Getting off the beaten track and staying in campsites far away from the hurly-burly of the main holiday destinations is the best way to discover the country's hidden gems, the Soper family says.
The family of six left their brand new home in Te Anau for a month's holiday in a caravan and tents, heading for all the "alternative " camping sites rather than the more popular and busier destinations in Otago and Southland.
The Otago Daily Times caught up with the Sopers this week at St Bathans Domain, a Department of Conservation campsite, just 800m down the road from the historic village.
"This is just awesome and we'll definitely be back, " Mrs Soper said.
The domain is sheltered by mature poplar, pine and birch trees and the day the ODT called in, the Sopers had it all to themselves.
They had been staying for several days and had company most of the time.
Other campers included people in a house bus and a couple with a baby.
It is free to camp at the domain, which has basic facilities -toilets and tap water.
The Sopers' caravan has toilet facilities and they had also rigged up a gas-powered shower and were quite comfortable, planning to stay "until we've had enough of it", Mr Soper said.
The spaciousness of the site was one of things that appealed the most, they said.
"The kids have got space to roam around in and it's so relaxed, " Mrs Soper said.
"There's only a few people here at any time and the kids can go off and play and you don't have to worry about them."
"We've been camping in other places, where you're jammed in right next door to other people and it's awful, with everyone packed in and too many people around. We much prefer this - it's more relaxing."
Mr Soper, an engineer for Real Journeys in Te Anau, admitted they were probably bucking the trend, heading away from a holiday town to stay elsewhere, especially at places a bit off the beaten track.
"We'd recommend this to other people, though. It's the best way to find out more about your country. You can learn so much from your surroundings and you can check out all the spots and know where to come back to next time you go on holiday. It's somewhere a bit different from the usual holiday places."
The Sopers had visited St Bathans years ago and thought they would like to return one day.
They love the atmosphere of the village and, for the children, swimming in the Blue Lake has been one of the highlights of their holiday so far.
"It was just gorgeous, and they loved it," Mrs Soper said.
Will was proud to report he and his mother ran the Blue Lake track, taking 18 minutes to complete the 2km loop track around the lake.
The history of the area just adds to its appeal, the Sopers say.
"The whole town looks like it's out of a book, with the lake and the historic buildings. Walking along the main street is like stepping back in time and any minute you expect to see a horse and cart come down the road," Mrs Soper said.
Taking a cue from the town's origins, the Sopers tried their luck at panning for gold, but are still hunting for the elusive precious metal.
"We got pretty muddy when we were gold mining though, didn't we, and we're going to do it again, " Will says.
St Bathans is the third stop on their holiday so far.
They spent their first night at Athol, then had a couple of nights at Lowburn and their next destination will be in the Lindis.
St Bathans Domain:
Doc campsite
Off SH85, northeast of Alexandra
800m from St Bathans township
Free for campers
Facilities: Tap water and toilets
Attractions:
St Bathans is one of the gateways to Oteake Conservation Park, which was officially opened in May last year. The park covers more than 64,000ha of the St Bathans, Ewe, Hawkdun, Ida and St Marys Ranges, as well as parts of the upper Manuherikia basin. It straddles the ranges dividing Otago and Canterbury and St Bathans is one of the closest towns to the park.
Historic St Bathans village:
The historic mining town near the foot of the Hawkdun and Dunstan ranges is 60km north of Alexandra. It was established in 1863 to service the area's newly-established gold mines. Some of the original buildings have remained, including the St Bathans hall, which was made of mud brick. It was built in 1892-93 by the local publican as a public hall "suitable for theatrical and other entertainment".
The Vulcan Hotel, constructed from mud brick in 1882 and still used for its original purpose, is another of the special features of the village main street. St Bathans overlooks the Blue Lake. The lake formed in 1936 as a result of extensive hydraulic gold mining. The base of the lake was 40m below the town's main street and filled with mineral-enriched water, giving it a distinctive blue colour.
Source: Department of Conservation
