Callery Gorge and Fox Glacier

Tags: Fox Glacier, Franz Josef, New Zealand

Date: December 22, 2024

From Franz Josef Glacier we went on to Callery Gorge and Fox Glacier. We went on a lovely hike from Fox Glacier Village up to the Callery Gorge. Here is a view of the Callery River with the main road crossing the river:

It was a nice easy hike on gravel paths under the trees and tree ferns:

There was a small waterfall as we were approaching the gorge:

There is a suspension bridge above the gorge:

The water running in the gorge is melt water from the Franz Josef Glacier. The water is a milky blue color due to finely ground sediment called glacial flour or rock flour. These particles are suspended in the water and scatter and absorb sunlight, giving the water a cloudy bluish appearance:

The water from the gorge continues down to join the Callery River:

Here is Felicie in front of the suspension bridge:

Unfortunately the trail on the other side of the bridge was closed so this is where we turned around.

However, the hike wasn't completely over, since there is a side trail that leads to the Tatare Tunnels:

The tunnels, of which only one is open for tourist to visit, were built by the Waiho Sluicing Company after gold had been discovered in the area. The tunnels were not for the actual mining of gold but were used for transporting water from the Tatare Gorge to the terrace gold sluicing at the Waiho River, via a 500-metre-long tunnel system and 350 meters of water race. It was a massive engineering achievement and was completed in 1912.

This particular gold mining operation was not very successful, but other gold mines in New Zealand have been very productive and gold is still mined. In the mid 1800's, several gold rushes occurred in New Zealand. To date, about 1,000 tons of gold has been mined in New Zealand, about 1 % of the world's total production.

The next day we went on a hike to see the Fox Glacier. Again the trails were well kept and the vegetation amazing:

The trail follows the Fox River, which was visible at several viewing points along the trail:

On the way there was a short detour through a dense forest growing on ancient glacial moraine surfaces left over from the glacier as it retreated, with the forest reflecting the various ages of the glacier moraines which it has colonized.

Back on the main track we finally reached the first view of Fox Glacier:

Like most places in New Zealand, Fox Glacier also has a Maori name: Te Moeka o Tuawe, which means 'The bed of Tuawe', Tuawe being Hine Hukatere's lover who died in an avalanche and caused Hine Hukatere to cry the tears that became the Franz Josef Glacier. So Fox Glacier is the final resting place of Tuawe.

Here we can see more of it but from further away: