Gravel and Scoria
After just a few weeks in New Zealand I realized that NZers just love gravel. The blue gravel used here is Greywacke, which is what a lot of NZ is made of.
Many beaches are covered with smooth rounded pebbles in all shades of grey.
Walking tracks in the bush have a layer of gravel for better traction.
Many rural roads have no tarmac and gravel is the only thing to keep them from dissolving in the winter rains. And the state of the presence or absence or desperate need for new gravel is a constant concern for rural neighbours.
It is everywhere and it is important.
I have often picked up a piece and admired it for it’s subtle shades and intricate facets. Such a humble piece of rock becomes precious when studied close up. I wonder where in NZ it might have originated. A physical piece of NZ. And also a fragment of New Zealand’s society and infrastructure. Without gravel a lot of NZ would not be accessible.
Many beaches are covered with smooth rounded pebbles in all shades of grey.
Walking tracks in the bush have a layer of gravel for better traction.
Many rural roads have no tarmac and gravel is the only thing to keep them from dissolving in the winter rains. And the state of the presence or absence or desperate need for new gravel is a constant concern for rural neighbours.
It is everywhere and it is important.
I have often picked up a piece and admired it for it’s subtle shades and intricate facets. Such a humble piece of rock becomes precious when studied close up. I wonder where in NZ it might have originated. A physical piece of NZ. And also a fragment of New Zealand’s society and infrastructure. Without gravel a lot of NZ would not be accessible.
