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The West Coast of the South Island is known for its temperate rainforests, history of gold and coal mining and colourful locals- oh and lots of rain.
We decided to hit a couple of well known 4WD tracks and since the weather had been bad on the East Coast there was a chance that it would be fine on the West.
So on Friday Liz and I loaded up the Jeep and met up with workmate Ceri in his newly acquired V8 supercharged and fully equipped Range Rover. The Range Rover runs some sophisticated electronics to control suspension (adjustable air on each corner) however since this was the top line model it came with 20 inch rims and road tyres. This would be a good test of technology versus the Jeep’s springs, all terrain tyres and currently open diffs!
We headed towards the Lewis Pass and saw a reasonable amount of snow on the east side however this all but disappeared once we crossed the Pass. Our original planed lunch stop at Maruia Springs was curtailed once we saw the limited supply of food available (a couple of Panini’s and some sushi- definitely off season). So it was onto Springs Junction for some more traditional Kiwi tucker and a comparison of fuel economy. I had my new Donaldson pre-filter on the Safari snorkel and was not expecting anything great and was sitting on 13.4 l/100km versus Ceri’s very respectable 13.6- we had been driving fairly conservatively so good results.
After lunch we headed into Reefton which was to be our base for the weekend. Reefton is not short on coal with mines still operating in the area producing some very good grade coal. the lack of insulation in the old buildings is made up for by the constant high heat output of coal fires which leaves a pall of coal smoke over the slightly overgrown looking town. Reefton itself is a bit of a gem with very friendly people a safe community, lots of pubs and some nice old buildings. We had arranged to stay at a Bed and Breakfast, Alfrescoes, ensuite rooms in a converted villa for only $85 a night (off season rates). The owner apologised profusely for not already having the coal fire going but Ceri was more than happy to put his past fire lighting skills to good use. After a few minutes the fire was going and the temperature was starting to climb inside. We were the only guests and so had the whole villa to ourselves which included a communal lounge and small kitchen. I would definitely recommend Alfrescoes to anyone looking for accommodation in Reefton and their associated restaurant does great pizzas.
We decided to do the town and since there is only one short main street this didn’t take long even including the time at the visitor information centre gathering brochures and information. Ceri tried unsuccessfully to find some size 10 gumboots but despite going through every pair in the sports/hunting store could not find a single size 10 pair.
Having done the town Ceri suggested we shoot down the road to check out the historic Blacktown mining settlement. As it was close and up a 2wd accessible road we all pilled into the Range Rover and headed off. On first impression the air suspension does a great job of smoothing out bumps and striations, Liz amused herself with the onboard TV and DVD player. The suspension can be raised but only under a certain speed (it will automatically lower if you exceed this after a warning has been given).
The dirt road to Blacktown was one of the best dirt roads I have been on and definitely 2wd territory. As we arrived the sun was setting and casting a nice orange tinted light horizontally over everything which picked out the rust on the old iron bits of mining equipment as well as casting some great stretched out shadows. A nice full moon was also visible.
After exploring and taking a few snaps it was back to Reefton for dinner (pizza) and an early night.
The following day was fine and cool (about 5 degrees all day). The Big River track is easy to find up Soldiers Rd just out of town towards Greymouth. We stopped so I could air down and disconnect my as yet untested JKS sway bar disconnects. I jokingly took a couple fo pics of the trucks as “before” shots.
The road into Big River is around 26km long with “adits” or side tunnels off it on occasion as well as various old bits of mining equipment. In one of these adits we spotted some Cave Weta, a rare flightless large cricket type native insect.
In parts the road originally had old logs across it as a surface and these are still visible in places. The track is fairly slow going with some tight corners and close bush (here Ceri probably obtained his first light speed stripes on the Range Rover). All in all not a difficult road but definitely a long drive, hence the recommended 5-6 hours for the trip.
The Jeep performed well with the additional front flex of the disconnected sway bar and Old Man Emu suspension lift. The Range Rover only looked to get crossed up once but the electronics soon steeped in to lock the diffs and keep forward motion. In fact the road tyres were compensated for quite well by the sophisticated electronics and air suspension kept the trip comfortable inside the cabin. Not to say that traded tyres and smaller rims won’t make a huge difference to the capability (and longevity) of the vehicle.
