let me show you Twizel

well I truly do live in paradise

how many of you live with landscapes like this huh??

Twizel is in the McKenzie basin (so named after a famous NZ outlaw - sheep rustler), it was never supposed to be a permanent town, but sprung up whilst the hydro-electric damns and canals


were being built in the 1960's and 70's. At one time there were 10-12,000 people living here, but today only 12-1400 permanent residents, and many holiday homes and holiday makers

The area is well known for it's outdoor sports, cycling, skiing (water & snow), fishing, mountain climbing, heli-skiing, tramping and many many more outdoor activities; it is a very popular tourist destination with Mt Cook right on our doorstep, in fact this is Mt Cook from my back door step;

shame about the power lines, and my how those trees have really grown over the last few years...

this photo was taken a few years back, and from Lake Pukaki (slightly north of Twizel)


Lake Ruataniwha (Maori translation: lake of the two monsters) is a man made lake;


the engineer that was working here on the dam projects was himself a rower, and thus had the lake dredged, and a perfect rowing course put in, - needless to say when his boss man found out he was fired! ...but the lake remains and many local, regional and national rowing championships are held here every year...


Lake Ohau in the South of Twizel - great skiing in the mountains here in the winter!!

but here, let us follow this track and see where it takes us huh;

Twizel is locally known as the town of trees, when it was settled in the basin there was nothing to protect from either the winds or the strong sun, so these trees were planted 'cos they were quick growing

these trees have since become a bit of a nuisance with a lot of wilding pines, larch, silver birch ...


and rowan tree seedlings popping up absolutely everywhere; and pine cones galore....look at these marvellous bright red berries from the rowan,

and the wonderful flower from the flax

now that track takes along the banks of the Twizel river, if we continue along here we come to Mt Cook seat, where - yep you guessed it, another beautiful view of Mt Cook - somewhere along here the local lads and gals have a jump rope to fling themselves into the river, and this is the local swimming hole for man and beast (aka dog)

and back into the town - these are the houses that were built as relocatable homes, many have been moved off, and most of those that remain have become holiday homes, the odd one belonging to a resident;

they really are kinda cute, but very small,


quite full of charm and character


all the usual amenities,

and plenty of room for these beasts which are very frequent visitors

yes we have a mall, but not really by the modern expectation, or teen's definition - more of a market square really, and this is the main hub of Twizel town,

Mr 4 square

local cafes

I love the lake at dusk...

the medical centre where Rowing Man does his stuff

and my favourite - Shawty's - great for pizza, pasta and yes, fine wine..... and yes we have a cocktail bar too!!

right now 'tho, I'm for one of these

I hope you have enjoyed your tour, come again,

have a wonderful weekend!