Waipara Valley and Ōamaru

New Zealand’s wine regions are lauded here and abroad but one that often falls under the radar is Waipara Valley in North Canterbury. We imagine that won’t be for too much longer as people start to cotton on to what’s on offer here; namely, incredible wines, many of which are organic and/or biodynamic, often served up with gourmet locally grown fare in beautiful grounds with vistas of plains, terraces and hillsides as far as the eye can see. Cycle between them and buy a bottle or three to capture the memories. There are many beautiful places to choose from but two of our favourites are Black Estate and Greystone, both offering lunches using predominantly local/ organic produce. Plus, there are olive groves, nut farms and fields of lavender beckoning you in too.

And now for some something completely different… let’s jump down to Ōamaru in North Otago for a spot of steampunk revelry. This retro-futuristic subgenre inspired by 19th-century industrial steam-powered machinery, often set in an alternate Victorian England, has found a natural home in Ōamaru, with its Victorian architecture making the perfect backdrop. At the entrance to the Victorian precinct stands what used to be Meek’s Grain Elevator building. Built in 1883, it was then five storeys (20m) high and used for the storage and export of bulk grain. Today, this historical building is Steampunk HQ, an interactive museum, featuring a collection of retro-futuristic sci-fi art, movies, sculpture and sound. Great fun. There are many other grand old buildings in the precinct worth a gander, many made from Ōamaru stone, or whitestone, quarried nearby.