Visiting an eco-lodge is living the National Geographic LIFE guaranteed to bring you more than you bargained for in enrichment of your soul.

The McSweeney's developed the Lake Moeraki compound as a way to keep a primitive Coastal rainforest pristine by developing tourism. Arthur's Pass followed in the middle of Arthur's Pass National Park and the Craigieburn Forest Park of the Southern Alps. I suggest taking as many of the free guided walks offered to learn about the plants, history, animals, and culture of this unique land. You can learn the stars of the Southern Cross, visit Glow Worm Glens, or learn a new skill (sheep shearing in my case). Private fishing guides and longer excursions are scheduled for a fee.

Quick Tips:

I wanted to learn how to shear a sheep and to see the dogs rounding up lambs. The poor ewe I sheared didn't require surgery because I took a l-o-n-g time concentrating on each cut. I also learned how to grade the wool and what an Armani buyer will pay for the "good stuff". Above all, my cultural ideas of farmers such as Andy ( pictured below) were reinforced.....a true GENTLE-MAN !

Best Way To Get Around:

Lake Moeraki is best reached by car since it is along the deserted SouthWest coast although there is a public bus that passes this way enroute to Queenstown.

You'll need to stay at both lodges for 2 evenings or longer to reap this experience. A schedule is posted every morning with the days free and fee activities along with classroom topics if you so choose.

The nice thing is that it is not frowned upon if you join or if you strike out into the forest for seclusion. Both choices are well respected.

Simon and my husband fell into an immediate discussion about the lodge's own hydroelectric power plant, it's construction and operation while we wandered through the low timbered lodge and the grounds before being shown to our room.
The room is typical 3-4 star faire with firm queen sized beds, private bathroom with blowdryer, stocked refrigerator, with coffee or tea service and a basket of free snacks. The vaulted ceiling gave the room extra expanse while a fan circled quietly above.

I headed to the lodges guest laundry room to do chores before the 7:30 PM dinner hour. We had missed the afternoon guided hike of the river area and feeding of the tame eels since we spent the whole day at Fox Glacier.

Dinner was a more swanky affair as men shed swimsuits and donned dockers with button-down shirts while most of the women put on a skirt or nice pants.
Since there are few guests, Simon began by introducing the guide/bartender and the evening staff before progessing around the room. We chose to have dinner with an Alaskan bush pilot and his nurse wife, a lawyer and his wife who were going to attempt a 3 day trek, and a young Aussie couple who went from shy to hilarious as the evening (wine) progressed!
You can choose to eat at a romantic table for two as well.
The evening Southern Cross hike was cancelled due to poor weather, but we were having too much fun to notice.

The next morning after a full buffet breakfast, we decided not to join the group on a canoe trip around the lake in exchange for our own 2 hour hike through the rainforest with 1,000 year old beech trees to Munro beach which turned into a Robinson Crusoe castaway adventure. This was after being swallowed up by huge ferns making one feel rather Lilliputian.

We were greeted by Anne and our naturalist guide,Tansy. One does feel at home as you are shown around and introduced to anyone encountered by their first name.
Our room was across from the guest laundry and the drying room where rain gear was available or (in our case) where wet hiking boots can be dried out quickly.
Each room faces the mountain with a sliding glass door to a patio or a balcony. Although the sun and the mountain pulled at me, I stopped and smiled as I saw the fresh mountain flowers in a vase and the snack basket of fruit and sweets. What a lovely room! The oversized bed surrounded by nice earthy colors was connected to a large private bathroom. There was a stocked refrigerator, and our own coffee and tea supplies.

We dropped our bags and headed into the sunshine for our first hike...the broad stream gorge walk. Crossing the paddocks of Marino sheep, each "girl" watched us in unison as we were careful to close each gate behind us. Nearing the river we scurried down to the bottom and picked our way across the floodplain. As the gorge narrowed, the water ran faster while soft spongy moss grew thicker. I found a spot under a sunbeam where we fell asleep to the watersong below and almost missed the sheep station tour!

Dinner is at 7:30 and afterwards we attended the Audio-visual talk about New Zealand's unusual geologic development, plants, and animals. This was led by the humorous and enthusiastic Dr. Sweeney, Himself!

The next morning arrived with a fine drizzle which didn't stop us from donning waterproof gear and heading into the mountains on the Rainbow Valley hike. At lunch time, we found a bench next to a little rippling waterfall to enjoy our packed picnic lunch as the sky cleared.

One of the best hikes was lead by Tansy where we learned about the European invasion of plants (lupines!) and animals ( pigs and possums) that are destroying the delicate ecosystem in this land of no predators.

I've got to be honest....I do not like to eat at a resort where my meals are included because usually the quality is bad and the food is cold. Now that I've said that I have to swallow and say that the Wilderness lodge has made me a believer..my faith has been renewed!

