Southern Scenic Route
This 440 km tourist drive connects Dunedin with Te Anau.
www.visit.southlandnz.com
www.myplace.southlandnz.com
Balclutha
Balclutha is Gaelic for "town on the Clyde". The town is situated at the Clutha River, New Zealand's largest river.
Visit the friendly i-Site staff for useful information about the Catlins and the Southern Scenic Route if you are heading south.
It's not a bad idea to refill your petrol here.
The museum tells a lot about the history of the district
The Catlins
Make sure you got enough time to visit this part of the Southern Island as you won't see large highways connecting the main points of interest. It's a great place to explore the beauty of nature. You'll find waterfalls, dense rainforest, a spectacular coast mixed with a rich wildlife such as sea lions, penguins, dolphins and many birds.
It's good to have a detailed map of the region if you stay here for some days.
Kaka Point
Beside the village and the beach you can do a Kaka Point Bush Walk around coastal remnant forest.
Nugget Point Tokata
Lighthouse walk
20 min return to the lighthouse which was built in 1869.
Look for fur seals and sea lions on the way.
Sunset is the best time to see the Yellow Eyed Penguin. There's a shelter for not disturbing the animals.
Owaka
There is also a supermarket and a filling station if you are in need.
Owaka Museum
Lot of stories about the pioneering settlers.
Cannibal Bay / Surat Bay
Watch out for New Zealand Hooker Sea Lions at the beach! The animals see people and dogs as a thread. Pleas keep at least 15 metres away and never block their escape routes to the sea.
The sailing vessel Surat was wrecked here in 1874. There's a sign on the beach pointing in the direction.
Jacks Blowhole
1 hour return
A good show at high tide, the blowhole is located around 100m from the sea.
The Blowhole is located on private property, please respect that access is closed during the lambing season.
Purakaunui Falls
20 min return - easy
The walk leads through beech and podocarp forest to the fall with four terraces
Matai- and Horseshoe Falls
30 minutes return
Two falls in one forest walk.
Lake Wilkie
30 min return or just 10 minutes to view the lake - easy
Cathedral Cave
40 min return
Accessible only at low tide, so check in advance. The gates are open 2 hour before and after low tide.
McLean Falls
45 min return
Another spectacular waterfall not to be missed.
Niagara Falls
Probably only the name looks like the great North American Falls.
Porpoise Bay
It's a good place to view the rare Hector's dolphin if you are here between December and March.
Waikawa
Former Waikawa St Mary's Anglican Church
Because of the dwindling congregation the church is now home to a nice mixture of an information - cafe - shop - livingroom. If you are looking for the Hector dolphins, that's the place for informations.
Waikawa Museum at the old school
On display are whaling, goldmining and saw milling related things of the early settlers.
Curio Bay
Petrified stumps, fallen trees and fern imprints from the Jurassic age about 180 million years ago. Check for the tides as the site is best viewed at low tide.
Slope Point
Southern most Point of the South Island
Latitude: 46.40 min 40 sec South
Longitude: 169.00 min 11 sec East
The track follows marker posts across windswept pastures and is closed between 1st of September and 1 November due to the lambing season.
Waipapa Point
Sea lions
Site of New Zealand's worst maritime disaster in 1881. The SS Tararua sunk after running aground on a reef. Because of the rising sea 131 of 151 passengers lives were lost. Some of the recovered bodies are buried at Tararua Acre others at the Fortrose Cemetery.
The last wooden built Lighthouse in New Zealand was built after the disaster and first warned ships in 1884.
Fortrose
You'll leave the Catlin's here.
