UNESCO NZ comes for a visit
To better appreciate the special nature of Waitaki Whitestone Geopark, commissioners from the New Zealand offices of UNESCO enjoyed the role of ‘first geotourists’ - taking in everything the park will eventually offer the world.
During their visit, UNESCO officials enjoyed a walking tour of the Victorian Quarter, a trip to Parkside Quarries (famous for its Ōamaru stone), and a Heliventures NZ Geocopter flight over Anatini where fossils of baleen whales protrude from the rock. As well as seeing the mighty braided Waitaki River from above and hovering by the ‘bad land’ outcrops of the Clay Cliffs they experienced ‘geogastronomy’- food and wine grown within the park’s borders and imbued with the flavours, history and character of the area.
What a brilliant way to launch the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark — letting UNESCO officials be the first geotourists is such a smart move. The mix of the Victorian Quarter, the Ōamaru stone at Parkside Quarries, and that Geocopter flight over Anatini with the baleen whale fossils sounds like an unforgettable itinerary. It makes me think about how even simple games can capture that same sense of discovery and wonder, like the ones you find at スイカゲーム, where each merge feels like uncovering something new. I can't wait to see how the geopark develops and what other hidden treasures it will share with the world.