely stunning, so you are definitely going to see a few of those in this post.

Wednesday 18th November 2015

I arrived in Dunedin this morning, it was raining and freezing cold 6 degrees. (brrrrr)

Picked up my rental (see below) great vehicle but a bit of overkilll for one person.

A 2015, 5 door, 8 seater, Toyota Highlander (not complaining mind you)

My first car was a Mini way back in the day and back then the Mini had a push button start now all these years later and not much has changed!!

Anyway I am driving to Gore from Dunedin, first up I drove by Lake Waihola. The Lake was not looking very flash today. (Did I mention it was Cold, Wet AND Windy!!!)

Moving on, I arrived in Milton, below is the Tokomairiro Community Church. A Gothic church, Tokomairiro Presbyterian Church, was built in the 1860s. At the time of its construction, this church was the tallest building at such a southern latitude in the world.

Zooming along, I stopped suddenly when I saw the old Sod Cottage just outside of Milton.
The Old Sod Cottage is a mud cottage built in the 1860s as a stopping place for miners heading to the Tuapeka Goldfields. It is situated at Lovells Flat on State Highway 1 between Milton and Balclutha.

Next up driving over the Balclutha Bridge.
Didn't stop in Balclutha (Cold!!!)

Next stop Clinton where I found these Clydesdale Horses just standing around on the side of the road!

Woohoo, I have made it to Gore..and you know you have made it when you see the HUGE Brown Trout at the entrance to the town.

Now that I am in Gore the weather is beautiful although a bit cool.

Gore is New Zealand's Capital of Country Music and in 2005 they erected the guitar monument to honour this. At the base is about 70 hand prints of musicians who attended the 2005 Gold Guitar Awards.

Glass Clock Tower this was built in 1991 and houses the original clockworks from the 1906 town clock.

I stayed at the Heartland Hotel, Croydon in Gore.  This is being fully refurbished and I was one of the first to get one of the new rooms.

Bedroom

After checking in and before I went to work (yes I did do some work!!) I drove out to Mataura

Bridge over the Mataura River

The Mataura freezing works opened in 1893 and drew on the Mataura River for a water supply. The falls used to be much larger but were blasted in the course for providing water for the works and other factories.

Below looking up the river towards the Freezing Works

Below looking down the Mataura River

Above the Mataura Presbyterian Church

Heading back to Gore I saw these amazing Rhododendrons and flowers outside the entrance to the Race Course

So I have done a bit of work and its now about 6.00pm. I decided to walk through the Gore Public Gardens.

They are beautiful with lots of Rhododendron, Lillies, Peonies, Roses and much more, including an Aviary.

After I wandered around the gardens I went for a drive and saw this amazing sunset.

Thursday 19th November 2015
Another stunning day in Gore and it is very warm.
Yay I love the warm!
On the way to work this morning I went for another wander around the gardens because they are especially stunning

Have you ever seen a Karl Maughan painting, well it looks exactly like this.

After an extremely long day at work I went for another drive, you can just make out the snow still on the mountains.

Below is the Anglican Trinity Church

and...another Rhododendron

Eastern Southland Gallery don't Google Gore Art Gallery this brings up lots of images, scary, gory images!

Sergeant Dan the Creamoata Man
Sergeant Dan was created in 1915 to help sell Creamoata, Gore company Fleming & Co's product which had been on the shelves since 1906.

Friday 20th November 2015

Heading back to Dunedin to catch my flight back to Auckland and the day is wet and cold.

Only stopped to take a photo of the Balclutha Bridge and Clutha River.

HOME SAFE AND SOUND