Once at Big River we explored the rebuilt machine shed that houses the remains of the steam driven winch that fed cable up the hill to the poppet head and then down the 680m mine shaft. After a quick picnic lunch in a sunny patch the poppet head looked close if not somewhat high above the shed so we decided to walk up the track to it. The track soon disappeared at a scree/tailings slope which we clambered up and after much puffing reached the poppet head. At its deepest the mine reached 680m into the earth and the close confines, humidity and quartz dust made for pretty uncomfortable and hazardous working conditions. Going back down the scree was more precarious especially as I visualised myself tumbling down the whole slope and wrecking my camera in the process.
Back at the vehicles we drove the same route back out which while still a long drive was quicker than the drive in without the frequent stops.
That night it was off to Wilsons Pub for a meal of steak and burgers whilst the All Blacks beat Wales by a comfortable if not low score.
Sunday was our final day and the plan was to hit “The Tunnels” which were dug out by gold miners and feed Noble Creek into Waipuna stream. About 30km out of Reefton and just past Ikamatua you’ll find the Waipuna Creek Road. Follow this and you’ll come to the bridge over the Waipuna Creek. The creek bed is accessed via an unlocked gate the approach side of the bridge.
The drive up the Waipuna Creek is a mixture of river bed with the odd bypass track for some of the deeper creek sections. Like most of the West Coast streams the Waipuna Creek is tea coloured from the tannins that leach out of the native bush. A couple of exits up out of the waterway may require a bit of momentum as they can be steep and a bit lose. One sandy corner saw the Jeep start to dig a back wheel in but it kept going forward. I stopped to watch what the Range Rover would do but with a bit more speed and slightly wider tyres it just floated across the top with little effort and no apparent wheel spin. That was probably the only spot on the whole trip where lockers would have been useful on the Jeep (a set of ARB air lockers are on the to do list).
After nearly 4km keep an eye out for a stream appearing from the bank on your right. This is the first of the tunnels. Their proportion belies their width and close inspection and a bit of a walk through reveals a surprisingly flat floor with cemented gravel sides starting about six foot up and climbing to a high peaked ceiling. I walked ahead of Ceri as he drove the Range Rover through to check for obstacles and clearance as well as to take the obligatory photos. Out the other side we emerged in a fern clad dell with the stream heading off around the corner. After a slow walk back through the tunnel to the Jeep (I forgot to take a torch and didn’t have any following headlights to guide me) Liz and I drove through a bit more relaxed with the knowledge that the larger vehicle had made it through.
The stream, Nobles Creek, that we were following presented some larger boulders as we continued up it with the Jeep bottoming out on one particularly gnarly set requiring a reverse and different line. The Range Rover picked its way through with a bit of spotting on some of the more challenging rocks.
The second tunnel is only a couple of hundred metres along the creek and whilst being shorter has a row of wooden stakes that must have supported a small watercourse or similar. They look like there’re ready to stake any tyre that goes near them. With careful driving/spotting you can drive through with one set of tyres running between the two parallel rows of pegs. With the Range Rover on stock rims and tyres Ceri decided to forego this tunnel and hitched a ride in the Jeep for the final stretch.
Once through this tunnel we saw the beginnings of the Noble Hill track which we are reliably informed is no longer a loop track and ends up exiting through provate property which incurs an access fee. Aafter another couple of photos we headed back through the tunnel to pick up Ceri’s Range Rover then picked our way back to the first tunnel. There is a track that heads off to the Waipuna stream from the tunnel but a short exploration ended with the track dropping into a very deep section of the stream and so it was back through the tunnel and out the way we had come in.
Ceri was pushed for time so shot off directly through Arthurs Pass to Christchurch while Liz and I took a detour past the very scenic Lady Lake to join with Lake Brunner Road.
I was very impressed with how the Jeep handled the terrain and the JKS Quicker sway bar disconnects were a good investment (although you do still need to be on fairly level ground to reconnect them easily). The big surprise for the weekend was how well the Range Rover handled the terrain on 20 inch rims with road tyres. Apart from its sheer size that required the odd bit of bush clearing to save any major scratches, the sophisticated electronics and suspension go some way to justifying a new vehicle price tag that is pushing close to the quarter million dollar mark (fully spec’d as Ceri’s was although not purchased new).
Full marks to Ceri for taking his vehicle and using it off road and I’m sure not too many luxury 4Wds have been on these tracks.
Reefton is a great base for some fantastic unique 4wding and I’d highly recommend that every 4wd enthusiast make at least one trip the West Coast of the South Island. I know we’ll certainly be back to enjoy the driving, scenery and character of the coast.
