The Toast Rack is back in the Gardens
Wednesday 21 January 2009, 12:35PM
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The Christchurch Botanic Gardens is releasing two giant caterpillars into the greenery this week-end. They travel at five kmph, seat 28 per shuttle and are near fluorescent in the sunlight.
They are the new avatar of the popular ‘toast rack’ touring vehicle that orbited the Gardens some decades back; the racked seating of the vehicle earning its nickname.
Aptly called “The Caterpillar”, the solar-powered electric drive vehicles will meander around 12 kilometres of sealed and gravelled paths in the Garden. They will do a continuous circuit of the gardens, operating on a ‘hop on, hop off” basis all year around, with a fully guided personal commentary.
The name for the new vehicles has come from a staff member who, upon seeing the vehicle for the first time, remarked on how much they looked like a garden caterpillar. The name has stuck, says Wendy Smith, Marketing Manager of the International Antarctic Centre. The award winning visitor attraction is one of the partners in the new venture running the tours.
The other partners in Caterpillar Garden Tours Ltd are the Christchurch City Council and Christchurch Bus Services. The company will operate four electric vehicles with a combined capacity of up to 112 people. The old ‘toast rack’ held 10 people per shuttle.
The Gardens is a 21 hectare section off the 164 hectare Hagley Park, consisting of numerous horticultural displays, several conservatories, memorials, garden art and walking tracks.
The vehicles will be another great way of taking in the sights at the Gardens, especially for those visitors who have specific goals for their tour, like needing to visit a particular conservatory, says Jeremy Hawker, Botanical Services Operations Team Manager.
It will be also be a great help for our older residents who want to continue to enjoy the Gardens without the exertion that goes with walking the circuit, says Mr Hawker.
Seniors get a discount, both in the local pricing rates as well as in the out-of-town-visitor rates. Children under five tour for free if accompanied by an adult.
The rates
Pricing for local residents - $10 Adult, $7 Senior , $3 Child 5 – 18 , Free for under 5’s.
Pricing for out of town visitors - $15 Adult , $12 Senior ,$6 Child 5 – 18 , Free for under 5’s.
All tickets valid for up to 4 days.