The Chelsea 'Sugar Works' are located on the north side of Auckland in an area known as Birkenhead. We're here because Allie read that there is a pond, hiking trails and a park on the grounds. The Auckland Council bought that parcel of land from the company some years ago and have made available to the public. It's one apparently of Auckland's lesser known attractions. And it's free. Come along as we explore it.
a photo from Wikipedia
The view of the factory as we arrived in the parking lot. The wind was blowing the smell of sugar and syrup to us.
Amiri is herding the resident flock of ducks toward the pond
This is the first live eel that I've seen in NZ. Later, we saw it nibbling on some bread that people were throwing into the pond for the ducks.
Heading up one of the walkways.
At one corner of the pond on a bridge that crosses it and leads to the trail to the park above the factory.
A Mom and her boys share a moment.
Up in the park overlooking the pond, then the lowtide mudflats, and finally the bay and city.
This was one of the 'grab' or 'clam-shell' dredgers that was used to load raw sugar in the early days. The boys are deep in a discussion of some sort with Amiri making a point.
Auckland is a beautiful city.
We are walking from the park area back down the hill to the parking level and are passing a row of company built homes. They were originally meant for management and engineers. Now, some are subdivided and other families live in them. At one time there were 35 houses. Only this row of 6 remain.
Here we are on our way home, approaching Auckland.
You can see figures walking around the top platform of the tower. They all wear coveralls and harnesses and are clipped on to a cable. If you're daring enough, you can jump off the platform and follow a cable down to a landing platform at the base. I don't know the particulars, but understand that after a few seconds of free-fall, the mechanism attached to your harness starts to slow you down and you arrive on the platform with just a gentle bump. -djf
What a lovely place! I would have loved to smell the fragrances drifting in the air. There is no way in the world that I would jump off that structure. You could not pay me enough to do that. I am not adventurous in things like that. I do not know if you remember how scared I was of the bridges at Black River Harbor and Presque Isle when I was a kid. Thanks for sharing the lovely pictures. There is no end of wonderful places to walk in New Zealand. McKenzie
ReplyDeleteNice find Allie! This is one of those perfect places to explore especially with the sweet smells enhancing your visit. Love going with you on your walk by the pond and seeing that big eel. Amiri looks so grown up sitting on that fence with the City in the background. I can imagine he is explaining how that monstrous clam-shell thingy could have once dug up sunken gold and jewels from the sea bottom in ancient Hobbit times.
ReplyDeleteAuckland's skyline is really quite impressive with the Sky Tower. Give me a dose of bravery (or maybe foolishness) and I might even go out on the platform on the tower - don't think I'd jump though..
I like being an armchair tourist and seeing all the cool places you guys go!
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