South central: New Zealand’s South Island uncovered

At first glance, the ocean-side playground on a sliver of the Oamaru coast looked remarkably out of place in this little town in North Otago.

Children’s swings hung across a structure that looked like a statue of Charlie Chaplin on a mammoth penny-farthing (yes, the arcade high wheeler). Seemingly ancient locomotive engines flanked a zipline at one end, while a multi-tusked elephant in leather accessories stood at the other end.

The scene was weird and wonderful, and something I had never expected to see on my road trip around South Island in New Zealand. But it would be the first of many little surprises on this seven-day journey.

STEAMPUNK SURPRISE

For instance, who knew that Oamaru, a three-hour drive south of Christchurch, is the “steampunk” capital of New Zealand? Steampunk, for the uninitiated, is a retro-futuristic, Victorian-inspired sub-culture infused with plenty of science fiction and steam-engine imagery. It explains the playground’s quirky design inspiration. Not to mention the puzzling gallery on the edge of the town’s Historic Precinct, dubbed Steampunk HQ, located just a few minutes’ drive away. Here at this two-year-old installation sat rusty-looking curiosities such as a giant motorcycle chopper, an airborne airship and a steam engine complete with a dragonhead.

The town of 13,000 people also has a famous Victorian Precinct filled with restored 1870s warehouse buildings, which have been turned into shops, cafes and galleries manned by craftsmen and artisans.

It’s clear that the town prides itself in these two themes, with its annual festivals — the Steampunk NZ in June and the Victorian Fete in November — that see thousands of out-of-towners gather in celebration.

Mark Everard, driver and guide for this road trip, told me he was pleasantly surprised. In his nearly 20 years of guiding, he had never seen the likes of Oamaru’s steampunk heritage. “I didn’t even know this place existed! Now I do,” he said with a laugh.

Owner and baker Ed Balsink of Harbour Street Bakery (decked with shelves sourdough loaves and flaky meat pies) remains equally enamoured with the town’s rather thoughtful eccentricities. Balsink, who had trained as a baker for eight years in his homeland Holland, added: “I’ve lived here for five years, and the town is still amazing. It has a lot of people who are really passionate about what they do.”

A COOL CITY

An hour and a half’s drive away from quirky Oamaru, down a rugged coastline and past glimpses of the Pacific Ocean on one side and undulating hills on the other, I braced myself for the blustering winds in Dunedin, South Island’s second-largest city.

Despite the wintery chill, the vibe was warm and welcoming. Think of this city of 126,000 inhabitants as a cross between Melbourne and Edinburgh, packed with excellent cafes, local designer boutiques and historic churches.

Creative types and international students from the University of Otago fill the streets, as the city is home to numerous tech start-up conferences and design incubators. The buzz, even in the dead of winter, is palpable.

Still, I managed to wander into an old auction house, where eclectic pieces such as an archaic printing press, old desks and, yes, even a petrol pump went under the hammer. I later regretted not bidding for an antique typewriter, and wondered if the following week’s items — stuffed farm animals and a huge yak — would be met with equal zeal.

Thrills and GLORIOUS meals

Away from Dunedin, the road trip continued four hours northeast into the world’s adventure capital. Queenstown has long lured thrill-seekers with its high-octane activities: Bungee jumps, a variety of winter sports, jet boating, and soon, flyboarding — where you’re blasted into the air with powerful water jets attached to your limbs.

Every year, more than a million tourists visit the resort town. But despite the traffic-clogged streets, there’s something about the majesty of The Remarkables mountain range and the 80km-long Lake Wakatipu, New Zealand’s longest lake that takes your breath away.

No wonder the town and its surrounding area remain a hot spot for film production, from the 1988 fantasy flick Willow through to yup, the Lord Of The Rings and Narnia movies.

I had to skip a helicopter tour of the town, because of a terrible cold, but you can easily take the 20-minute flight over the lake and the surrounding mountains. There also wasn’t enough time to hit the ski slopes or try an adrenalin-inducing activity like the Shotover Jet, a jet boat ride through the narrow Shotover River canyons.

Still, I was happy simply wandering the small alleys filled with both backpacker and upscale bars and restaurants. With enough patience and a well-thought out strategy, you could easily eat your way through the town’s many award-winning restaurants in a day or two.

Wine connoisseurs won’t be left out. The town is in the heart of Central Otago wine country — famous for its pinot noir — and vineyard tours are an excellent way to spend a day in this beautiful part of the country.

If you’ve ever wondered what touristy Queenstown was like 10 years ago, you only have to look at tiny neighbouring Wanaka, 45 minutes north of Queenstown. The scenery is similar: The town sits on the edge of a pristine alpine lake, Lake Wanaka, and is surrounded by Mount Aspiring National Park, with good ski fields.

Life here is a little less hectic, with fewer tourists and a lot more Kiwi retirees — only about 5,000 people live here. You’ll still find a host of outdoor activities, but they’re considerably more relaxed than Queenstown’s, such as hiking, rock climbing and mountain biking, and water sports like wakeboarding in summer.

A BREATHTAKING DRIVE

For most drivers, the pleasure of cruising through South Island’s almost empty country roads reaches its peak during the five-hour journey back to Christchurch from Wanaka.

The scenery is truly astounding. At about the halfway mark is the turquoise-coloured Lake Tekapo, 710 meters above sea level. Not long after, we drove through the stark and desolate alpine area of Lindis Pass.

As guide Everard put it: “The landscape in South Island — and the rest of New Zealand, for that matter — changes every 20 minutes. Here, you’ll drive past lush farmland, rugged coastlines facing the Pacific Ocean, snow-capped mountains, and barren land that look almost like (the surface of) the moon, and massive alpine lakes. You can’t not love this.”

This trip was made possible by Singapore Airlines and Tourism New Zealand. Singapore Airlines flies daily into Christchurch and 12 times weekly into Auckland. From Nov 18, 2013, and Feb 2, 2014, the airline will fly to Auckland 14 times weekly. Visit www.newzealand.com/sg for more holiday options.

For our top places to stay in South Island, visit http://tdy.sg/todaytravel.