When we last parted company, I had just parked up on the ferry after completing the North Island leg of the 2025 Pork Pie Run, now we’re ashore on New Zealand’s South Island. While the former offered its fair share of stunning scenery and roads, it pales in comparison to the latter, the scenery of which is simply breathtaking even when sticking to the major routes.
However, the Pork Pie Charity Run largely takes the road less traveled which is that of the South Island’s rugged yet bewitching West Coast, a mostly remote part of New Zealand that I had yet to visit.
A quick heads up that donations for the 2025 event are still open so if you can, please consider donating here.
If you have read my North Island piece (which I strongly suggest you do) and were wondering why there wasn’t much mention of the Mini Countryman S that I drove, there’s a very good reason for that. The Countryman S was simply a great car for that trip, it handled the conditions very well, sat comfortably on all types of road surfaces and when it began to run low on petrol, a quick fuel stop would have us underway again. All in all, the car covered around 1,000 drama free kilometres from the time of pickup in Auckland, needing only two fills as it managed 700-800km per tank and I was averaging 6L/100km!
The second leg of this trip didn’t just see us swap Islands but cars as well. We’d be behind the wheel of the Countryman SE which is visually identical to the petrol S model barring the ‘S’ badge which is now green rather than red. Also notice the change in pronouns as I was now joined by a full-time co-driver in Dave. An EV journey through the most remote parts of the South Island, in the words of Top Gear’s Jeremy Clarkson, “what could possibly go wrong?”
Day Three Continued: Picton to Kaikoura, circa 150km
We pick up the story aboard the Bluebridge ferry on day three of the 2025 Pork Pie Run which puts us in Picton, at the very top of the South Island with the convoy rearing to go. Although doing so in silence as no horns or engine revs were sounded, a reasonable ask since these noises tend to spook horses, a fact known to many except the crowd who shut down an iconic Auckland racetrack it would seem.
In the vehicle hold, a comical sight unfolded as the classic Minis faced off against a fleet of huge trucks to see who would go first. Once back on land, the crew sent us off with smiles and waves as the line of Minis descended into Picton in time for lunch.
A few of the group including myself chose to have our lunch in the nearby town of Blenheim which offered me the chance to catch up with family. Once through with my afternoon meal, I was back on the road, heading for the famously scenic drive from Blenheim to Kaikoura along the east coast.
What a drive it was, I found myself stopping multiple times along the way to admire the bright blue waters that surrounded the land. Like many other drivers, I too was coming to terms with the fact that this stretch of road may likely be one of our country’s most beautiful drives.
The drive was meant to take just over 90 minutes according to the navigation system but it ended up being far longer with all my photo stops along the way! After a while, I stopped taking photos and started living in the moment, taking in the beauty of this coastline to which a camera cannot do justice. Those oldies are right, it is “that damn phone”.
While the Countryman and I may have been the envy of other drivers during the North Island’s torrential downpour, it was very much the other way around now. This was the kind of road that suited a classic car, the sort where each corner presented a view more beautiful than the last, this was a drive to savour, not devour.
Between my lunch and photo stops, I arrived in Kaikoura well after the premier of ‘Goodbye Pork Pie’ which had begun at the local theatre but I didn’t mind because that drive was so special. To think that those roads were swept away only a few years ago but have now been rebuilt to such an incredible state, wow!
After nearly two hours of not seeing another ‘2025 Pork Pie Run’ liveried Mini, I was starting to worry but the reassuring sight of these three above told me that I was in the right place for our overnight hault.
Day Four: Kaikoura to Hokitika via Lewis Pass, 400km
Despite being behind the wheel of the Countryman SE (EV), day three was rather effortless as I arrived in Kaikoura with 200km of range to go and charged to 99% (338km) while at dinner. The advertised range is approximately 343km for reference. Our journey on day four would total 400km which is more than what a single charge could offer, no worries though as we had our charging stop planned, or so we thought.
The South Island is geographically larger than the North so each leg from here on would be fairly significant in distance and with most of the roads being mountainous, not an easy drive either. Day four would see us cross the Southern Alps, going from Kaikoura in the east to Hokitika in the west. For this journey, a choice of two passes exist, Lewis Pass being the shorter route while Arthur’s Pass is longer and steeper. With it being autumn, the conditions on both passes were good so we opted for Lewis as it worked well with our charging stop too!
To kick off the day, the convoy of Minis roared through Kaikoura for one last hurrah before hitting the long road ahead, the first group stop of which was in the town of Waiau, a destination featured in the movie. We reached the town just in time for coffee and with my breakfast digested, I gingerly handed the keys over to my co-driver. Now, I have terrible motion sickness and Dave likes to drive enthusiastically shall we say, a combination that does not bode well. With some Sea Legs popped (thanks Brigetta), I was ready to brave the journey ahead.
