Just where is the Brass Monkey Rally?

[FJRider]

I have been contacted by a friend of mine who is unsure of where the Brass monkey rally is held, and how to get there. If one person is unsure ... there may be others... attached is a few maps and a recent photo of the rally site entrance ... hope these help.

[Winston001]

Good idea FJ, Google is your friend, here is a map link which even has photos.

http://maps.google.co.nz/maps?q=oturehua&hl=en&cr=countryNZ&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

Oturehua is a remote former mining and now farm servicing village situated just off SH 85 west of Ranfurly. 70k northeast of Alexandra. It is situated near the top of the Ida Valley and the Rally Site itself is beside the Idaburn Dam. The dam is a small reservoir for irrigation and is famous for curling competitions in the winter.

Further down the Ida Valley towards Poolburn is the Hayes Engineering Works, a cradle of invention largely unknown to the rest of NZ. http://www.historic.org.nz/magazinefeatures/2004summer/2004_summer_Hayes.htm

Some of the inventions such as wire strainers and windmills are still manufactured and sold by E Hayes in Invercargill which has to be my favourite shop in the world http://www.ehayes.co.nz/ a genuine hardware store where the staff do know about Whitworth etc....

The other piece of local history is Senior Constable Peter Umbers was bludgeoned to death in 1990 by a suspect at a road stop just out of Oturehua. It's a tragedy which has never been explained by the prisoner and for some reason I have never forgotten it. Possibly its because this is a beautiful vast and desolate area of NZ. Stopping a car at night on a deserted road took courage - and it's a lonely place to die.......

[pete376403]

www.brassmonkeyrally.org.nz has everything you need to know.