Home > Field Trips > Hanmer Forest Aug 2009

CSP Field Trip to 'Hanmer Forest' held on August 16th 2009

We had a lovely day! Although the sun was in a miminalist mood, we were able to photograph wild mountain streams, mist shrouded landscapes, forest trees, vistas, waterfalls and historic houses.

We left the meeting point at exactly 8.30 am and headed off along Woodbank Road, passing through Woodbank Station to Grantham Hills. Our guide Carl Thompson, had obtained the code numbers for the padlocked gate. Here we were able to photograph a mountain stream and the mist shrouded landscapes. Two of the vehicles were able to ford the stream and deposit persons on the other side. It was amazing to observe the different positions that people adopted in order to obtain just the right angle for just the right shot.

We departed from Grantham Hills somewhat reluctantly and drove back down Woodbank Road to Hanmer Springs and then up Jollies Pass road to the cemetery. Here we were able to photograph various aspects of the cemetery, and also do "wiggly-wogglys" and slow "up looks" or "look ups" of the stand of trees near the cemetery. This exercise seemed to provoke an enormous amount of hilarity but, as someone said, "my pixels haven't had so much fun since I bought the camera!" Amid all the bonhomie, we also managed to fit in morning tea!

We left the cemetery and headed up Jollies Pass Road to the top where a short access road allowed us to get close to a power pylon. From under it there was a wonderful vista over the Hanmer Basin to the mountains of the Main Divide beyond. From there we forded a small stream , negotiated a dent in the road that used to hide a small culvert, missed being side-swiped by a gentleman in a Landrover Discovery who thought that he was alone on the road, and headed north down the Clarence River Valley to the waterfall. It was here that we had lunch and the Quiz.

After concluding our business with the waterfall, we continued on to the Acheron Accommodation House where a cold wind and adjacent rain deterred us from lingering for any great length of time. We headed back into deteriorating weather with heavy drizzle and low cloud on Jack's Pass as we drove over. The trip finished upon our arrival in Hanmer.

My thanks to all participants who made the field trip a light hearted but also a serious learning exercise, and thanks to Carl for giving so freely of his time and expertise. Thank you Carl.

Ulysses

Photos from this field trip by Chris Zeylmans

For more information including start times and meeting places please contact Chris Newman on 388 7147 or email judyreij@gmail.com

Previous Trips

Kettle Lake July 2009

Hanmer Forest Aug 2009