Saturday, March 4, 2017

Waihi

Today we have driven from Tauranga
This beach is 5 mins from my Mums home, I spent a lot of time here when I was young,  it is very different now, there was no retaining wall back then and not so many houses,  there used to be horse paddocks down here. Looks much better with the tide coming in.
We went into town and to the Info centre and I found a card with a statue of Hairy Maclary on it, so,we had to go and have a look. I love these books when my boys were little
Hairy Maclary and friends has the cat bailed up!! While we were looking a toddler wandered up and gave the cat at the bottom right of the photo a hug and a kiss!! So cute.
From Tauranga we headed off to Katikati to show Eve the murals there that show the history of the town, and then we continued on to Waihi as Eve was booked on a gold mine tour. There was a very active open cast mine here but they had two major landslides in the last two years and so the mine is not working until they sort it out. There is other mining happening underground, so far only one house has dropped into a mine shaft...they are now back filling as they go.

Is a huge place. All along the fence here they have poppies to remember the men who went away from this area to WW1
You can't see the names here very well, but in one place there were 4 men with the same name, and none returned,I wondered if they were brothers. How very sad for the parents.
This is the old Cornish pump house that was used many years ago when the original mining was done here

And this Maori warrior was nearby, I don't know why her is here I couldn't find any info about him at the site.

*Update* courtesy of Mrs Perry 
RANGATIRA STATUE: A life-size bronze statue of a rangatira was unveiled and blessed in a ceremony at Waihi on 31 May 2001. The statue, the work of sculptor, Michael Weir of Glen Eden, is situated above Seddon Street, opposite St John’s Anglican Church. The rangatira is depicted standing, stooped and striking the ground with his taiaha to reveal water gushing from the ground. This commemorates the naming of Waihi. According to legend, the rangatira shouted "Waihi hi", meaning gushing water.

On the highest point on the Matha Pit Rim Walkway over looking the Matha Gold Mine in Waihi 

Thank you Tracee.

We are now at the motel, and have wrestled with getting everything back in our bags, Eve is having a pick me up
And may I say she enjoyed it.
Tomorrow we head for the airport in Auckland, we will probably be there when you are reading this,  we will be gearing up for the flight back to OZ.
I am of to do some FNWF sewing now.
Happy sewing.





12 comments:

  1. Hi Sue, Safe travels home to you & Eve. It will be lovely for you to be back in your own beds again ... tho I must say you have sure jammed alot into your holiday together & covered some great sights. I did laugh in your last post, the comment about your Mum not liking any change in routine ...mine sounds exactly the same!!! Laughed also at Eves "pick me up". I shall have to make sure I get to see that Hairy McClary statue next time I am over there as I loved reading that book to my sons too.x x x

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  2. Travel safe. I'm so glad you have had a great time away and shared time with Eve. Your visit with your mum would have been lovely too.

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  3. What an interesting area! Love the statues of Hairy M. Safe travels home.

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  4. Safe journey home Sue. I have enjoyed tagging along in your suitcase. We loved Hairy McClary too and so do the grandies x

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  5. you did fill you holiday to full and over flowing and I'm sure you have many good memories... I read Hairy McClary to my kids and now I'll just have to dig them out for the grand kids...have a nice flight back...

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  6. Safe travels home Sue and Eve,such a wonderful trip you both had,i have the Hairy McClary books here for the grandies,lol it seems these books are very popular.

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  7. What a trip you've had - you've shown Eve some wonderful sights. Waihi is an interesting place to visit - lots of second-hand shops too which can take up a good afternoon! I hadn't heard of the Hairy MacLary statues though - what fun! Wishing you safe travels home :-)

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  8. wonderful trip. i love Hairy Mcleary...
    Hugz

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  9. RANGATIRA STATUE: A life-size bronze statue of a rangatira was unveiled and blessed in a ceremony at Waihi on 31 May 2001. The statue, the work of sculptor, Michael Weir of Glen Eden, is situated above Seddon Street, opposite St John’s Anglican Church. The rangatira is depicted standing, stooped and striking the ground with his taiaha to reveal water gushing from the ground. This commemorates the naming of Waihi. According to legend, the rangatira shouted "Waihi hi", meaning gushing water.

    On the highest point on the Matha Pit Rim Walkway over looking the Matha Gold Mine in Waihi

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  10. Great pictures! What a wonderful trip.

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