Legends in rocks

Some say the best way to appreciate the longest-surviving Maori rock drawing in New Zealand is to lie on the ground.

Carved into rock in a shallow limestone shelter, the carving depicts the Opihi Taniwha (Maori for "monster"). It featured on a two-shilling postage stamp in the 1960s.

The carving is one of around 500 sites in South Canterbury, dating back to the 16th century.

Access to the Opihi Taniwha is by permission only, as it is on a private farm in the Pleasant Point area, about 20 minutes from Timaru.

Contact: Timaru Information Centre (03) 688 6163

info@timaru.com

The history of the South Island