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The Taranaki Rhododendron Garden Festival has been an annual event for fifteen years, and attracts people from all over the world. With its rich volcanic soils, cool winter temperatures, and ample rainfall, Taranaki is a haven for rhododendron growing. The Taranaki Citroën Car Club's tour was rained out last year, so this year the organisers were determined for it to happen come rain or shine, and as it turned out it did both. A variety of Citroëns (and occupants) gathered mid-morning at the Stratford Railway Station in what the locals call liquid sunshine. Included in the line up was a BX wagon, (a local plumbers passion wagon?), a BX16RS (well travelled), Xsara Estate 1.8i auto, (very nice in green) a DS23 Ute (very practical ),a 1953 Light 15 (courageous couple), a BX diesel (from Wanganui), a ZX diesel and Xantia HDi (both from Auckland) plus the sole Wellington representative, yours truly with the XM. We headed east into the Taranaki high country ably led by tour guides for the day, Stuart Craig in the black DS Ute, and "tail-end charlie" Wayne (plumber) Lobb. The country scenery is ever changing, there are derelict buildings and old forgotten bridges. The Toko Boarding House stands prominently beside the highway as testament to the good old days long past, not to mention the abundant of wildlife that only remote New Zealand can offer. After a garden stop east of Toko, there was approximately 20 miles of gravel roads to come, and although single lane, they were in good condition with minimal traffic, mainly ourselves. We headed for "Tututawa", otherwise known as Barrett's Gardens, which are known to Wellington Garden Centre's for supplying quality rhodo's, and it was their place, in the hinterland of Taranaki where we had a picnic lunch. The sun was shining by now, and after lunch we took a tour of their seven acres of gardens, then back on the gravel loop road around to another lovely garden at Strathmore, passing through the Makahu Tunnel on the way. A lengthy one-lane tunnel, it was built in 1907, where many years ago, as the story goes, it was a place for impromptu parties, which were enjoyed by locals, who occasionally forced other travellers to join in, or wait patiently. On the way back to Stratford we stopped briefly at "Lavender Lane", a Lavender farm specialising in Lavender products and wood-turning. Finally a late cuppa and refreshments at Lobb's Plumbing Shop on Broadway in Stratford, which is a museum extraordinary in itself, with some unique bits of kiwianna created from derelict plumbing materials, all part of the proprietor's handywork. (nothing conventional here, a sort of Fred Flintstone copperware party). No wonder he drives a Citroën ! |
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My thanks to the Taranaki Citroën Car Club for organising this memorable day - Alan Adlam |
Top left: Cars waiting to enter the Makahu Tunnel, but not before the advance party check it out on foot (above). Left: First Garden stop. |
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