For more pictures check out:
http://s999.photobucket.com/albums/a...02010/?start=0
We decided to hit a couple of well known 4WD tracks and since the weather had been bad on the East Coast there was a chance that it would be fine on the West.
So on Friday Liz and I loaded up the Jeep and met up with workmate Ceri in his newly acquired V8 supercharged and fully equipped Range Rover. The Range Rover runs some sophisticated electronics to control suspension (adjustable air on each corner) however since this was the top line model it came with 20 inch rims and road tyres. This would be a good test of technology versus the Jeep’s springs, all terrain tyres and currently open diffs!
We headed towards the Lewis Pass and saw a reasonable amount of snow on the east side however this all but disappeared once we crossed the Pass. Our original planed lunch stop at Maruia Springs was curtailed once we saw the limited supply of food available (a couple of Panini’s and some sushi- definitely off season). So it was onto Springs Junction for some more traditional Kiwi tucker and a comparison of fuel economy. I had my new Donaldson pre-filter on the Safari snorkel and was not expecting anything great and was sitting on 13.4 l/100km versus Ceri’s very respectable 13.6- we had been driving fairly conservatively so good results.
After lunch we headed into Reefton which was to be our base for the weekend. Reefton is not short on coal with mines still operating in the area producing some very good grade coal. the lack of insulation in the old buildings is made up for by the constant high heat output of coal fires which leaves a pall of coal smoke over the slightly overgrown looking town. Reefton itself is a bit of a gem with very friendly people a safe community, lots of pubs and some nice old buildings. We had arranged to stay at a Bed and Breakfast, Alfrescoes, ensuite rooms in a converted villa for only $85 a night (off season rates). The owner apologised profusely for not already having the coal fire going but Ceri was more than happy to put his past fire lighting skills to good use. After a few minutes the fire was going and the temperature was starting to climb inside. We were the only guests and so had the whole villa to ourselves which included a communal lounge and small kitchen. I would definitely recommend Alfrescoes to anyone looking for accommodation in Reefton and their associated restaurant does great pizzas.
We decided to do the town and since there is only one short main street this didn’t take long even including the time at the visitor information centre gathering brochures and information. Ceri tried unsuccessfully to find some size 10 gumboots but despite going through every pair in the sports/hunting store could not find a single size 10 pair.
Having done the town Ceri suggested we shoot down the road to check out the historic Blacktown mining settlement. As it was close and up a 2wd accessible road we all pilled into the Range Rover and headed off. On first impression the air suspension does a great job of smoothing out bumps and striations, Liz amused herself with the onboard TV and DVD player. The suspension can be raised but only under a certain speed (it will automatically lower if you exceed this after a warning has been given).
The dirt road to Blacktown was one of the best dirt roads I have been on and definitely 2wd territory. As we arrived the sun was setting and casting a nice orange tinted light horizontally over everything which picked out the rust on the old iron bits of mining equipment as well as casting some great stretched out shadows. A nice full moon was also visible.
After exploring and taking a few snaps it was back to Reefton for dinner (pizza) and an early night.
The following day was fine and cool (about 5 degrees all day). The Big River track is easy to find up Soldiers Rd just out of town towards Greymouth. We stopped so I could air down and disconnect my as yet untested JKS sway bar disconnects. I jokingly took a couple fo pics of the trucks as “before” shots.
The road into Big River is around 26km long with “adits” or side tunnels off it on occasion as well as various old bits of mining equipment. In one of these adits we spotted some Cave Weta, a rare flightless large cricket type native insect.
In parts the road originally had old logs across it as a surface and these are still visible in places. The track is fairly slow going with some tight corners and close bush (here Ceri probably obtained his first light speed stripes on the Range Rover). All in all not a difficult road but definitely a long drive, hence the recommended 5-6 hours for the trip.
The Jeep performed well with the additional front flex of the disconnected sway bar and Old Man Emu suspension lift. The Range Rover only looked to get crossed up once but the electronics soon steeped in to lock the diffs and keep forward motion. In fact the road tyres were compensated for quite well by the sophisticated electronics and air suspension kept the trip comfortable inside the cabin. Not to say that traded tyres and smaller rims won’t make a huge difference to the capability (and longevity) of the vehicle.
