WITH TENT AND MOTOR

Evening Star, Issue 20137, 30 March 1929, Page 5

WITH TENT AND MOTOR

FROM QUEENSTOWN TO MILTON FINAL ARTICLE OF SEA?OH [By Trip.] [All Rioiiis Reserved.] With the Easter holidays now practically over, the clock back to standard time, and the winter almost upon us, motor camping enthusiasts will bo packing away the gear until next summer. A lew particularly hardy motorists continue camping throughout the winter months, but tliosc in charge of camping sites say that the end of March marks the end of the camping

season at present. .in a few years’ time when the Christchurch idea of indoor accommodation for motor campers has spread through more of our tourist resorts, it may be possible to camp all the year round in comfort; meantime, winter camping is fraught with serious _ disadvantages and discomforts. This will be the last article of the ‘ With Tent and Motor ’ series for this season, the route given in this being merely the completion of a tour which was previously described as far as Queenstown. Eor those who are forced to take their annual vacation during the winter months, there is yet another method of motor camping which may appeal, especially if the desire is to cover a good deal of ground at a minimum of cost. Many of the present-day coaches and sedans have a front scat the back of which adjusts backwards, meeting the hack seat, and forming an excellent bed. With such a car it is possible to have a camping holiday at all times. A tent can be taken and used in fine weather, while the car itself will provide accommodation (for two only, of course) in bad weather. The number of this tyjie of car which has been sold lately shows that the idea is gaining in popularity. PEACEFUL QUEENSTOWN. With good weather, motor camping at Queenstown can be quite pleasant for a few more weeks yet. The camping accommodation there is good, a well-appointed area overlooking the lake being set aside, this being within a few minutes of the town. A small charge is made, and excellent service given. There are many interesting excursions to be made around Queenstown, some of which can he made in the car. _ Eor some of the best, of course, it is necessary to take the lake steamer. A short round trip, which takes you back to the beautiful Lake Mayes, is out across the Shotover River] and back to Queenstown through Arrowtown. For those who want a further thrill, the road out to Skippers can be recommended. This winds up over the steep O’Connell Range to a height of over 4,000 ft, through narrow gorges and along precipitous edges, giving some wonderful views over the bushclad country. For those: who wish to make out through Southland, the. lake service provides the necessary accommodation for the car, which can be taken across to Kingston.

EASTWARDS FROM QUEENSTOWN

The road eastwards from Queenstown, wide]) leads out towards Milton, passes Lake Hayes, and then makes out thorugh the Kawanui Gorge.— centre of the gold redemption operations of which much has been beard during recent years, to Cromwell. From here onwards, the road leads down through the C'lutha (Jorge to Clyde, a small town on the outskirts of the Central Otago fruitgrowing area. A short run further on takes you to Alexandra, by which time you are practically in the heart of the fruitgrowing area, which extends onwards through Roxburgh. Tlie much-debated irrigation schemes are situated within the area through which you pass, and the irrigation canals which carry the water to individual holdings can lie seen in various places. At Galloway, near Alexandra, thorn is a Government, irrigation farm, on which experimental work is carried out with a view to deciding how this laud can be most economically worked. 1 rrigational farming is the hardest type of fanning extant; there is, in addition to the routine work of the farm, constant supervision of water to be given, and it is a work of art. securing an even distribution of irrigation water over the farm, when the settlor is receiving his supply. The effect of irrigation is apparent to everyone. Here, amid brown, arid bills, are areas of bright green in which lucerne and English grasses grow luxuriantly. With amide water, anything can he successfully grown, but rho difficulty has boon for the settlers to gel as much water as they need. Alexandra is a neat little town with one or two good public buildings, and some tine gardens, again showing what can be done with this laud when water is available. From hero on the motorist passes out through another area of desolate and hilly country towards Roxburgh, but here and there along the road the desolation is broken by a farm in which irrigation, is carried out, often on a scheme worked out by the fanner himself. Towards Roxburgh orchards once again come into view, and in the fruitpicking season a few pence will purchase great, quantities of beautiful apples or stone fruits. There is a camping ground here, a short distance from the Rost Office, and a night can be spent hero if desired. ON TO MILTON. From Roxburgh the road lends out through Ettrick and Miller’s Elat,- and fruit-growing is again in evidence in places At Rack Junction the road branches olf to Tapanni and Gore, and those making back to Southland would take this route. The other road runs out througli the Beaumont and quiet little Lawrence to Milton, and thence through the Taieri plain to Dunedin. This being our last article, it is perhaps not inappropriate to express the hope that these have been of some service to those thousands of motorists who have wandered afield with trig ml car this summer Here in Now . calami, with our warm, sunny summer, we are ideally situated for motor camping, that most healthful of all holidays. Each season secs increases in the ranks of its devotees, and with the further improvements that are being effected in our roads it will become still more popular. If these articles have induced a few more motorists to go afield with “tent and motor” they have not been w.ritten in vain.