Despite being confident that we would make our charging stop in Reefton, something in me insisted that I put the car into ‘GREEN’ mode. So I did, to conserve charge but still let ‘Mad McLeod’ have his fun.
And what a fun journey it was as we traversed through the Southern Alps. Each clearing opening up a view more spectacular than the last. At each corner, sights of mountains, rivers and glacier lakes had us wowing endlessly. Even when the vistas were limited by forest cover, they were still just as majestic with the rich dark green leaves providing an epic canvas for the small colourful Minis to paint.
With the scenic drive complete, we holed up in the town of Reefton for lunch, a charge here would see us through the 150 kilometres to Hokitika without a hitch. Except, there was a problem. After trying all things possible, we settled on the charger being faulty. A quick call to ChargeNet confirmed our suspicion. From here, the next town with EV charging facilities was Greymouth, 77 kilometres away. And what about our range? Well, that was a predicted 82 kilometres.
Agreeing on the fact that there wasn’t much else we could do, Dave suggested pies from a local shop which turned out to be just what the doctor ordered. With our stomachs full, we confronted the nervy task at hand. To which Dave handed the keys back to me, ‘hot potato’ style, turned off the air con and away we went.
After 77 kilometres of efficient driving, we had reached Greymouth with our range reading single digits, how’s that for range anxiety! The car had warned us at the 60 kilometre and 40 kilometre marks before engaging turtle mode which limits power, an icon that would become familiar to us over the course of the trip. Still, it could’ve been worse, at least we now know that the Countryman SE can hold its drink. While on the topic of our Greymouth stop, a big shoutout to the team at the local Subway there who had some great banter to share!
After a dollop of charge, we got back on the road to complete day four’s remaining 40 kilometres and arrive in Hokitika. With the charger just a stone’s throw from the hotel, I plugged in and turned to some reading material.
My page turner of choice was kindly lent to me by Kevin Hollamby with strict instructions. ‘The Story of P Pie And The Two Old Farts’ is the only book of its kind after all! Carefully turning the pages, I got up to speed on some of the drivers behind this great initiative and the tale of how that crazy car came to be. Reading the story behind the car and the event made me even more appreciative of the Run that I had been so privileged to take part in.
A special shoutout here to the chaps in ‘Slow n Low’ who blew an ignition coil or two somewhere along this leg. After getting the car up and running again, they completed the rest of the journey in pitch darkness. Credit also to the two teams who stayed behind to guide them home, now that’s team spirit!
Day Five: Hokitika to Cromwell, 465km
After a well earned rest, the next morning rolled around quickly. It was incredible to think that there were only two days left of our six day Run, where did the time go?! Day five would see us continue driving down the west coast before tapering inwards and finishing the day in the town of Cromwell where thanks to some phone calls made by Dave, the group would have a track cruise after all.
The first group stop of the morning was in the town of Harihari, a staple of the Pork Pie Run historically and a place where the convoy are usually greeted by children from the local school. However, it had rained all the way from Hokitika, only clearing briefly for a photoshoot so the plan was shelved, much to the kids’ dismay.
Speaking of shelving, we were about to head into glacier country, more new territory for me! After a frightened Dave emerged from behind the wheel of ‘P Pie’, I filled him in on the fact that I’d be charging ahead to plug in so we could keep pace with the group. It wasn’t long after parting ways that the cloud cover began to lift and unveil the snow capped treats they were hiding.
While yesterday’s range fiasco was exactly that, at least we had the luxury of time. Today, we didn’t. That lovely track cruise at Highlands in Cromwell was scheduled for 4pm and at this stage, we were cutting it quite fine, the last thing we needed was an unscheduled charging stop.
At Franz Josef Glacier’s township, we juiced up the car to 88%, giving us some 300km of range. What many of you may or may not know about EV charging is that they fast charge up to 80% in a matter of 20-30 minutes usually but the crawl to 100% from there can often take nearly as long. Couple this with the fact that the 50kW charger was only dishing out 35kW and we were already running late for Cromwell which was 330km away at this stage.
After establishing that we were not even close to making that distance, we aimed for Wanaka which was a nail biting 287km away, knowing that we really had to make a brisk charging stop there if we were to make the track cruise at 4PM.
To make this distance of 287km comfortably, we had once again resorted to turning off the air conditioning and anything else that was drawing excess power from the car, except the stereo. We were both in agreement that the 80s tunes had to stay, no matter what! Good music aside, all the windows were up to lessen drag so we cracked the sunroof to ensure we had just enough air to get by.
