There were various reasons for lots of local NZ travel in 2019, and fortunately I had the time often to not rush trips across the likes of Central Otago, e.g. Wanaka to Dunedin and return.
The images below are very roughly in chronological order, but being lots of them I’ve uploaded with speed in mind – life in 2020 is nice and full, and sitting at a keyboard is best kept to a minimum. Enjoy!
![Silver Peaks, Dunedin](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/silver-peaks.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Sheep on a Southland Road](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/2-xmas-card-2019.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
These were long days with lots of water needed to keep hydrated.
![Cook Strait looking back at the South Island](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/3-xmas-card-2019-4.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Rowing on Wellington harbour](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/4-xmas-card-2019-5.jpg?resize=525%2C362&ssl=1)
![A relocated railway station in Central Otago now serving as a musterer's farming hut](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/5-xmas-card-2019-6.jpg?fit=840%2C623&ssl=1)
![Lan Yuan, Dunedin Chinese Garden](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/6-xmas-card-2019-7.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
I met my cousin and husband down there so it was a delightful family outing looking at some strong history, with them both and my son
![On the Rock and Pillar Range looking west](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/8-xmas-card-2019-14.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Camping on the Rock and Pillar Range](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/9-xmas-card-2019-15.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
It got very windy in the wee hours though, and despite turning the truck around so it faced into the wind, to get a good sleep I drove a few km and parked up in a gully out of it, and woke to heavy rain.
![](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/10-xmas-card-2019-16.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![old gold diggings on the Hawkdun Range, Oteake Conservation Area](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/11-xmas-card-2019-17.jpg?fit=840%2C619&ssl=1)
I’d climbed up to here in very cold winds to get some photos, and then descended in the dark back to my welcome little mountain hut on wheels, aka Cafe Toyota.
Mt Aspiring in the background
![Lower Rock and Pillar Range](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/12-xmas-card-2019-13.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![awning on Land Cruiser. camper](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/13-xmas-card-2019-11.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
Note no poles and my 100 year old industrial sewing machine got an airing
![Sunset from the Hawkduns](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/14-xmas-card-2019-28.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
Just myself, my three legged tripod and some nearby cattle to enjoy a perfect evening while on my way to Dunedin
![The now empty Cadburys chocolate factory in Dunedin](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/15-xmas-card-2019-25.jpg?fit=840%2C620&ssl=1)
Site of a new hospital coming up.
![Classic car in Wanaka](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-2-2.jpg?fit=840%2C470&ssl=1)
![Frog at Glendhu Bay, Wanaka](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-3.jpg?fit=840%2C611&ssl=1)
![University of Otago clock tower](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-18.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Christchurch cathedral statue](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-19.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Christchurch public toilets near the Square at night](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-20.jpg?fit=840%2C561&ssl=1)
![Christchurch Art Gallery](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-21.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Historic gold reserve cottage at Macraes Otago](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-27.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![Luna Light Festival fairies - midwinter, Queenstown](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-30.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
![The smog of winter in the Manuherikia River Valley, Central Otago](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-32.jpg?resize=525%2C238&ssl=1)
![Mt Tutoko, Fiordland National Park](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-33.jpg?fit=840%2C581&ssl=1)
![Wintery tarn and Hawkdun Mountains, Oteake Conservation Park](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-34.jpg?fit=840%2C626&ssl=1)
![World Loppet Merino Muster race 2019](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-35.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
These world class athletes on cross country skis are well into their 42 km race, and typically average speeds of up to 22kph over that distance
![native kaka at Orokonui Sanctuary near Dunedin](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-36.jpg?fit=840%2C840&ssl=1)
As such I get to do field trips, and here is a native kaka at Orokonui Sanctuary near Dunedin.
![Young lovers in the sunset, near the mouth of the Catlins River, Coastal Otago](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-37.jpg?fit=840%2C411&ssl=1)
I had a large print done for him of this image as a Christmas present, and it was well received.
![Nevis Valley gold dredge pond tree](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-38-1024x587.jpg?resize=525%2C301&ssl=1)
This visit represented the coldest I’d been in 2019.
![Nevis Valley gold miners cottage](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-39.jpg?fit=840%2C615&ssl=1)
![Lake Hawea from a day trip up Isthmus Peak](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-40.jpg?fit=840%2C626&ssl=1)
![Otago Conservation Board field trip Matukituki Valley 2019](https://i0.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-41.jpg?fit=840%2C617&ssl=1)
![Proposed conservation land on Glenaray Station](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-42.jpg?fit=840%2C416&ssl=1)
One huge area – one hour flying only covered a fifth of the farm.
![Lake Wanaka flood Dec 2019.](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/xmas-card-2019-43.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)
Last event 1999, and thankfully this one stopped short of the shops, just!
![Glendhu Bay autumn ripples](https://i1.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/14-xmas-card-2019-glendhu.jpg?fit=840%2C573&ssl=1)
![Dunedin Gardens rose](https://i2.wp.com/photoquest.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/rose-5.jpg?fit=840%2C631&ssl=1)