Ron Laughlin The Ultimate New Zealand Travel Guide
Geraldine KIWI Holiday Park
Have you ever hugged a tree? No? Me neither. North American Indians from the Eastern US believed they received energy from hugging a tree. I can’t say I disagree as I get a feeling of quiet and solace whenever walking through a forest especially of very large trees. I have discovered the same feeling whenever I stay at the Geraldine KIWI Holiday Park. We have heard similar comments from fellow travelers whom we have met while staying there.
According to the records this land was set aside for public gardens and recreation grounds in 1864. In 1887 a Mr. Chancy became the caretaker and created a botanical garden planting with many of the original trees still there. In 1920 a Mr. Coombs took over and the next 18 years continued planting more trees developing the rose garden as a WWI remembrance.. The first kitchen was donated in 1921 by a local farmer on what is now the present kitchen block. Reports as early as the 1880’s tell of campers under canvas using the facility. Must have been a sight!
The park still has a number of very ancient and quite large species of trees throughout. Some of the most historically significant are oaks originally from the Royal Windsor Park, including the ones planted for the Coronation of H.R.M. Queen Elizabeth II. There are other very special trees scattered throughout the park such as the Weeping Totara that can only be propagated by cuttings taken in the 1940’s from the original at Sundrum, Woodbury. A Weeping Macrocapa has the distinction of growing the furthest south in New Zealand and a giant Cedar of Lebanon stands quietly near the entrance to the park.
In a positive and light-hearted addition the guardians of the park are Pinocchio like “pole people” sitting and standing around various locations providing guidance to the internet, thanking you for visiting, saying goodbye and generally making you feel welcome.
The Park is kept in well groomed conditioned along with very well maintained ablutions blocks, a fabulous kitchen area by the ever helpful hosts Brian and Kathryn Horrell who have been in charge for many years and still love it. It is a pleasure to visit a park with friendly and courteous people taking care of you.
The park is adjacent to the Four Peaks Centre that boasts a good cafe, Barker’s Berry farm outlet, a great cheese shop and a number of other interesting shops including the creator of the pole people.
The town of Geraldine is a pleasant place to walk around and has a good quality supermarket just a short walk from the park. Another shop has the Guinness Record’s largest jersey in the world. The most amazing artwork is the medieval mosaic masterpiece of the famous Bayeux Tapestry recreated after 25 years work with over 2 million pieces of steel.
The artist Michael Linton was from 1979 to 1999 to do the work plus then he and his daughter took another five years to research, design and create the “final section” of the missing panels in the original. Their website is at www.1066.co.nz .
So David and I stayed at the Geraldine Holiday Park, chilled out among the trees, visited the pole people, and enjoyed the variety of places to see in the town and maybe we even hugged a tree!
(to be continued)
