1-25-11
Quarry-Waipara Sleepers

On my way out of Oamaru I stopped in at the Quarry just about ten miles out of town.

I stopped in at the maintenance shop rather than the office as I almost always get better info from the working guys, rather then the ‘Suits’. I was really lucky to find a guy that has been working here for 35 years. He said that they only cut rock for 8 weeks and spend the rest of the year cutting up what they harvested. They have a rig that has three 3 meter (10 feet) blades that slices the rock and then a front end loader just rams the block and it knocks it loose. He said there used to be about 200 quarries around here but this is the only one left in operation. He said that those big buildings that are in Oamaru were mostly built without mortar, just maybe a little sand. He said they are totally resistant to earthquakes and just wiggle a little and settle back where they were. They use the stone now only for a venire on buildings as it would be too expensive to build with whole stone like in the old days. He said they just delivered raw rock and the masons at the job site would cut and fit the stones. It seems like some of those carvings must have been done with machines though.

on the way down to the quarry is this sheep chute built with the stone. It should last a few thousand years.

I stopped at a little church to eat my lunch and take a nap. Graveyards are always so nice and quite and usually have nice shade trees for a nap. It is a Maori Indian grave yard which was interesting. Most of the old stones I could not read.

I see a sign that says ‘Real Fruit Ice Cream” and I have learned to stop as they are wonderful.

They put two scoops of ice cream and then a lot of fruit in the bottom and then lower the screw into it and out comes the mixed ice cream. Yummy.

A huge carrot seed field. This should make enough carrot seed for most of the world.

A very quiet Backpacker Hostel that I was VERY lucky to find.

I have been getting over a cold and that is the main reason I stayed so long in Oamaru. When I got to this place I told the lady that I was still having coughing fits in the night and would appreciate it if she could give me a room by myself so the others in a dorm wouldn’t throw me out in the middle of the night for coughing. She put me way in the back in this little Dog house…. Just enough from for a big bed and my stuff. I didn’t get one of the Sleeper cars which would have been ok too.

The TV and lounge car.

Some Germans that were biking on the deck of the station house. Actually the kitchen and computer room.

Some info on the walls in the little dog house.

Maybe not as safe as they say above?

almost all hostels have these automatic hot water founts. This is the first one I have seen like this. Must be a really old one. It was just so cool to have it come up to temperature and have the steam whistle blow…

In the morning the host came in to the kitchen and served hot fresh made bread and he told me to help myself to the fresh range eggs and butter in the fridge. This is a REALLY nice place, especially if you are train sensitive. (TAKE NOTE: Steamboat Jack and Keith)