We have regrets. Colac Bay, Monkey Island, Orepuki/Gemstone Beach, Tuatapere

Hey everyone. This video we are cruising along the quiet Southern Coast from Invercargill through to Tuatapere. Some great places to Freedom camp along these parts likely due to it's lower number of tourists and off the main path of travel.
We unfortunatly just continued to get a worsening forecast, all the way through with A bunch of snow falling on the ranges, which saw us leave the coast to get away from the Antarctic weather approaching from the sea.
Tuatapere was a bit of a Gem. I did not include the beauitful Domain which has some really massive Totara trees in but well worth a look.
#Southern #Colacbay #freecamping

[@whisk938]

Lucky enough to grow up in Invercargill and many visits to Colac Bay.😊

[@leopardsgowild]

Colac bay Riverton Area is beautiful.

[@ianpaterson3092]

Hi its such a shame the weather packed up at Monkey Island. Last time we were at Colac Bay I took the boat out to Centre Island ( about 8km) my dive buddies got crayfish while I caught the Bluecod. We also got a feed of Paua and a few mussels. Heaven! but as always the weather makes it.

[@TheLollygirl69]

Love the bargains 🎉🎉

[@leopardsgowild]

Reduced to clear they have mini supermarkets in the North island selling only reduced to clear

[@paiiininthebuttt2477]

Haha me too!

[@Triill88]

Your kids are so appreciative, it looks like they are learning such a lot living this lifestyle. Another great vid! Thank you.

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea they are learning a lot it's going to be strange even the time comes to resume a semi normal life

[@TheLollygirl69]

Yep show real life 👍

[@leopardsgowild]

Got to be Authentic... it's not all sunny days and beautiful beaches...

[@nakedlakedip57]

Some of my distant relatives dug those water races, Orapuki gold is some of the most pure in the world my grandmothers wedding is made from it.

[@leopardsgowild]

Wow man, thats some awesome history, So much work and thought to make it all work aye... Awesome

[@craignelson-swiftyenzed7578]

Weather will do what whatever weather wants whether it's wanted or whether it's not!

[@leopardsgowild]

Weather we wanted the weather to be good or not, the weather did decide to give us some weather we would rather have not weathered...

[@_Rikki_]

Love the content we are going on a 8 week trip down in June can't wait!

[@leopardsgowild]

Oh cool that will be fun should be nice and quiet in June.. pack plenty of warm clothes and bedding

[@WrightAtHome75]

Love the drone shots❤

[@leopardsgowild]

Only 1 spot I could put it up... but Colac bay is pretty nice. Wish it was nicer at monkey island

[@whisk938]

Remember camping at Riverton summer and sitting through hail

[@leopardsgowild]

Kids liked bogey boarding at riverton it's a nice safe beach for swimming.

[@PentaxLife]

Yeah it's a pity about the weather. What's it like in say November early December. Thanks for putting the video we're like to see the free stuff.

[@leopardsgowild]

Hey Guys so this area is generally still pretty cool around Nov and dec the ocean can take awhile to warm up... but I can't give you an accurate answer cause it was my first time in these parts. How long are you going to be traveling for?

[@daniel-6449]

Great kids!

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea tried to get them talking more in this one

[@RadRoadAdventures]

Another great video. shame about some of the weather but it would get quite boring if it was just sunshine each day. Agree, great Vloging Riley 💯

[@leopardsgowild]

Lol, be a good spot to go back to on a good day... Riley doesn't think she's as good as she is...she's awesome 😎 👏

[@CHillAdventures]

hey great episode!!!! was that my new zealand home over there on the rocks lololol,, that 1st spot was awesome!!! man u look different in a button up shirt!!! fancy man lolol riley is great on the camera! not easy to talk when u know some1 is filming!!! looking forward to the next few vids bro!! see yah soon!!!

[@leopardsgowild]

cheers mate... Yea Monkey Island, you and Toby and choose... Colac bay was pretty awesome, nice clean surf as well... Colar shirts I have only 1, i've owned for a good 5 years as well... Riley is actually the star of the show, shes got the vlog down packed.