First course is a STARTER such as these:
* Coriander scented Chicken and Noodle Miso soup
* Salmon and Avocado Nori Rolls with Wasabi and soy sauce

Next is the MAIN with choices such as:
* Apricot basted Duck Breast, resting on a spring onion & Kumara Frittata, drizzled with a red wine reduction. (0ooohhlllalla)
* panfried new Zealand Groper atop gold Kumara Pancakes finished with a spiced Mango Salsa!

Now you arrive at my favorite time--DESSERT
* Hazelnut and Butterscotch Tart with Wildberry Frozen Youghurt
* Honey and date Pudding served in a homemade chocolate basket, thick chocolate sauce, cream and macerated strawberries.
Heck.....I don't know what all that stuff WAS but it sure was GOOD! At Arthur's pass my waitstaff pal (Robin) decided that I should combine things to get more chocolate. This must be a sin !

I got so excited that I forgot to tell you that you do get your choice of vegetables.
Both lodges have extensive wine and liquor collections and we appreciated the knowledgable staff who knew their Australian and New Zealand wines very well. Did I FORGET to tell you that you eat vegetables too????

I got even with Robin when I tried to fix him up with the McSweeney's delightful daughter, Claire. I thought that they'd be the cutest couple but Claire was too smart for my trickery!

After eating we went and met both chefs and complimented them on their fine work. Please try to do that when you appreciate a cooks work...they need to know that their hard work has been very appreciated!

It was a perfect day to hike with a brilliant blue sky, a slight wind to keep the insects away, and above 70 degrees(F). We could have chosen 5 trails from the lodge:
* along the lake
* to a waterfall
* or 3 different beaches
There might have been a few molting penguins at Munro, so it won my vote!

As we entered the rainforest we were greeted by the flute-singing bird called the " Tui" who was hopping branch to branch in the ancient beeches overhead. Cady-dids sang along and ended with a bellbirds crescendo. I passed the " inside/out" shrub that has leaves on the INSIDE and thorns and branches on the outside. This was supposed to stop the flightless Moa birds from eating them...never mind that the Moa has been extinct for 500 years. No one has told this plant the truth yet.

Soon the vegetation became thicker as the ferns towered over us and the sound of tinkling water was in the dense brush...somewhere....everywhere....

Coming to a wider stream we crossed a swinging bridge as we walked hand in hand in silence. We never passed another soul and the dream time began.

It was shocking to round one more bend in the trail to see the deserted beach immediately infront of us and the music of the canopy disappeared.
Ron laid down to nap while I set off in determination to see what was around each and every bend. Although I didn't see a single penguin, it was okay, since I was alone....feeling the sublime stength of nature around me. I would have been SO GOOD with Tom Hanks as a Castaway!

It didn't take long for me to reach a boulder impass and the current was too strong to ford around them. Turning back, I saw that Ron had moved to a pile of boulders that he had climbed and now sat ontop looking like some odd beacon. I joined him there, where we fell into the pull of the ocean and the warm caress of wind against our cheeks.

Soon, more people arrived (two by two--fashionable Adam and Eve's!) out of the forest and the Maori spell was broken.

They are known for their loud mouth....not a brilliant mind

Although Ben knows 5 hand and whistle combinations, he may either be ignoring the commands or barking too loud to hear them. All the time he bounces up and down through the tall grass like a toy on a bouncing spring.
One is never sure of Bens true intentions...other than the fact that he thinks getting ewe's to jump a ditch is just the most brilliant thing in the whole world !

Meg went flying on command and like a speeding bullet had the ewe's rounded up and delivered to my feet. When she was given the "down and rest" command, she had been in MIDAIR where she suddenly froze into a laying position and in slow motion floated to the ground landing gracefully.

Next, we went into the shearing sheds where over 6000 sheep are left naked each spring. Much of the wool from this farm ends up at Armani, but not all Marino wool is good enough. the lower leg and neck wool is lower quality, so it is seperated into different bins for other uses.

Most shearers can do 150 sheep a day at $1.50 each. The record happens to be 418 sheep in a 9 hour day. That's when you say that the wool is flying!

Andy can talk AND shear at the very same time! His finished wool was in one piece making me think that it was a trick with a hidden zipper along the belly.

My first problem was that the ewe was bigger than me when stretched out on her back. I wanted to blindfold her because those big eyes just looked at me filled with terror!

the next problem was that I couldn't tell where the wool ended and the skin began. It was probably a good thing this was a ewe and not a ram!

When the day was done I would have been fired. I might have finished 6 ewes in 8 hours along with 10 boxes of band-aids. Although....the pay sounds equal to what I've been receiving for my writing career......