The 309 Road is 22km gravel road in Coromandel and there are a couple of theories as to why it is named that. One being that it took a horse and cart 309 minutes to travel it and the other is that it has 309 bends in the road. I neither traveled it in a horse and cart nor did I count all the bends, but I did find some interesting things along the way.
Two main attractions on the 309 are the Waterworks, which is a bush clad garden filled with working water sculptures. It is very easy to get wet here but it is worth a visit. We didn’t go there this time round as we had our sights set on the Waiau Waterfall, a little further up the road. The track to the waterfall is short and not too steep, so I managed to get down and take some photos of the falls.
The main reason for this post however is to show one of the other attractions on the way. There is a pig farmer who allows his pigs to roam free, and often they can be found either on the road or along side the road. The buildings are run down and there is a graveyard of old vehicles lying around. The farmer himself is often out on the roadside talking to the people who stop to look at his pigs.
And it’s not just adult pigs either, there are piglets of all sizes wandering around the site. The are so cute it is very hard not to pick up a camera. These images are all taken with my cell phone to show you some of the photographic opportunities on our trip to Coromandel next January. There are now three spaces left so if you are keen to join us check this page and contact me soon.
