Each time I visit or pass through the McKenzie Country, I’m awestruck by the beauty.
Geraldine seems to be the gateway as it’s not yet the McKenzie district, yet it has the beautiful big trees and flat fields growing wheat and barley just like the official area. It also has a quaint little town.
Then, as I go further south, more fields of grain gain and other crops that seem to stretch into huge paddocks, seem quite enchaanting. It gives me the feeling of a movie set and I half expect to see a woman running through in slow motion in a whimsical way, with music playing. Hmm, Sting’s Fields of Gold springs to mind!
As I think about the smell of freshly cut hayfields, I remember a time long ago when first living on a farm. I thought it might be romantic to lie on the recently cut grass. The reality was it was far from comfortable or romantic, with hard stalks that felt like sticks, jabbing at me!
Each town in this area has more beautiful tree-lined roads. Whoever planted these had vision. It makes me hope someone is carrying on the legacy to replace and add to these. If only other places would take a leaf out of this book! It seems relatively easy way to transform an entrance to a town into something special.
If you have ever driven into Kinloch on the northwest of Lake Taupo, you may recall a long line of large poplar trees for a few kilometres along Kinloch Road. A friend of my parents, Johnny Weston planted these, possibly with others. I’m glad he lived in the area long enough to see how magnificent they became.
In the McKenzie basin, I love the way the plains open up on either side of the road and there is the wonderful feeling of expanse made somehow secure with the mountains around the horizon. A film makers dream set location.
The other thing that strikes me is the number of hay bales lined up for winter. Wrapped in green plastic like great long caterpillars lying side by side. It’s hard to imagine how cold it gets and how many months will come where there isn’t a blade of grass. But there will be lots of hay. Right now in summer, the sheep and cattle look fat and happy.
The lakes are also something I love here. Nestled in between hills and sometimes that amazing shade of turquoise or softer powder blue.
I’ve yet to experience the clear black night sky, that is so famous to show off the stars. It seems every time I’m passing through, there is a large moon. A good reason to return!
