Go down to strawberry fields

Waimate is a farming centre in the fertile Canterbury Plains, but the hills aren't far away

It was one of New Zealand's forgotten towns until 2004 when it celebrated its sesquicentennial and achieved national notoriety.

On the way back from attending Waimate's celebrations Prime Minister Helen Clark sat in the back of her ministerial car, apparently oblivious to attempts to break the local land speed record, and unconsciously put the town back on the map.

Suddenly everyone was asking questions. What was the name of that place? Where is it? Why did the PM go there in the first place? What is there to see there?

Clark's particular interest was, no doubt, Waimate's association with that other Labour Prime Minister, Norman Kirk. It was the town where he was born and where, after his sudden death, he was buried. Kirk loved the district and the outdoor life he enjoyed there on many a summer holiday.

In his memoirs he wrote, "We went by train and we'd be met at the Waimate railway station by my uncle who had a four-wheeled cart. We spent most of the time hunting rabbits, swimming in the creek. In the late evening you could sit out in the still air and listen to the creek running and the hills would stand out against the starlit sky."

Waimate was founded when two young farmers, Michael Studholme and Saul Shrives, settled on the fertile plains, at a spot where the Southern Alps stretch out the long arm of the Hunter Hills towards the sea. A town grew there when sawmilling started in the 1860s, but this was all but wiped out by disastrous fires, particularly one in 1878 which destroyed most of the buildings.

Rebuilding occurred gradually but the replacements have stood the test of time and the town today has retained an Edwardian charm. There is a wealth of ornate late-19th century buildings like the court house (now the Waimate Museum) and the old Post Office (now the Information Centre).

Waimate's churches are particularly beautiful. The Anglican and Catholic churches were designed by Benjamin Mountfort, responsible for many of the Gothic revival buildings in Christchurch and St Augustine's, the Anglican church, has some exquisite stained glass.

There is also a wonderful old theatre, the Arcadia, and there are plans to restore it to its full glory.

As Kirk knew, there are some marvellous walks in the area. For the best views over the district climb up Whitehorse walkway which leads to a lookout just above a white Clydesdale carved into the hill above the town. Alternatively, to experience the majestic totara forests which once covered the area, try the walks in Gunn's Bush and Kelcey's Bush.

You can still shoot rabbits if you want to but a more unusual prey are the local wallabies. Studholme released three red neck wallabies into the Hunter Hills and they have bred so rapidly that they are now considered a pest and hunting is allowed.

There are also several animal parks featuring wallabies. One of the best known is EnkleDooVery Korna. Here Gwen, known locally as the Wallaby Lady, has been hand-rearing orphaned wallabies since 1977. "They are difficult to rear," she says, "needing constant care to keep them warm and they have to be fed every three hours, day and night, with a special milk mix."

Probably the town's best-known business is the Waimate Knitwear Factory which has a shop in Studholme St offering a range of styles for men and women using a variety of yarns including possum/merino.

The nearby Waitaki River is a great place for salmon fishing and Lake Benmore is ideal for water sports. But Waimate is also famous for its berry fruit gardens with acres of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries.

This is a longstanding industry. The first strawberries were planted locally in 1883 and raspberries followed in 1896. In the summer of 1898 between 150-200 people were employed in the local berry industry and at the height of the season an average of five railcars filled with strawberries left Waimate each day.

The town celebrates that history in early December with a "Strawberry Fare", offering not only a chance to buy great chips full of large luscious berries, but also to enjoy the fun of the fair with 200 stallholders selling a great variety of products.

But if you do decide to visit Waimate, a word of warning: take it easy. As Helen Clark can testify, this is not a place to speed. Rather, as Big Norm knew, it is somewhere to relax and enjoy the outdoor life away from the pressure of city living.