About Us

Both Mike and Karen have lived in the Canterbury high country all their lives - Karen was raised on Peak Hill Station, that spectacular land form on the west banks of Lake Coleridge. Later Mike, with a Canterbury high country background, and Karen together operated Coalgate Transport, servicing much of the rural Rakaia gorge and Coleridge basin areas.  In 1984 they moved to Ryton Station on the eastern banks of the Lake Coleridge, virtually opposite Karen's childhood home, Peak Hill. Mike and Karen Meares became well known to thousands of New Zealanders, and are remembered for developing their ground breaking self drive tours through many back roads and tracks of the South Island's best known high country stations going from Station to Station.

Now living in Coalgate, approx. 60kms inland from Christchurch, near Darfield in Canterbury, the Meares are ideally situated to operate their self drive 4wd High Country Journeys.  Mike and Karen also once again service the Rakaia and Coleridge Basin, now operating a D6 bulldozer and 20T digger  with associated earthmoving equipment. Karen still has her sheep dogs and does casual stock work in between operating and running High Country Journeys.

Our daughter Cindy and her husband Simon now also live in Coalgate and help host High Country Journeys and Simon works in the contracting side with Mike.Cindy and Simon have 2 children now, Abigail, 2.5 years old and Toby who is 3 months old. It is nice having our grandchildren just around the corner.Our son Nicholas is in Australia, working in gold exploration, and Belinda finishes school at the end of this year 2012.

Mike and Karen's High Country Journey's is unique in the fact that they are not just developing a 4WD trip; they want to share their passion, love and knowledge of this amazing part of New Zealand. Mike and Karen take the time to get to know their guests and many become friends. This is what makes High Country Journey's so special and different to any other trip. With their affiliation to the high country and people that live there they are able to get access to some remote tracks not available to other 4x4 tours.

As an integral part of the high country community, of which Mike and Karen are the original creators of this self drive 4wd concept, they  
 have been able to access a range of unique tracks through some of the South Island's most scenic alpine areas travelling from Station To Station.  With 17 years experience they  offer personalized fully catered self drive tours to suit all needs.

See our monthly newsletter keeping you up to date on availability start dates, family news and other current Journey information.