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This small road is used by the ranchers who tend the sheep grazing on their lands; it was also our route to the caves we visited on a tour organized by Spellbound in Waitomo.
Aranui Cave has a natural cave entrance and is the smallest and most delicate of Waitomo's three main caves. As a dry cave without a river running through it, it houses very little life past its entrance. more www.waitomo.com/aranui-cave.aspx
Me abseiling into a 27 m hole at the start of our great five hour session of caving, blackwater rafting, rock-climbing and glowworm caverns. Photo taken by our guide Darren as I couldn't take my camera (too much water!) :)
A view taken shortly before the opening of the Waitomo fuel pumps at the Tasman Fish & Cafe on SH1 in Foxton around mid afternoon on Friday, July 10th, almost seven years on since the closure of the Foxton BP pumps at this site on July 18th, 2008.
With the new Foxton fuel stop offering a price of $1.89.9 a litre for 91 octane, about 2 hours after opening, Foxton Mobil just up the road on SH1 and which has had the monopoly in Foxton since the closure of the BP pumps, dropped their price from $2.04.9 to $1.93.9 a litre of 91 octane, so guess that speaks volumes what has been going on.
The new Foxton Waitomo fuel outlet is a 24/7 self-serve 'Pay 'N Pump' operation with the slogan, “Kiwis fueling Kiwis.” A further four pumps are still yet to be installed and grand opening is planned for Friday, July 17th.
PETROL PUMPS OFF AS FOXTON BP WINDS UP
22/07/2008
Foxton shoppers who cherish their discount fuel vouchers will now have to travel at least 20km to cash them in.
On Friday [18 July 2008] the local BP petrol station officially switched off its pumps in preparation for shutting-up shop for good.
The closure is a blow to residents who buy their groceries at the local New World, which offers a discount at BP on its dockets.
Local New World owner-operator George Samson had not been warned the BP was closing, and said he was "shocked" by the news, and disappointed for his customers.
The discount vouchers were important to a lot of people, but now they would be worthless because people would have to travel to Levin or Palmerston North to use them, he said.
"Now my customers are going to say they're a waste of time, because I have to spend money to try and save money."
But he did not expect there to be any long-term effects on his business.
Jean and Stuart Marshall have owned the BP for 20 years and had about 10 employees, who were a mix of full and part-time.
While the pumps were off, the shop was remaining open until remaining stock was cleared, Mrs Marshall said yesterday.
She would not say why they had decided to close.
"I'd prefer not to make any comments."
Soaring fuel costs had made life hard though, she said.
"Petrol pricing is an issue that affects everybody, and margins are almost non-existent for independent operators. It makes it very difficult."
An armed robbery in May had played a role in the decision, but was not the deciding factor, she said.
"We've had several [robberies], and it's all part of the mix."
It was sad having to shut the doors. "Twenty-years of our life here, and we basically built it from a little garage."
They were yet to decide what they would do with the land, and she would not say what would happen to any remaining fuel or the tanks.
BP New Zealand spokeswoman Diana Stretch said they were in negotiations with the Marshalls about the issue.
Mobil Foxton owner Bob Wilkinson said tiny margins and a growing number of drive-offs meant it was a hard business to be now.
They had been marginally busier since the closure, but he was sad to see the competition closing.
"I'd rather see both of us thriving, but in the present climate it's very difficult to do that." - Manawatu Standard
30 million years ago the entire Waitomo region lay far beneath the sea.
Today, both above and below ground, it stands as a revealing testament to a landmark period in New Zealand's and the world's natural history.
The glow worm, Arachnocampa luminosa, is unique to New Zealand. Thousands of these tiny creatures radiate their unmistakable luminescent light.
A very nice cave with thousands of glowworms, look like blue stars. Unfortunately we were not allowed to take pictures inside the cave.