The Smells of Timaru

Driving behind a triple decker sheep transporter this morning inspired us to share the not-so-perfect side of our idyllic coastal town. While it is usually sunshine and roses around here — we have found at least 3 rose gardens thus far — sometimes our noses sense something more… organic in the air.

Timaru is a port town on State Highway 1, the longest and most significant arterial road in the country. On the South Island, it stretches over 900 km to connect Picton at the top end of the island to Bluff at the bottom.

There are an estimated 11+ million sheep on the South Island as well as several million cattle. When the animals go on a road trip to the sale, they don’t stop for potty breaks. Later, rather, the driver goes to a Stock Effluent Dump to hose out his vehicle.

There are a lot of sheep in there!

So yeah, rural living gets a bit ripe when these big trucks motor by the crosswalk while you are walking to the beach. But once you are in the famed Caroline Bay, it’s just fresh salty air and rose gardens… unless the wind from the dump is blowing just right. 😉