NOTES FROM THE OTAGO COAST

Winter brings a particular clarity to the coast. The air is crisp, the hills are frequently shrouded in a wintry fog and the low afternoon light settles across Karitāne and the Pacific ocean.

It is a season for refreshing (often eye watering) walks, fireside evenings, clear night skies and noticing the landscape at a slower pace.

Winter is a time for slowing down and taking joy in the little things.

The slow cooker comes out regularly or stews are cooked over the aga.

The fireplace is lit and cold days invite us to unwind indoors with a book we have been meaning to get into for ages. Plenty cups of tea and slow days.

While winter draws many creatures into quiet retreat, the coastline around The Longhouse comes wonderfully alive. Crisp southerly days reveal a rich abundance of wildlife that has made the Otago Peninsula one of New Zealand's great natural sanctuaries.

Look skyward and you may spot the graceful Northern Royal Albatross soaring effortlessly above the cliffs of Taiaroa Head. With wings spanning up to three metres, these magnificent seabirds are raising their chicks throughout winter, while nearby the rare Otago Shag dries its emerald-black wings on rocky outcrops. Along the beaches and estuaries, flocks of variable oystercatchers, South Island pied oystercatchers, red-billed gulls, white-fronted terns, spur-winged plovers, and elegant royal spoonbills gather to feed in the winter light.

The sea is equally full of life. New Zealand fur seals (kekeno) bask on sun-warmed rocks, while the increasingly common New Zealand sea lion (pakake) can often be seen resting on remote beaches.

LOOKING OUT

The Winter Night Sky

There is something humbling about a winter sky in Aotearoa. The nights are long, the air is cold and clear, and the stars seem close enough to touch.

Winter brings some of Aotearoa’s clearest and most beautiful skies. In the darkness before dawn, Matariki, the cluster of stars known internationally as the Pleiades, rises in the north-east, heralding the Māori New Year.

Matariki is more than a constellation: it is a time to remember those who have passed, celebrate the present and look towards the future. In 2026, the Matariki observance fell on Friday 10 July, with the traditional Tangaroa period running from 8–11 July.

Look closely and you will find the Pleiades as a tiny gathering of bright stars — sometimes described as seven sisters.

As winter deepens, the great southern sky becomes a theatre of luminous stars and we are frequently treated to the aurora australis.

Perhaps this is what the night sky has always offered us — not answers, but perspective.

A reminder to pause, to remember where we have come from, to notice where we are standing, and to look towards what might be possible next.

AROUND KARITĀNE

A Winter Walk

With Matariki celebrations over winter - we love walking around the Huriawa peninsula. The Huriawa is not just a beautiful walk along cliff tops with stunning ocean views. This is a Tohu Whenua site and a historic pa site for Maori.

The peninsula and surrounding landscapes are home to layer upon layer of Kai Tahu stories - living history in a beautiful ancestral landscape

IN THE GARDEN

Winter at The Longhouse

Whilst most of the garden is in hibernation mode - there are a few spectacles…

This is the season for the leucadendrons, winter roses- hellebores, flowering quince and the native kowhai trees to take centre stage. Our vases remain full - we are pleased to report.

Garden tasks for winter include cutting back summers growth, pruning the roses and the fruit trees.

This Season

LOOK FOR. Winter birds along the coast - shags, oystercatchers, plovers , red billed gulls. Seal Lions on the beaches.

WALK Karitāne Beach & The Huriawa Peninsula

LISTEN FOR The winter surf pounding the boulders on the beach at night.

LOOK UP To see the night sky and the Matariki Constellation

TASTE We’re slow roasting lamb with rosemary and garlic served on creamed lentils with mint chimmichurri out of the garden and winter greens ( inspiration thanks to Al Brown)

DRINK Winter is perfect time to Enjoy a locally grown Central Otago Pinot Noir.

NOTICE The changing light and epic sunrises.

READING

Wintering: The Power of rest and retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May

Beloved by Toni Morrison

Human Heart, Cosmic Heart by Dr Thomas Cowan

LISTENING

The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry - On Being Podcast

Ram Daas - Sit around the Fire

Karaoke Bar - Angus & Julia Stone

John Fullerton - Regenerative Economics - Real Organic Podcast

On the Horizon

Garden Ōtepoti
Spring 2026

Matariki
Winter 2027

Total Solar Eclipse
22 July 2028

Then:

SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING →

A final seasonal thought…

"Once we stop wishing it were summer, winter can be a glorious season when the world gives you permission to stunt yourself and hibernate.”…"Doing those deeply unfashionable things—slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting—is a radical act now, but it is essential." Katherine May