As you can see from both the above and below photos, we didn’t need air conditioning as the sun’s heat mixed with the chilly alpine air provided a more than ambient temperature to enjoy. If the road into Kaikoura was stunning, this trek was even more so. At the risk of sounding like a fence sitter, the scenic beauty this time was in the form of snow capped mountains rather than sun soaked oceans but as a road for driving pleasure, this was the cherry on top, or so I thought!
As was evident on this Run, New Zealand’s majestic beauty never ceases to impress. If you think you’ve seen the best of what this country has to offer, turn a corner and you’ll find something even more breathtaking. We truly are blessed to call this place home and somehow, the views just kept getting better! Case in point above as we rolled into Wanaka.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, here’s some figures to establish the picturesque nature of the South Island. For context, I had included around 20 photos in my article covering the 2025 Pork Pie Run’s journey through the North Island. This piece on the other hand contains nearly double that count as it stands, need I say more?
The backdrop just kept getting better as we neared Wanaka. Open rock faces, lakes, mountains, evergreen trees, this place had it all, not to mention the brilliant ribbon of tarmac that offered us such views. A beep from the Mini quickly reminded us that we were still on Earth and that the range was still dwindling. Once again, we went into turtle mode (reduced power) on the entry to Wanaka.
A quick sidebar here to highlight team ‘TENPIN’ who exhibited some top drawer driving skill on those roads. Watching that classic Mini carve up the corners was nearly as majestic as the backdrop itself!
A brief beep from the Mini reminded us that we still needed a charge, rather desperately. So when turning into Wanaka, we attempted to sneak away from the pack without misguiding anyone. Now plugged in, it was a good chance to remind ourselves of the time pressure we were under. At this stage, we had all but given up on making the track cruise, then a text message came through. Turns out the briefing had been pushed out to 4:15 and our current ETA would have us there at 4:19. I briskly unplugged the Mini once the range count hit 70km and Dave hoofed it (within legal limits of course). We ended up arriving just as the cars were heading out onto Highlands.
Seeing 30 something Minis round Highlands Motorsport Park was quite a sight and sound. The cars happily trundled along behind the lead safety car, tooting their horns, revving their engines and smiling away. This was a special sight and what a backdrop for it too!
Following the end of the two lap track cruise, we got a chance to catch up with a few legends from 2025’s Run, including ‘Team Goodies‘ and ‘Team Mini Mack and the Bears‘. Just two of some of the shining examples of human beings that we had the pleasure of joining for the course of the event.
With our hearts warmed, we returned to the Countryman SE, I dropped Dave off to the accommodation and plugged the car in, the range readout displayed a measly ‘3km’. I can’t deny, this was getting old, quickly.
Day Six: Cromwell to Invercargill, 460km
After five days on the Run, we had seen both spectacular sunrises and sunsets but none quite like this one. It was an icy two degrees that morning, yet many of the group were outside because nature was putting on an unmissable show for us. Standing in a carpark full of Minis, watching the sun rise over the snow capped ‘Remarkables’ mountain range has to be one of my favourite memories of the Run and what a way it was to start our final day of the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run.
It felt like just yesterday when I and many others arrived at the start line in Paihia on day zero and in a flash, here we were, at the start of day six of the Run. What a journey it had been so far but we weren’t done just yet, there was still another 460km to go before we completed the mission of “taking those bloody cars to Invercargill”.
Our morning would kick off in the same fashion as always, with a hearty breakfast and briefing. The former of which couldn’t have gone down better with the frosty weather outside! We heard from the event’s organizers, Keri and Kevin Hollamby, Peter Bjarnesen and Mike & Barbara Burr who warned us of the withdrawal that we would face after returning home from the Run. They weren’t wrong, just over two weeks since its completion and I still find myself reminiscing on what can only be described as the trip of a lifetime.
Our route today would take us from Cromwell to Dunedin where a lunchtime gathering had been organized in the city’s famous Octagon, think of it like an eight sided town square. From there, the group would continue heading south to Invercargill where the Run would end with a black tie dinner.
Fortunately for us in the Countryman SE, we were now returning to more populated areas which meant chargers! We could take our pick from Dunedin or Balclutha which also has a 50kW electric pump, Invercargill too had a choice of charging options so we were starting to breathe easy.
Given a choice of two routes out of Cromwell, we took State Highway 8 which hugs the Clutha River for much of the way until the two eventually part ways just outside of Beaumont. SH8 journeys through the towns of Clyde, Alexandra, Roxburgh, Millers Flat, Beaumont, Lawrence and Waitahuna before ending in Milton, the town of opportunity!
