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Maruia Falls

Driving through the South Island from Nelson towards the west coast we had to stop here. Maruia Falls is easily accessible from the road (State Highway 65). Its an ideal picnic stop. A couple of hours drive away from either Greymouth or Hanmer Springs. The height of these falls is 10 metres. When I first arrived I was disappointed at the cloudy weather and didn’t think I could take a good enough photo to share online. Exploring the area I was able to get down close to the water. The rocks shown here in the foreground weren’t very big but add much needed interest to the composition of this photograph.

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Kura Moana by Lisa Reihana

As part of the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of The Artist this huge sculpture came to the Whairepo Lagoon on Wellington’s waterfront. This giant octopus – Te Wheke-a-Muturangi was chased by Kupe across the Pacific Ocean, so the story goes. In the words of the artist themselves:

“Kura Moana focuses on Te Moananui a-Kiwa, the great ocean, and its role as connector between Aotearoa and across all the Pacific nations. I have created a series of installations that invite families and communities to discover iconic locations on the Wellington waterfront in new ways, to think about some of the local histories and stories that relate to this place. It’s about travellers, those who dared to traverse the Pacific, people who seek something new, another life. Kura Moana is a treasure hunt across the waterfront and I’m hoping that kids will go on a journey to discover the different installations – there’s music, song, playful inflatable sculptures and an augmented reality experience. I can’t wait to bring this art experience to Pōneke.”— Lisa Reihana, Artist in Focus

This is one of the best sculptures I’ve seen in Wellington. I only wish I had stayed a little longer to see the sculpture lit up at night.

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Riverside market – Christchurch

Opened in 2019 Christchurch’s Riverside Market is well worth a visit. Overlooking the Avon River in the heart of the central business district. It’s an indoor farmers’ market open 7 days a week selling local produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, coffee and more. For me it has always been a fantastic place to get lunch. I’ve eat great dumplings, Indian food, coffees and cookies from here. The design is very timeless and it looks like it’s been here for much longer than just a few years.

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I always knew you would come back

Wondering through the streets of central Christchurch you can’t go far without coming across amazing street art. I Always Knew You Would Come Back (2015) is one of the biggest. Australian artist Numskull’s bold typography brings Hannah Herchenbach’s words to life. The phrase was the winning entry in a competition and speaks of people’s relationship with the inner city. This wall is part of Canterbury College. In the foreground is the 605 Colombo Street car park. Getting the camera lens close to this puddle of water gave the photograph a nice reflection. Which I think is much more interesting than a gravel carpark.