Places+of+the+heart+land

//**GARSTON**//

media type="googlemap" key="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=garston+new+zealand+&sll=-45.473915,168.674083&sspn=0.014355,0.038581&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Garston,+Southland,+New+Zealand&ll=-45.3589,168.75&spn=0.45938,1.234589&t=h&z=10&output=embed" width="297" height="249" These are map of Garston and our farm!!!!

=CREATIVE WRITING= = = Dad the boys and I head out on our motorbikes to muster some sheep on the rugged but beautiful country that we call home. We can see them moving round the hill as the dogs follow then closely watching every step they take.

With the sun just hitting the hills we can see the small village and the rest of our farm and everyone around us. the great thing about this that there is no busy traffic and not that many people.

As the sheep get closer to the yards you can here my father giving my younger brothers instructions on what gates to open and where to stand so the sheep go the right way.

The dogs are going nuts, the sheep are clashing and banging in the yards and then i soon hear the sweat sound of my older cousins arriving on their motorbikes moaning I want to go back to bed at 10 o clock in the morning......

//**HISTORY**// .... Garston was, probably named after a suburb of Liverpool, is nestled in the Upper Mataura Valley. This valley was carved out by a glacier, the remnants of which also resulted in the formation of Lake Wakatipu to the north. Mr N. Chalmers was the first white man to see the lake,when he passed through the valley in 1853. By 1860,the run holders (runs are large sheep stations) had arrived to take up grazing rights in the fertile valley.In 1862 gold was discovered in the Nokomai and Nevis Valleys. A large influx of miners, including many Chinese, followed.With gold strikes dwindling in the 1870s, closer subdivision meant that many miners turned to farming in the area. The opening of the rail link between Kingston and Invercargill in 1878 helped to increase settlement in the valley. Of historical note are the two churches - Roman Catholic (1903) and Presbyterian (1923) - the adjacent cemetery, the ski hut on the Nevis Valley road and the stables alongside the Hotel. Garston (altitude 304 metres, population 106) prides itself on being New Zealand's most inland village. It is situated in the picturesque Upper Mataura Valley in the Southern Lakes district, on the main tourist route between Queenstown and Milford and Doubtful Sounds. The valley, which is the source of the world-famous Mataura River, is flanked by the Eyre Mountains (1968 metres) to the west, with the Slate Range (942 m) and Hector Mountains (1675 m) to the east. Sheep, cattle and deer farming, plus some cropping, dominate the area. Garston is close to Lake Wakatipu (18 kilometres), Remarkables Skifield Turnoff (60 km), Queenstown (70 km), and Lakes Te Anua and Manapouri (110 km).

=One of my memories that i have had a my place in my heart.=

As soon as the bell rings on this one very chilly day we all run out the gate of the school grounds our parents are there waiting for us as we jump in the cars we all have one thing on our minds and that is the ice skating at the old ice skating rink which is not far from school. As everyone starts to arrive the parents begin helping us squeeze in to our ice skates. We are all wrapped up in our a warm jackets and gloves.

As we slide onto the ice you can hear laughter and crying. The little kids begin to fall over and that is when everything hits the dust.

The sound of our fathers talking about the shearing or how wet it, is was no surprise. they were saying things like jeapers its cold, i think it might be time for a bit of smoko.

As we head over to our mums they start getting out the home baking, the Milo and the coffee. The Milo warms our insides and we all want more but there is not enough.

As the sun starts to set over the beautiful hills we all start to pack up and head home.

__**Two Things**__
The two thing with such a small community is that us kids have to travel a wee way to get to sports practices and games. Such as when i was playing netball for mossburn we had to travel 30 minutes then have my practice and then had to travel another 30 mintues just to get home. And then we had to travel an hour there and back for a game when i made it into the northern year 8 team we had to travel the same distant but for the tournament we had to travel 1 an half. And when my brothers and i were playing rugby the same week we would have to do the same but for there games but sometimes they may have to travel up to 1 and half. when my brothers got into the northern under 38kgs and my dad was also coaching the team. then when one of my brothers made it into the southland country under 38kg team my dad and my brother had to travel an hour for practice and then he had about 3 different tournaments so we all end up going to them which meant that we all went to them and it was very long hours.

Also there weren't that many people at my old school which meant that we were all pretty close. on my dads side of the family they all went to Garston school and me,my brother and my cousins all went to Garston school