Arriving at Lochinver Station

It was dark by the time we arrived at the house, everything had been unpacked and put in place by the folk living on the station.

And then the shock set in, it was the coldest I have ever been in my life. What happened to the warm balmy nights that I was expecting. Rude awakening, it turns out that Lochinver Station is one of the coldest places in the North Island.

I made the kids have a bath while Val and I had a stiff drink, and I do mean made them. They kept calling out and complaining that the water was too cold and it turns out that they were quite right. The plumber had turned the power on but had neglected to check that the water heater was working and of course it wasn’t. So a very guilty feeling mother prepared a nice hot meal and it wasn’t long before everyone was in a better mood and ready for bed. Anything to get away from the bone chilling cold.

Next morning was no different and neither were many of the following days for the next 2 years that we lived there. Each day was bitterly cold, bleak with winds that cut right through you. Not to mention the ice that formed on everything.

I should have realised that things weren’t as they seemed on that first day as the trees all down the driveway were on a lean. Being a city girl it didn’t occur to me that the were leaning over because the wind that blew constantly was so strong the poor trees didn’t stand a chance at growing upright.

And so our life on a sheep station in New Zealand begins.