Saturday, July 28, 2012

We took a

 ride on th e Taeiri Gorge Railway up over the gorge, into the mountains and back again.  It was originally built the deliver food and livestock to points north of Dunedin but is now just for tourists. 

 Lots of pine trees

 Someone thought there should be something to look at near the end of the line, so this statue honoring sheep dogs has been put up.

 End of the line.

 This is the Dunedin Railway station - a Scottish design - the one below is the Pukerangi Railway station at the end of the line!

At the end of the line, the engine was unhooked and brought around to the back of the train which then became the front and back we went.

Northern Royal Albatross

After we visited Larnach Castle, we continued to the Royal Albatross center which is at the tip of the peninsula - - more fabulous views - and learned a little about albatross.

Northern Royal Albatross colony in New Zealand.  is the only albatross colony of any species found on a human-inhabited mainland. When they are not breeding Northern Royal Albatrosses undertake circumpolar flights in the southern oceans.  They mate for life and return to the breeding ground in Sept - Oct.  There had been one sighted earlier in the day but not while we were there.

 I copied thes photographs fromt display.  Their wing span can be up to 120 inches.