Largest Refinery In "The Saudi Arabia of Milk"

Ever since we began visiting New Zealand in 2008, we have been noticing the rather dramatic replacement of sheep with cattle. Where mutton and merino once were king, now beef and dairy are. This was most recently confirmed in a fascinating article in The Washington Post which referred to New Zealand as "the Saudi Arabia of milk." We assume they meant cows' milk. Anyhow, driving near what our DK Eyewitness travel guide to New Zealand described as the largest single-site dairy processing plant in the world, the Fontera Dairy Factory, we knew we had to see it. And you had to, too.

View from main entrance

Typical comings

And goings

But the navigational intricacies of Google Maps lead us to the
back entrance and far greater detail; including the plant's water
purification site

It's a vast site

Does its own electricity

No visitors, though

Its own line and station

One can only wonder what the neighboring herds think of it all

Cowettes en route to a new venue? We figured they were too
big to make veal, too little to make milk...cowette finishing school?

Opunake And Beyond

It was to be a big three-destination day, with drama toward the end, but a happy ending nonetheless. We decamped from Hollard Gardens, drove to on to Kaponga for administrative purposes, and then on to Opunake, on the coast, stopping there to briefly to walk the main street and then the surfers' beach.

In addition to everything else, New Zealand is a land of murals
and muralists; every town has some; Opunake had many

Old projector at the cinema

Peter Snell, miler of the mid-20th century; whom

I actually remember from my (very, very brief) time

on the high school track team

Impressive guy; I think I was impressed in part that a world-class
athlete could also be a Ph. D.

More murals

And some modest art deco too

Intrepid paddle-boarder; we thought

Paddling the Tasman Sea

Also, keep left

Every beach has its history

A bit down the road we came to these monumental public baths;
now closed

Worth a stop if only to see the monument and its reference to
a "British possession"; "the sun never sets....", etc.

Sic transit, Gloria

Hollard Gardens, 2

Continuing our visit to this wonderful place...

Eucalyptus forest

One of many refuges, viewing posts...there are also playgrounds,
BBQ and picnic facilities, etc.

Magnolias

Neat place; we finished touring as sunset approached
and spent the night in the freedom camping carpark