Where dinosaurs once roamed

(World magazine, 2006)
Story and pictures: David J. Killick

Claremont Country Estate and Private Nature Reserve, near Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island, combines luxury boutique accommodation with a fascinating 4WD safari and amazing geology on a working farm set amid spectacular high-country scenery . . .

Story and pictures: David J. Killick

Richard Goord reaches for the stubby gear stick of the gnarly Landrover Defender and engages low ratio. Suddenly the vehicle plunges straight into the swirling Waipara River. Richard knows exactly what he is doing. Which is just as well. Water surges quickly up to the hood. Just as quickly the Landrover reaches the other bank.

Oftentimes, Richard will make numerous river crossings, pointing out the many fascinating features of Claremont Country Estate; today, with the river running so high, we cross just twice. Still, there's plenty to see in this ruggedly refreshing corner of New Zealand, which can be reached in 45 minutes easy drive from Christchurch's international airport, or a 15-minute flight by helicopter.

And surprisingly, despite Claremont's accessibility and scenic wonders, it remains largely undiscovered by tourists, its luxury lodge status ensuring seclusion and privacy. Hosts Richard and Rosie Goord are delighted to share Claremont with guests.

Richard, who grew up in Kenya and studied farming in England, is used to safaris and savannahs; here the landscape is different but equally challenging and rewarding. And this is a working farm, a true high-country station. In winter, the surrounding mountains that fringe the 2,400-acre estate are covered in snow. Claremont runs deer, sheep and cattle.

When he and first wife Susan few years bought the property with its historic homestead in the late nineties, he knew a lot about farming - but nothing about the geology and the dinosaurs that awaited. (Susan sadly died only a few years after they bought the property.)

Back to the safari and the view from up high. Gaze past the fluffy sheep in the foreground towards the far hills and you are viewing an unbelievably ancient landscape: this is a safari through time. Some hills are tens of millions of years older than others, forced apart by tectonic movement of the earth's crust. Sixty-five million years ago this was seascape: the nearby town of Waipara together with much of the South Island of New Zealand lay under the ocean.

During this time, "God's Marbles" began to form. These massive, spherical limestone boulders evolved under the sea. About 15 million years ago, the soft mudstone and other rocks of the region were lifted above sea level. Erosion by river, sun and rain has exposed these remarkable round boulders. Gradually a new marble is revealed and tumbles down into the riverbed. The smallest measure about two inches in diameter, the largest seven to eight feet. They can weigh more than seven tons.

Split open, God's Marbles have revealed a startling discovery: the fossilized bones of plesiosaurs, mosasaurs and other reptiles. In 1872, Alexander McKay found the remains of an almost complete plesiosaur. This was an aquatic dinosaur that swam in the ocean. The skeleton is now located at Canterbury Museum, in Christchurch. "If the Loch Ness monster actually exists, it would probably be a plesiosaur," says Richard. In 2004, a complete dinosaur head was found inside a large God's marble. It was more than three meters long and belonged to a Mososaur, a large marine lizard. Scientists called it "the find of the decade".

They have also found a curious proto "penguin" with wings - 10 million years older than other penguin remains, and proof that dinosaurs and birds co-existed.

"I wonder what else is out there, waiting to be discovered," says Richard.

Claremont also contains literally rock-solid proof of the disaster that abruptly brought doom to the dinosaurs. About sixty-five million years ago a giant collided with the earth, striking the Yucatan peninsula near Mexico with a force equivalent to the world's entire nuclear arsenal at the height of the Cold War. The resultant debris blocked out light and heat, causing mass extinctions.

Evidence for this at Claremont can be found in the "KT boundary", a layer of rust-streaked rock rich in iridium, an element found in meteorites. This is one of the most visible KT boundary sites on Earth. Dinosaur fossils can be found below the line, but none above.

There's more geology, too: You can meet the "Archbishop of Canterbury", a 130-foot high natural rock sculpture.

You can admire the stunning rock walls that border the Waipara Gorge or canyon, and also inspect some rare plant life such as the kowhai pollinated by bellbirds and a leafless clematis. A conservation area features pristine New Zealand native bush, bird life, a waterfall and a unique fossilized oyster bed.

Little wonder that guests have described the safari as "more like a National Park than a farm tour".

But despite the trip into the distant past, you will soon discover life at Claremont is anything but prehistoric. Sumptuous and pampered are the epithets that spring to mind.

Restoring and renovating the historic homestead required considerable work. Claremont was named for Queen Victoria's private residence in Berkshire, England. It was built in 1866 for a Captain Weeks out of creamy colored limestone blocks quarried from the site. The house is listed with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust. During restoration, a page cutting from an 1869 edition of "The Lady", a London society newspaper, was discovered, and is now framed on the stairway.

During World War 1, grain was stored in the upper floors. In 2000, several hundredweight of pristine wheat chafe was recovered.

As well as restoring and updating the original house, Christchurch architect Stewart Ross designed a new addition including a pavilion-style dining room with a turret ceiling. Additions blend harmoniously with the original. The architect, who has a deft touch for character buildings, is also an actor at Christchurch's Court Theater, and a character himself.

All the main rooms were painstakingly restored, down to the extent of making special tools for the skirting boards and matched lined ceilings. Curtains are finest imported fabric, walls tastefully painted. Furniture and furnishings include antique pieces, as well as contemporary works of art by top New Zealand artists such as Nancy Tichborne, delightful floral paintings by Canterbury artists Rodney Love, and a great collection of appealing artefacts and books. Some modern touches are permitted, such as central heating and a gas fire that looks like a roaring log fire.

Guests can relax in one of two sitting rooms, and indulge in a pre-dinner drink with Richard and Rosie.

They can choose from one of five suites: the Fountain Room on the ground floor, with a view to the courtyard; the Lily Room, also on the ground floor; and on the first floor, the Rose Room, with a splendid four-poster bed; the Lavender Room; and the Poppy Room. All have luxurious bathrooms. Guests can also choose to stay in a self-contained cottage, ideal for families.

Dinner is served at a massive eight-seater oak dining table. Here you can savor the finest cuisine from the region, cooked by a fulltime chef: venison or lamb, perhaps, washed down with a glass of wine produced in one of the burgeoning Waipara vineyards. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Pinot Noir have earned acclaim from leading wine authorities.

Breakfast is equally scrumptious: breads, muffins and muesli with homemade jams and local honey, followed - if you still have room - by your choice of cooked meal to fortify yourself for the day ahead.

There's plenty to do: after a walk along the seven miles of river frontage you may care for a game of tennis. Then again, you may prefer to simply relax with a book or a glass of wine.

Richard and Rosie have extensively landscaped the courtyard. Roses flourish in summer, creating a delightfully romantic setting. A beech hedge, stone walls, and charming sculptures enhance the ambience. Water tumbles over one of God's Marbles, watched over by a couple of sculptures.

Another God's Marble frames one end of a long vista back towards the homestead. Claremont has proved to be a popular spot for weddings, and Richard and Rosie chose this spot to get married.

Claremont Country Estate is certain to appeal to not only paleontologists, geologists but also to ornithologists, country lovers, gardeners, walkers, photographers and artists and those who simply want a tranquil retreat with wonderful food and warm hospitality away from everyday bustle and stress.

Claremont is a member of the New Zealand Lodge Association. Room rates start from NZD731 per couple per night inclusive of GST and include afternoon tea on arrival, pre-dinner drinks, four-course dinner, accommodation and full cooked breakfast, plus use of all lodge facilities and access to the 2,400 acres of private land complete with 10 kilometers of direct river frontage.

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