Once at Big River we explored the rebuilt machine shed that houses the remains of the steam driven winch that fed cable up the hill to the poppet head and then down the 680m mine shaft. After a quick picnic lunch in a sunny patch the poppet head looked close if not somewhat high above the shed so we decided to walk up the track to it. The track soon disappeared at a scree/tailings slope which we clambered up and after much puffing reached the poppet head. At its deepest the mine reached 680m into the earth and the close confines, humidity and quartz dust made for pretty uncomfortable and hazardous working conditions. Going back down the scree was more precarious especially as I visualised myself tumbling down the whole slope and wrecking my camera in the process.
Back at the vehicles we drove the same route back out which while still a long drive was quicker than the drive in without the frequent stops.
That night it was off to Wilsons Pub for a meal of steak and burgers whilst the All Blacks beat Wales by a comfortable if not low score.
Sunday was our final day and the plan was to hit “The Tunnels” which were dug out by gold miners and feed Noble Creek into Waipuna stream. About 30km out of Reefton and just past Ikamatua you’ll find the Waipuna Creek Road. Follow this and you’ll come to the bridge over the Waipuna Creek. The creek bed is accessed via an unlocked gate the approach side of the bridge.
The drive up the Waipuna Creek is a mixture of river bed with the odd bypass track for some of the deeper creek sections. Like most of the West Coast streams the Waipuna Creek is tea coloured from the tannins that leach out of the native bush. A couple of exits up out of the waterway may require a bit of momentum as they can be steep and a bit lose. One sandy corner saw the Jeep start to dig a back wheel in but it kept going forward. I stopped to watch what the Range Rover would do but with a bit more speed and slightly wider tyres it just floated across the top with little effort and no apparent wheel spin. That was probably the only spot on the whole trip where lockers would have been useful on the Jeep (a set of ARB air lockers are on the to do list).
After nearly 4km keep an eye out for a stream appearing from the bank on your right. This is the first of the tunnels. Their proportion belies their width and close inspection and a bit of a walk through reveals a surprisingly flat floor with cemented gravel sides starting about six foot up and climbing to a high peaked ceiling. I walked ahead of Ceri as he drove the Range Rover through to check for obstacles and clearance as well as to take the obligatory photos. Out the other side we emerged in a fern clad dell with the stream heading off around the corner. After a slow walk back through the tunnel to the Jeep (I forgot to take a torch and didn’t have any following headlights to guide me) Liz and I drove through a bit more relaxed with the knowledge that the larger vehicle had made it through.
The stream, Nobles Creek, that we were following presented some larger boulders as we continued up it with the Jeep bottoming out on one particularly gnarly set requiring a reverse and different line. The Range Rover picked its way through with a bit of spotting on some of the more challenging rocks.
The second tunnel is only a couple of hundred metres along the creek and whilst being shorter has a row of wooden stakes that must have supported a small watercourse or similar. They look like there’re ready to stake any tyre that goes near them. With careful driving/spotting you can drive through with one set of tyres running between the two parallel rows of pegs. With the Range Rover on stock rims and tyres Ceri decided to forego this tunnel and hitched a ride in the Jeep for the final stretch.
Once through this tunnel we saw the beginnings of the Noble Hill track which we are reliably informed is no longer a loop track and ends up exiting through provate property which incurs an access fee. Aafter another couple of photos we headed back through the tunnel to pick up Ceri’s Range Rover then picked our way back to the first tunnel. There is a track that heads off to the Waipuna stream from the tunnel but a short exploration ended with the track dropping into a very deep section of the stream and so it was back through the tunnel and out the way we had come in.
Ceri was pushed for time so shot off directly through Arthurs Pass to Christchurch while Liz and I took a detour past the very scenic Lady Lake to join with Lake Brunner Road.
I was very impressed with how the Jeep handled the terrain and the JKS Quicker sway bar disconnects were a good investment (although you do still need to be on fairly level ground to reconnect them easily). The big surprise for the weekend was how well the Range Rover handled the terrain on 20 inch rims with road tyres. Apart from its sheer size that required the odd bit of bush clearing to save any major scratches, the sophisticated electronics and suspension go some way to justifying a new vehicle price tag that is pushing close to the quarter million dollar mark (fully spec’d as Ceri’s was although not purchased new).
Full marks to Ceri for taking his vehicle and using it off road and I’m sure not too many luxury 4Wds have been on these tracks.
Reefton is a great base for some fantastic unique 4wding and I’d highly recommend that every 4wd enthusiast make at least one trip the West Coast of the South Island. I know we’ll certainly be back to enjoy the driving, scenery and character of the coast.
For more pictures check out:
http://s999.photobucket.com/albums/a...02010/?start=0