The old hut, Kinloch Hill

The great thing about the wairewa district on Banks Peninsula is that it is stunningly beautiful no matter what the weather throws down from above.

Today was no exception - the rain meant that the cloud swooped down from hill tops to low in the valleys around Lake Forsysth, the mid-peaks sticking up amongst the mist.

After dropping off a print job at Little River, I took a small drive up Kinloch hill to take this image of the old shearers cottage, part of the once-huge Kinloch estate..

Kinloch is one of the oldest stations on Banks Peninsula. Established in 1850 as a cattle station and later with merino and other sheep breeds, the two storey homestead was built in 1864. Whilst no longer the extensive property it once was (having covered most of the southern bays of the peninsula), the homestead still remains to this day and it's former lands are still farmed.

Incidentally this year the Kanuka seems to be flowering much earlier than usual, it's white flowers giving the scrub a delicate dusting. I'm sure it will be making an appearance in future blips..