3 minute read
The Catlins Must-Do's
NUGGET POINT LIGHTHOUSE
Rocks eroded by waves resemble gold nuggets and can be seenfrom the lighthouse, 76m above sea level.
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Nugget Point © Getty Images
WILDLIFE
Yellow-eyed penguin / hoiho © www.cluthanz.com
Fur seals, dolphins and penguins frequent Nugget Point and between December and February elephant seals, too.
TUMA TOKA CURIOSCAPE
For hands-on fun, this immersive indoor centre tells the storyof how Curio Bay came to be.
OWAKA
A large stainless steel waka sculpture is a standout in the Catlins’ main town. Visiting the local museum is ‘like walking through a 3D storybook’ covering Māori settlements, shipwrecks and pioneer settlers.
CURIO BAY
Enjoy a swim or surf, then walk to the Petrified Forest where fossilised trees are embedded in coastal bedrock.
KAKA POINT
A popular coastal village that thrives over summer. Swim on the surf-patrolled beach, picnic beside the sea, surf decent waves and embark on the looped Kaka Beach Bush Walk.
ROARING BAY
Home to the elusive yellow-eyed penguin, sea lions and dolphins. But you’ll need a beady eye. The best time of day to see them is late afternoon when they return from the sea to nest.
Purakaunui Falls
At the end of an easy five-minute walk from the car park, discover a stunning, three-tiered waterfall toppling over a wide brim.
Cannibal Bay and Surat Bay
A rewarding place to observe a colony of sea lions. A marked walkway traverses through the dunes to connect these two beaches. Keep a 20-metre distance between yourself and the active seals or hide in the dunes and enjoy their antics unaware.
Jack's Blowhole
From Jack’s Bay, a one-hour return walk leads to Jack’s Blowhole. A strong high tide will see this 55-metre-deep spectacle blow skyward. Open from late October to late April.
Southland Waipapa Point Lighthouse
Right at the bottom of the South Island, the remote and rugged coastline at Waipapa Point hosts one of the last wooden lighthouses built in New Zealand.
The Lost Gypsy
A secret treasure in Papatōwai. Explore automata madness from New Zealand artist, Blair Somerville and climb inside the gypsy bus.
Southland Niagara Falls
Named by a good-humoured surveyor, these falls are by no means record breaking, but what they lack in fame, they make up for in prettiness – and wit!
Purakaunui Bay
Large and golden, yet pleasantly under-sought, this stunning bay has a DOC campsite and the highest cliffs in The Catlins. Home to some of the area’s biggest waves, surfers descend here in droves.
McLean Falls
There are many fabulous waterfalls in The Catlins and at 22 metres high, this one's the area's tallest. The 40-minute return McLean Falls Walk gets you to its base, where multiple small terraces topple onto one another.
Cathedral Caves
Open late October to late April, walk through gargantuan chasms measuring 200 metres in length and 30 metres high at Waipati Beach. There’s a $10 entry fee per adult and it’s wise to check tides and opening hours beforehand.
Teapot Land
Never will you have seen so many teapots in one small spot. Such a quirky little roadside gem, it's guaranteed to make you smile. Found in Owaka.
Florence Hill Lookout
Cameras at the ready, the panoramic views of Tautuku Bay and its peninsula are dazzling. It is also a great spot to see the (seasonal) southern lights, just a short drive from Papatowai.
Tunnel Hill
Pack a torch and embark on this short, 10-minute walk, flecked with the last remnants of an old river railway. The tunnel is the most southerly one of its kind in the world and you might even see glow worms in its darkest hollows.
