Site seeing: Small-scale alp magic

By MONIKA FRY

Just a 90-minute drive north of Christchurch is the summer and winter playground of Hamner Springs Alpine Resort, which offers many of the attractions of Queenstown in a smaller, quaint and more muted way.

Hamner Springs Thermal Reserve is one of the area's main lures. Formerly part of Queen Mary Hospital, it has seven open-air thermal pools, three sulphur pools, sauna and steam rooms, four private thermal pools, a 25m fresh-water heated pool and a family activity pool complete with water slides.

More details about the therapeutic value of the springs are available from Hot Fun

In winter, the Amuri Ski Field, on the side of Mount St Patrick, is a 40-minute four-wheel drive up the Clarence Valley from behind Hamner Springs village.

This small field can host up to 130 skiers and snowboarders a day, has three Swiss ski instructors and a Kiwi snowboard instructor. It boasts the longest poma in New Zealand.

Amuri helicopters (0800 888 308) also takes skiers into the mountains off the beaten track. In the skiing off-season they offer scenic flights and fishing trips to the Waiau River.

For an overall picture of the region, try Hurunui Tourism Board

This site leads to a variety of accommodation listings, ranging from the cheap Hamner Springs Forest Trust Camp, 60 standard cabins and lodge with 32 beds to motels, bed and breakfasts and luxury hotels.

In addition, Alpine Realty, phone (03) 315 7184, rents houses by the day or week. They are priced from $60 a night for two people.