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Claremont Country Estate

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Claremont Country Estate, on the South Island of New Zealand, just 10 minutes by helicopter or 45 minutes drive from Christchurch airport, provides luxury lodge accommodation with an unequalled geological experience. Situated on a 2,400 acre working deer and sheep high country ranch, the historic property lies on the edge of the Waipara river amongst manicured, mature gardens, with a backdrop of the Southern Alps.

At Claremont guests can experience a unique, guided, off-road driving tour that is an odyssey into pre-historic New Zealand, transporting them back 65 million years to when dinosaurs roamed the globe. The tour, which is complimentary to guests staying two nights or more, takes in the stunning scenery, spectacular geological features and natural wonders found on the property, including the rare opportunity to see and touch fossilised dinosaur remains.

Extraordinary discoveries have been made on the property including the fossilised remains of Plesiosaurs and the Proto-Penguin and in 2004, the fossilised skull and other remains of a Mosasaur. This creature was a large, marine lizard that lived along with dinosaurs and Plesiosaurs perhaps 70 million years ago at a time when New Zealand was low-lying and surrounded by shallow seas. This remarkable find caused great excitement and part of the remains is now on display at the Otago Geology Museum, with a Mosasaur skull replica soon to be housed at the Claremont Estate.

Associate Professor of Geology at the University of Otago, Professor Ewan Fordyce, said at the time, 'For New Zealand fossil reptiles, the new Mosasaur is the find of the decade! They are really significant as there are few places in the Southern Hemisphere where you can go and find this caliber of specimen'. Guests have been similarly taken with the whole Claremont experience with comments including, 'Mind blowing 4WD experience and history lesson combined with lovely accommodation and great hospitality', Jim Mellencamp, North Carolina, USA and, A 4WD tour more like a National Park than a farm tour, Paul Johns and Vicki Pauli, Newport Beach, USA

Highlights of the tour include:

The 65 million year old "God's marbles", one metre round limestone spheres which literally roll out of the Waipara 'green sand' river banks, and are formed around dinosaur bones.

The KT Boundary, a layer of rust-streaked, iridium-filled silt that once encompassed the entire planet and is estimated to have been laid down in only four short years 65 million years ago. This is one of the most highly visible KT Boundary sites on earth and it is notable that dinosaur fossils can be found below the line, but none above. This geological layer was created when a meteor estimated to be 8-10 km in diameter struck the earth at the Gulf of Mexico and effectively vaporised. The resultant debris blanketed out the sun for several years, creating mass extinction of over 90% of all life on earth.

The 'conservation area' on Boby's stream featuring pristine New Zealand native bush, New Zealand Black Beech trees, bird life and a waterfall with an unusual fossilised oyster bed. It was here that an almost complete Plesiosaur was extracted from the riverbed in 1872. This marine dinosaur is now on display at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch.

The extraordinary, 45m high natural sculptural "Bishop's Head" rock overlooking the Waipara Gorge and the dramatic limestone gorge itself where other marine fossils are in abundance.

A drive through Claremont's farm, taking in the 5,000 stock unit sheep, deer and cattle station with spectacular views to the Southern Alps and the scenic Waipara river valley with its stunning limestone escarpment and amazing, natural rock formations.

Claremont Country Estate will appeal not only to paleontologists and geologists but also to ornithologists, country lovers, gardeners, walkers, photographers, artists and those who simply want a tranquil and romantic retreat with wonderful food and warm hospitality.

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