Molesworth Station

Today we spent 7 and 1/2 hours driving through Molesworth Station - NZ's biggest at 180,787 hectares (the size of Stewart Island). A huge, empty mountain-surrounded series of valleys. We had a picnic lunch at Molesworth cob cottage (unfortunately damaged by the earthquake - as was the one at Acheron - so we couldn't look inside. On the way back we climbed up a track to a trig lookout (1279 metres) - straight up! That's our exercise for today

 

Acheron Accommodation House built 1862.  We couldn't go in because of earthquake damage to the structure.

Suspension Bridge

Suspension bridge from along the river bank

Along the road. It takes 2 hours to drive between Acheron and Molesworth cob cottages without stopping but we stopped at the shelters (with info panels) and to look around. Plus the hours walk up to the trig and back. The road is unsealed so we were VERY dusty when we got back to Hanmer Springs.

Molesworth cob cottage  built 1866

On the walk up to the trig.

Malcolm at the trig...

...and that's the road we came up from.