[@CHillAdventures]

@@leopardsgowild epic brother!!! my favorite youtube channel by far!!!!!

[@visualjon]

48 years old and i've just found out about potato peeler and a block of cheese.

[@leopardsgowild]

:)

[@stephendickson9000]

I remember catching butterfish at Monkey island when i was about the height of your kids 😂

[@leopardsgowild]

Awesome I was keen as to Snorkel here but the weather won... conditions sucked

[@davidreader3198]

Thanks for another great video. However all you seem to do is go from 1 free beach camp to another. There is so much more to see in that part of the country. It would be great if you were to show some of the scenery and tourist spot Keep up the good work.

[@leopardsgowild]

Thanks for that feedback...not sure if you watched the whole video but we did check out a gold mining area on the Te Araroa trail as well as the te waewae lagoon... there really isn't much more out this coastal road its pretty isolated... interms of big tourist activities we aren’t budgeting for that on this trip we have no income until we stop travelling and start working so we are definitely promoting the free stuff to do, and life in a caravan full time as a family.

[@leopardsgowild]

Would have loved to have shown a bit more scenery as well but was so windy and wet so I couldn't get the drone up which I was disappointed about... The next few videos have some great new zealand scenery lake Monowai, manapouri and fiordland... we had some nice weather as well which made it awesome 👌

[@erenstvanheerden257]

Hi guys, we just enjoyed another one of your episodes. We notice a black map of NZ in your caravan. If I may ask where did you guys get it. Cheers

[@leopardsgowild]

It's a Moana road stratch map we bought it online from a pharmacy lol 😆

[@1ladyjet]

Monkey Island is in TeWaeWae Bay

[@leopardsgowild]

Yip it sure is. Beautiful Bay. We saw some Hector Dolphins out there as well.

[@garth2876]

Is Tuatapere still claiming to be the sausage capital of NZ? I recall seeing the sign, but not even finding a butchers shop. Great video again, even if the weather wasn't the best for your journey through the area. Riley is doing great with the Go Pro

[@leopardsgowild]

Oh Sorry Missed this comment Garth, Yep the claim to fame is the old Sausage, but we only saw them advirtised at the local Pub so not sure what the current situation is. Yea I think we might have a list of places to return to once we've lapped the South Island, places that were incredible and places that we didn't get the right weather for. Riley is star on the Go Pro.

[@TheGibsonsofNZ]

Sausages yum we tried it

[@leopardsgowild]

@@TheGibsonsofNZ Did they have some Awesome flavours or just generic?

[@TheGibsonsofNZ]

Not the same as the one we get from supermarket; even yummier than Hellers 😉. Our kids blamed me for not getting enough. We had it as the Tui Base Camp cafe, just on that main street.

[@owenpotter2459]

A bit of rugged looking Coast there. Isn't Tuatapere where the Pimms were?

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea that's what I kept referencing... I'm sure lenda was from there

[@owenpotter2459]

@@leopardsgowild Lenda is from Opotiki. I'm pretty sure they moved to Waipukurau from Tuatapere.

[@leopardsgowild]

@Owen Potter oh i wonder if Ian is from those ways then... there really isn't much down there...

[@owenpotter2459]

@@leopardsgowild not sure about Ian. His Dad was a pastor, so could have moved a bit.

[@whisk938]

In canvas tents no luxury caravans

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea we did years of tent camping before we ever thought we'd be able to travel like this... Def wouldn't be on the road for 18 months in tents with 3 kids. Love our caravan though.

[@whisk938]

Sorry didn't mean to dis your caravan. It's amazing to be able to travel with your family this way. Thanks for sharing. Been in AUs for 40 years. Your vids make me want to return and explore all my memories of the south Island. So jealous

[@ihiperapirika]

Ben

[@gettingoutwiththekids]

Shame about your weather, we just heading into late Spring/Summer here in the UK so hopefully experience the opposite.

[@leopardsgowild]

Yea you guys know how unreliable the weather can be... if it wasn't for the coming snow I would have waited it out

[@HILLBILLYHUNTERS1]

did the kids see any monkeys? .

[@leopardsgowild]

we only Saw Toby out there... But he was to shy to be on the camera...