This week, Mike Yardley opened up about Glenorchy's brand of eco-concious tourism, and revealed why it's a must-visit for fans of jet-boating, nature and Middle Earth.
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Episode Transcript
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack team podcast
from News Talks atb.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
Travel. Correspondent Mike Yardley is with us this morning, focusing
on the duel in Tauaipo, Namu, the South Island that
is Glenorchy.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Hi, Mike giorder Jack, good morning.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You know, Glenorchy has long been lauded for its kind
of eco conscious brand of tourism, but is it noticeable?
Speaker 3 (00:33):
It's all encompassing, Jack.
Speaker 4 (00:35):
Here, they proudly strut the eco stripes, and I think
rightly so, because it's such a close knit village, as
you know, and sustainability just seems to be steeped in
the DNA. It's a really good fit as well, because
unlike the buzz and bling of Queenstown, Glenorky is like
this antidote. It's all just so restoative and rusting you
(00:58):
can get there. And one of the latest community buy
ins to this whole sustainability ethos is astrotourism, which is
a very good fit, you know, in terms of a
regenerative approach to tourism. So the Glenorky area has just
become in the last couple of months, the world's twenty
third International Dark Sky Century. So that's also very good
(01:20):
for the bird life. You know, the birds don't like
too much light pollution.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
So it's oh, I didn't know that. So does that
mean we have two or do we have more than
two because we've got take a pore as well, right, we.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
Do, yes, and then we've got reserve, so I think
great barrier.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Oh yeah, right, that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
I think that's a dark sky reserve.
Speaker 4 (01:39):
Yes, oh yeah, We've got all these sort of like yeah,
of ye great places to see the star.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Yeah, nicely. So why is missus woolli so popular?
Speaker 4 (01:50):
Yeah, well, right on the entrance to the village, this place,
Missus Woolli's is like a hymn to localism and craft
and community spirit.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So it's an emporium of goodness.
Speaker 4 (02:02):
It's part general store, part cafe, park gift shop. And
this select of local wall products is absolutely superb, nearly
as good jack as the full Monte Gelato Sundays, which
they served them in a handmade waffled cup, very very
much recommended, and all profits from the sales that Missus
(02:24):
Woolli's benefit the local community Trust are really big into
giving BACKU.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Oh nice if you go for a jetboat down the
Dark River. How does that compare to some of the
other rivers in the region. What can you expect?
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Well, it's a cranking ramp to the river's upper reaches
and you've got mounta Spiring National Park and roving you
as you go. The traverse is massive, ninety kilometers, so
you actually reach the heart of the main divide in
the peaks don the names of Greek gods. You've got
Pluto and Chaos and Poseidon layering down.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
But for the night Tahou Jack. I found this fascinating.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Their oral history suggests they first discovered Ponamu here hundreds
of years ago at Quaraca, which is this mountain shaped
like a reclining giant and a huge scene of greenstone
tumbled from its side. So this is close to Mount Ernslaw.
Nitahu consider Ernslaw as the guardian of the precious stone.
(03:25):
So yeah, all of this predates the West Coast greenstone trade,
which I found absolutely illuminating.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
So really rich misty history.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
See I don't know that I knew that that. I
think I always thought the West co is going to
game first, right, But yeah, okay, very interesting. So Gnorky's
kind of a top tier destination for Middle Earth fans, right.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
Yeah, So for something easy, you can always take a
forest walk in Paradise, always a crowd pleaser.
Speaker 3 (03:52):
And if you want to walk.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
In the footsteps of Bilbo Beggins and friends as they
strode out into the misty mountains, head to the Arnslaw
Burn Track. This is a celestial slice of Middle Earth.
So the starring attraction on this track are the escating
waterfalls in Mount Earnslaw's spectacular hanging Glacier. It is a
twenty seven k hike out and back, so it is
(04:16):
for the intrepid.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, is tough climbs and it's an all day affair,
but you will not regret it.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
Time Magazine ranked Headwater's Eco Lodge is one of the
world's greatest places, which is a pretty big call. So
what is all of uss about?
Speaker 4 (04:30):
Yeah, yeah, I know those top one hundred lessons.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
They're a bit diamond, doesn't aren't they.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
But you know what, if you're coming on one in
Time Magazine, you're taking.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
It, aren't you?
Speaker 2 (04:40):
That's going on the LinkedIn.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
Yes, you certainly don't decline it. No, that's true. Headwater
is just gorgeous.
Speaker 4 (04:48):
It is this hand crafted masterclass in sustainable design, extraordinary
local arts. I've got like this serpentine floor, of mosaics
of braided rivers.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
I just loved that so much. Upcycling.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Many of the space in the lodge that've been crafted
from repurposed walksheds.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
It's a net.
Speaker 4 (05:13):
Positive energy accommodation provider, which is pretty cool. And it
certainly does not skimp on comforts you are in like country, qucy, country,
comfort galore.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
Nice, nice. So what impress you the most.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Well, the beauty of it.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
It's a very woodsy lodge, lots of chalets scattered about
the grounds. And this was actually the first accommodation facility
ever to be built to Living Building Challenge Standards, which
apparently embodies the world's most rigorous sustainability guideline.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
So it's right up there.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
But the other big impressors, whether you're staying in a
house or not, make it booking for a chef's choice dinner.
This is all about locally harvested products. They've got a
massive kitchen garden. The chefs will go foraging all over
the side around Glenorky and best of all this bacon
(06:11):
of regenerative tourism also gives back. So like missus Wallly's,
all profits from Headwaters go back to the local.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Oh so that's great. Yeah, that's so good. And so
when you're heading back to Queenstown heading north again, why
should you check out Bob's Cove.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
It's such a languid lakeside cove and you definitely need
to take a stroll in the forest by Bob's Cove
because you'll see firsthand the rewards of all of the
back baking, breack baking work that the local conservationists from
Southern the Lake Sanctuary have done. So they've revegetated the
cove and natives, They've trapped thousands of predators.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
The BirdLife has bounced back big time.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
That's what you really notice in this trust. They do
incredible Workjack. Just three months ago they released Takahee into
Reese Valley just behind Glenorky. So they are doing God's
work in Glenorky.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Yeah, Oh it sounds so good. I'm actually down there
in a couple of weeks. First time I've been to
Glenorky and I reckon at least a decade. So yeah,
really looking forward to it.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You've got to go to headquarters for that dinner. Jack.
Speaker 2 (07:14):
Yes, yes, I would just have to just have go
and have a quiet conversation with my wife and explain
that there might be a couple of weeks through expenses
on the credit cards you might not have been expecting.
But in mind, Hey, thank you so much. We'll put
all of those trips up on the newstalk Wasb website
of course, and catch again next week.
Speaker 3 (07:31):
Mike, thank you.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Jack.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
That is Mike Audie, our travel corresponding thank you very
much for your texts. Turns out I'm not the only
one who's got the bird feeder out at this time
of the year. Jack, We've got a few khaka here
in Murdy. Why Jack, too much sugar and the syrup
for the birds attracts nasty wasps. I agree, it's such
a joy to watch the birds, especially the bell birds.
Have a great day, says Mal and Jack. I'll see
(07:52):
your fan tail and raise you or get this a
core cuckle on my front lawn. Wow, that's great. They're
bigger than they look on the pictures, says Ben. Presume
that's a North Island cor cuckle. Otherwise we need to
get the Newsbalk's he'd be breaking use sting up and going.
Ninety two. Ninety two is the text number if you
want to send me a message.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
For more from Saturday Morning with Jack Tame, Listen live
to News Talks ed b from nine am Saturday, or
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