kaije

... was nowhere near long enough.

I was on a bus, travelling from Christchurch to Queenstown, and it was a very brief stopover. Luckily, the weather was clear and the view was amazing.

... well, the filming location, anyway. Definitely worth the effort required to walk to the top of Deer Park Heights. Watch out for the resident goats, though – they can be a little keen (i.e. crazed) if they sense you’ve got food.

The picture is of me standing on – or at least pretty close to – the spot where Legolas watched the attacking warg riders crest the hill. (If you think the scenery looks all back to front, you’re right – they reversed the shot in the movie.)

Noosa Headlands National Park is definitely worth visiting. The 2.5km walk along the coastal track to Hell’s Gates is particularly scenic. The track winds past several headlands and rocky bays, through Eucalypt and Pandanus woodlands, and there’s even a resident colony of koalas. :)

Always a fun and interesting place to visit. :)

Some highlights: the harbour views; exploring the maze of old laneways and buildings in the Rocks area; the Chinese Gardens; the restaurants and food halls in Chinatown; cake and coffee at Bondi Beach and taking in the scenery along the coastal walk to Mackenzies Point.

I was lucky enough to spend three weeks travelling around New Zealand in October/November 2005. It’s a beautiful country and I can’t wait to go back.