News
SMITHS FARM NEWS 2011
To those of you who regularly look to see if this page has been updated, I apologise for my tardiness!
Since the last update a lot has happened, not only at Smiths Farm, but in New Zealand and in the world in general. Our thoughts go out to all those in Christchurch who have been touched in some way by the dreadful earthquakes and of course by the follow up aftershocks. Some of you have come and stayed and we hope the peace and quiet has been an albeit temporary reprieve from the situation.
Despite the global recession, we have been heartened by the amount of both NZ and overseas guests who return to stay with us. It is lovely for us to see you returning and we thank you for your repeat custom.
We have been trying to upgrade a few things in the park and the self contained units have had a bit of a re-paint/re-do. Next on the agenda are the motels which we hope to have repainted by Christmas. Chris has also built some more picnic tables for your use while in the park and currently he is making and laying concrete pathway tiles. Yay! no more wet shoes at winter. There is a new, more efficient BBQ over at the main facilities building.
Sadly, we had to make the decision to top our lovely eucalyptus trees. Many of you who have tented under them have appreciated their shade in the heat of summer and of course the shelter they provide from wind. However, we have had some strange weather events in NZ and your safety comes first. They look a bit bare at present but spring should see some lovely new shoots sprouting. The bird watchers among you will be pleased to hear that despite the disruption to their high rise homes, the tuis, bellbirds, wood pigeons and fantails are still here in abundance.
The storm on 28 Dec last year was something all of Marlborough could have done without and on your way in over the Queen Charlotte Drive you will notice a lot of work is being done on the road. The same storm caused several slips or landslides on the face of our hill causing the path to the waterfall to be slightly changed. The walk is still very beautiful and we are confident that the new little native seedlings and trees will soon cover the scars in the bush.
We continue to plant more trees, both specimens and natives and we are looking forward to spring when all of the deciduous trees start to come into their own. The daffodils are already flowering and some fruit and blossom trees appear to be a little confused. Maybe the seasons are happening a little earlier this year. We are still totally committed to the preservation of the native bush at the back of the farm and the large number of rimus, punga ferns and white pines appear to be thriving. Feral goats, wild pigs and possums continue to be a problem, but we have a very dedicated contractor who regularly rids the area of them.
Wi-Fi reception in the park has improved since we engaged the services of “Sitewifi”. When you stay now you should be able to access Wi-Fi from anywhere in the park on your laptop, or of course you can use the main computer in the office area. There are some exciting deals in the pipeline with this system and in conjunction with a couple of campervan companies….watch this space!
Speaking of deals, we are offering a very special deal to all of you who stay in August, September or October. We are happy to offer you a two year Tribal Rewards membership to Family Parks at the fantastic price of $20. That’s a saving of $20 and of course you get to save even more when you check out the discounts available through firms both in NZ and Australia. In addition you can now get 10% off the cheapest rate of the day with Bluebridge ferries. That’s a fantastic saving. Check out all the other Family Parks on the website www.familyparks.co.nz and come and join the tribe!
Queen Charlotte Track Pass: Many of our guests enjoy walking on the Queen Charlotte Track. This world renowned 73km track has both privately owned and Department of Conservation land on it. To access the privately owned land you now need a Queen Charlotte Track Landowners Co-Op Pass and we have these available at our office for your convenience. Ask us about the costs and options on your arrival.
AA/HAPNZ Spirit of Hospitality Award: In 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011 we have been nominated by guests and have been lucky enough to be one of five finalists nationally in the Spirit of Hospitality Awards. Sadly, we haven’t won the award but are grateful to all those of you who have been part of the process which has seen us in the finals for four years. The award recognizes outstanding Kiwi hospitality and we aim to continue providing that!
Rank us!: If you have enjoyed your stay here at Smiths Farm, we really appreciate it if you can take the time to comment on us at either AA Been there, Rankers or Tripadvisor. All three sites help our small business immensely and we really appreciate your time.
Here are some of the latest comments:
“Best holiday we’ve had in years!” Tanya Robertson, NZ
“Best welcome anywhere in the North or South Island…if only the others cared as much.” John Heawood, UK
“Being so far from home on Christmas day, this was just the perfect place for us. Friendly, helpful and the whole atmosphere was very family-like” K. Fruhwirth, Germany
“Smiths Far was the most welcoming and warm hearted holiday park of our entire south Island trip”. Dylan Desantis, USA
“The best stay we have had in NZ and we have been here 6 weeks!” Logue family, Australia
Great Winter Deals: Stay two nights with us in August and get your third night free. Stay three nights in Sep or Oct and get your fourth night free. Family Parks Tribal Rewards members get a further 10% discount off….how good is that!!
Upcoming Events for your Diary:
Rugby World Cup: Still some vacancies over this period so if you are passing through to one of the games in Nelson or elsewhere and want some time out send us an email and check out what we have available.
Linkwater School Fine Art Auction: Fancy some beautiful art work and a great night out? Come along on Saturday Oct 22nd at 7pm and bag a bargain. Stay the night and attend the Linkwater School Fun Day on the 23rd. A great day for all ages starting at 10am and ending at 2pm.
Picton/Sounds Spring Festival 17 and 18 Sep, and Cruise into Picton events: check out the Destination Marlborough website (www.lovemarlborough.co.nz) for further information on these two events. Guaranteed fun for all the family.
Hunters Garden Marlborough: always a fantastic few days of gardens and everything associated with them.
Havelock Mussel Festival March 2012
