Prints For Sale: Lodge Arrow Kilwinning No. 86, Arrowtown, Central Otago

This fine schist building was put up in 1888 for masons of one of the richest of the Otago goldfields.

This print is identical to my original drawing, done 100 years after the lodge was erected. It appeared in my book 'New Zealand Odyssey'.

Size of image is 28 cm x 21 cm .

Price is $NZ 50.00 inc. p&p in NZ.

Please contact me at donovan@ihug.co.nz

© DON DONOVAN. donovan@ihug.co.nz 
www. don-donovan.blogspot.co.nz

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New Zealand Odyssey: Buckingham Street, Arrowtown, Central Otago

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

These houses in Buckingham Street, Arrowtown are mainly workers' huts from goldmining days, the Arrow river and its surrounding area having been among the richest fields in New Zealand. They could have been demolished years ago had somebody not realized their historical value and now, despite occupying real estate that is worth small fortunes, they remain, photographic subjects for the increasingly large numbers of tourists that have turned the rest of the town into something approaching a Disneyland replica.

I did this painting in 1988. I am fortunate to have first visited Arrowtown in the 1960s before it had been 'discovered'.

No. 55 Buckingham Street.

© DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

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New Zealand Odyssey: A Farm Barn on Speargrass Flat, Central Otago

'New Zealand Odyssey', published in 1989 by Heinemann, was authored by me, Don Donovan (who did the text and illustrations) and Euan Sarginson, who did the photography and design. In this series of blog posts, I will publish some of my drawings.

This old stone farm barn was at Speargrass Flat, between Arrowtown and Queenstown in Central Otago. It looked like this in the late 1980s, a huge area of corrugated iron in various stages of repair covering stout schist walls that looked as if they would last forever. 

In the twenty of more years since then parts of Speargrass Flat have become among the most expensive bits of real estate in New Zealand with an international golf course, time share apartments and 'Homes and Gardens' homes and gardens that would even make dents in the bank accounts of Wall Street financiers!

I'm pleased to say that the original of this watercolour hangs in the sitting room of an old friend who seems to love it.

 © DON DONOVAN

donovan@ihug.co.nz

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Central Otago: The Crown Range

The drive from Arrowtown to Wanaka can be striking but mundane via the safe main roads or even more striking and really exciting (but still safe these days) over this, the Crown Range. From Arrowtown (or Queenstown) you cross the Arrow River bridge and immediately turn left to wind up, via a series of hairpin bends, the steep face that overlooks the Arrowtown basin. Once you get to the top you pause to admire the superb view and then start a gradual descent  to Wanaka, passing the old hotel at Cardrona (now flossied up for the tourists) and the access to the Cardrona ski-field.

The real glory of this trip lies in its wonderful hills which, like those at the Lindis Pass, look as if they're covered in a pilled greeny-yellowy blanket, soft and cuddly. The road (see bottom right of the picture) is an intrusion; one almost feels that the hills should have been left alone.

Imagine all of this greeness changed to pristine white in the ski-ing season. That's what the Crown Range looks like in winter: glorious but often impassable by road.


© DON DONOVAN
donovan@ihug.co.nz