The navigation unit wanted us to follow State Highway 85 towards Dunedin but it was a wrong turn from me that took us down SH8 and I’ve got to say that I’ve never been more thankful to have a terrible sense of direction before. Without a doubt, this was the best road journey of the trip so far. It had snow capped mountains, an alpine river and everything else that we’ve seen on the trip but never in such close proximity. The vegetation wasn’t green this time, it was painted in the colours of autumn instead. I loved the scenery so much that I barely took a single photo after leaving the Cromwell Gorge, hopefully my argument has been convincing enough for you to do the same trip one day.
As one of the earliest to arrive in Dunedin, we stopped to get a charge and for the first time since leaving the Waikato, there was a 150kW charger available in town. We plugged in to draw on all of the 125kW it would give us and once the car was topped up, we rejoined the group in the Octagon.
Nearly 50 Minis parked up in the Octagon, much to the bewilderment of Dunedin-ites, tourists and everyone in between! The unsuspecting hoardes poured in, taking photos, asking questions and leaving with beaming smiles. There’s just something about Minis that transcends borders, they seem to make everyone happy in a way that few other cars can, this was as evident here as it had been on much of the Run. Everywhere they went, the cars prompted people to smile, wave and take photos.
After reliving my Uni days by wolfing down a ‘Cheesey Bro’ from Velvet Burger, Dave and I got underway to complete the remaining 204km to Invercargill. Following 8 or 9 overtakes along the way, we then became the first car from the 2025 Run to make it to New Zealand’s southernmost city.
With shirts ironed and ties tied, we headed for the dinner. The function was emceed by the chap from ‘How to Dad’ and featured speeches, prize giving & plenty of chatter. There was some beautiful food on offer too, a fitting way to complete the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run and honour those who made a stellar effort to fundraise for KidsCan, congratulations in particular to team ‘WCML’!
A special shoutout here to the father daughter duo behind the wheel of ‘Cream Bun’ who completed the last leg without a windscreen as it was claimed by a stone. Jack also treated us to some post dinner music in the form of an accordion performance, a few even got up to dance!
Day Seven: Invercargill to Dunedin, 204km
This was it, the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run had come to an end. By the the culmination of our trip in Dunedin, we had covered nearly 3,000 kilometres across New Zealand. We had braved the elements in Northland and Auckland and seen some of the most beautiful parts of the country along the South Island’s west coast as well as in the Alexandra/Otago regions.
Then there were the people, we had the absolute honour of doing this entire journey with a great bunch, folk from around the nation who were using their cars to support a worthy cause and having plenty of fun along the way. We listened and laughed with them, sharing many a meal/drink along the way.
A special shoutout here to the teams that really made us feel welcome, please consider donating to their efforts: WCML: Trina and Gary White, Southern Leyland Lads: Jason Jewiss and Ashley Cumming, The Bonodleys: Matt Woodley and Jason Bonney and Slow n Low: Steve Whitney and Troy Myer.
And what about the cars you say? The duo of Mini Countrymans, the S and SE couldn’t have been better. They kept us safe through it all, protected from the elements yet still in comfort, never complaining. The two formed an excellent companion for the duration of the trip and after covering nearly 3,000 kilometres behind the wheel, it felt weird getting into my Volvo once back home. Yes, the cars were met with some initial hostility but for those who were curious, the Countryman offered enough Mini nods to earn their appreciation by the end of it.
What we learnt on this journey was that even though you can drive the length of the country in an EV, it gets quite difficult and rather cumbersome if you are off the beaten track. After the six/seven days of travel and nearly 3,000 kilometres covered, the Countryman SE was a mere $27 cheaper to charge/fill than the Countryman S petrol car. The real clincher was the SE needed 16 charging stops throughout the entire journey, averaging 19.4kWhr/100km while the petrol car needed just four fills, averaging 7L/100km by the end of it. Make of that what you will.
Shortly after crunching the numbers, my flight home announced boarding and thus came the curtain call on one of the most memorable road trips that I have had the pleasure of completing. The Pork Pie Charity Run supports an excellent cause while embarking on a journey like no other, all while in great company. Would I do it again, yes and would I do it in a classic Mini, absolutely!
A special thank you goes out to the following:
Mini New Zealand for inviting us on the 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run and providing us with the two Countrymans.
The 2025 Pork Pie Charity Run organizing committee, Keri & Kevin Hollamby and Peter Bjarnesen.
Our sponsors, Employee Lab and Mortgage Lab for getting behind KidsCan.
Avery Turner for organizing our entire itinerary over the week!
Thanks for reading! For more of everything Mini, visit Tarmac Life.
Words and photos by Matthew D’Souza. Thanks again Mini New Zealand for the opportunity!
