26 January - 11 February 2011


(Please note - I will be adding many more posts about our holiday over the next week or so.)

Camp life consisted of meals being cooked outside unless it was wet, we then cooked in the awning. Twice on wet days we made fry-pan scones, they were very tasty date and dried apricot scones. 

Our old and much battered thermette was well used; it is able to boil water very quickly - more than enough water to make our cups of tea. Much better than having to use the gas stove all the time.

I enjoyed sitting in the bush to read, write in my journal, 

to knit and doodle ...and yes, to just sit and look and listen and take it all in.

On wet days I had plenty of time to do the same in the caravan.

Both of us love books and the Westport library gets well used, when we first arrive we stock up on books and usually by the time we leave most of them will have been read.

Jeff sprayed the drive for weeds, something that needs to be kept up. Sadly weeds were introduced when the the roads were made. Jeff also replaced the posts on each side of our drive entrance that hold a chain across. 

A shed and a watertank
Jeff's project for this holiday was to build a storage shed and install a water tank to catch the rainwater from the shed roof; both are small, the tank holds just 1000 litres but we also have the spring water.

There are two reasons why both are small: firstly the ground is uneven (read rough) so a site had to be leveled, secondly to have the water tank gravity feed they had to be placed on the ridge above our caravan - carried up - we wouldn't have been able to manage anything bigger/heavier.

I said Jeff's project but it became mine also as I was needed as his assistant, helping when I could.

Finally after several days (several days because construction was rain interrupted) the shed was complete and the water tank installed

ready to gravity feed down to our caravan next holiday.

There were a few distractions along the way. When the ground was being cleared and leveled weka decided that it was a great place to explore

...and to carry out their mating ritual.

March 3 -18 2010


We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday on old Forest again this year even though there was so much damage as a result of the storms, there still is so much of beauty; I loved the birds especially.


Our caravan is very old and our camp very primitive but we enjoy it all the same. A very relaxing peaceful holiday.


I spent my time eating, sleeping, reading and thinking, enjoying all ....and taking photos. 

We lost several of our massive trees in the storms but
we now have a view of Seddonville and the Mokihinui River
from our ridge,

A weka dining on a worm!

Beautiful young lancewood

Jeff standing at the base of
the very tall mamaku tree fern

There is so much of great beauty
on Old Forest

 Nikau inflorescence opening

Thermette  coming up to the boil 

soon be cup of tea time

As always, the birds were beautiful - and plentiful

Jeff most probably wishing

that he hadn't given me the camera

A beautiful wee flower - an insect on a petal edge

Sadly more trees were down in the winter of 2009

Huge areas have been damaged by the windfall

and/or when the trees were cleared away

Some of the small 'critters' on Old Forest

We are off on a lovely walk on the beach

We can't have a holiday on Old Forest
without going to Musssel Point.
Mussel fritters are so good
or how about dipping freshly steamed
mussels in vinegar.
Jeff collecting some driftwood too.
Lovely evening fire.

We had such lovely skies in the mornings and evenings.

The colours were pure magic.

It's about time this blog was updated for this year!!

Jeff and I spent 23 February till 19 March 2009 holidaying on Old Forest. This year Pauline & Gae visited - sadly the weather for their visit was terrible - cold, windy and wet - but then it is the West Coast of New Zealand.

We arrived to find that there had been a massive storm during the 2008 winter and many trees were down including some ancient rimu ....and our caravan lifted and reshaped a little!!

Pauline and Gae arrived.

We met them at Westport then visited Denniston

on our way up to Seddonville

where they stayed two nights in the old

school camp.

Gae taking a photo of the sunset near Granity

Some different types of fungi on Old Forest

So much beauty in spite of all the storm damage

Our roast lamb dinner cooking - complete with roast vegetables.

Some of Seddonville locals

The Beautiful West Coast road between Westport & Greymouth

From 27th January until the 21st February 2008 Jeff & I holidayed on Old Forest and Tina, Ian and Mum visited for a few days. They stayed in a motel at Seddonville.

Our camp on Old Forest.

Shell of giant native snail

Jeff made the letters for the Old Forest sign and put the sign up at the start of our driveway.

Jeff at Mussel Point early morning.

Tina & Ian at Mussel Point, we were all getting mussels for the yummy fritters.