The Insider's Guide to New Zealand
Iron Ridge Quarry
Raymond Herber is more optimistic than most. In 1994, he bought an old limestone quarry that locals brushed off as an inhospitable, derelict dust bowl. It took 350-odd trips with a ute to carpet the rocky terrain with top soil. Slowly but surely, the Waipara sculptor chipped away at the raw environment to create something of beauty. Much like the land, his work changed too. Once a welder with little passion for his job, Raymond began experimenting with blacksmithing and creating shapes with wrought iron. “I always knew it would be a great place to display my work. But I never thought about turning it into a park,” he says.
Iron Ridge Quarry is exactly that. More than two decades later, the former dust bowl has become a picturesque destination for weddings, festivals and afternoon strolls. Large iron sculptures by Raymond and other artists are surrounded by a native garden, with dramatic limestone hills beyond the property a reminder of its former quarry days. The park is open on Sundays and available to visit by calling Raymond in advance. 707 Ram Paddock Road, Amberley. (03) 314 9198, raymondherber.com