West Coast Beach in Hokitika © Adobe Stock BELOW: Lake Mahinapua © juergenschacke.com RIGHT: Hokitika Wildfoods Festival © Westland District Council
TOP TIP: Make the most of Mahinapua Scenic Reserve on a West Coast Scenic Waterways Cruise.
TOP TIP: Are you a
Hokitika West Coast Treetop Walk & Café Scuttle across a 450m-long
for walkers and bike riders. Pick up a brochure detailing the entire walk from the local i-SITE.
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platform elevated 20m above ground between ancient rimu and kāmahi trees, then climb Hokitika Tower, an extra 20m above.
Hokitika Driftwood and Sand Festival Held every January, come
f your creative side with Josandeexpress
Lake Mahinapua Part of Mahinapua Scenic Reserve and a stone's throw from West Coast Treetop Walk, stay at the peaceful DOC campsite, swim in the lake and reconnect with nature.
anything you can forage off the beach to create unique sculptures.
Hokitika Glass Studio Admire
the hypnotic art of glassblowing in Glacier the heart of Hokitika. Witness the
Hokitika Gorge The water is
workshop in action every weekday between 10:30am and 4pm.
ntry Cou Wildfoods Festival Get your
an astonishing electric blue and you won’t want to leave without crossing the swing bridges to admire dramatic gorge scenery. Located 33km from central Hokitika.
gnashers around a lamb’s testicle on 12 March 2022. A festival of both obscure foods and your favourite fare, good tucker and entertainment.
x Sunset Point At day’s end, sit onFo Rimu Lookout Tear your eyes the beach and watch whitebaiters cast their nets. Sit with a bag of fresh fish and chips before a sunset smeared in a kaleidoscope of golden hues. Magic.
away from the scenery to learn more about the area's gold mining heritage via several displays dotted along this one-hour looped walk.
Glacier
Hokitika Beach If you haven’t been to Hokitika Beach and taken a sunset selfie with its unmistakable driftwood sign – have you really even been to Hokitika?
foodie visiting outside the Wildfoods Festival dates? New Gatherer is a rustic and Mexicaninspired barn venue and bar offering a plant-rich whole foods menu.
National Kiwi Centre In need of a family-friendly indoor activity? Say hello to various New Zealand species, including kiwi, tuatara and giant eels which you can feed. Hokitika Historic Buildings Visit the Regent Theatre, an Art Deco building that still shows the latest movies and live shows. The elegant St Mary’s Church is equally as captivating.
Lake Kaniere Drive 24km inland from Hokitika for swimming spots, a jetty, biking and walking routes,
and secret picnic nooks on this picturesque lake.
Honourable Roddy In 1909, New Zealand’s largest gold nugget was discovered in Ross, weighing in at 2.81 kilogram. A replica of Big Rod sits in the Ross Goldfield’s Information Heritage Centre. The original was gifted to the English monarchy, melted into a tea set and subsequently ‘misplaced’!
Bonz ‘N’ Stonz Join a master carver for a tutorial on chiselling pounamu, as well as paua shell or bone.
Ross Just 20 minutes from Hokitika, this historic little town buzzes with quiet energy. Visit the museum, pan for gold, enjoy walks or saddle up: this is one end of the West Coast Wilderness Cycle Trail.
Gold-rush Legacy In the late 1860s, at the height of the gold rush, 12 per cent of New Zealand’s population resided on the West Coast. In Hokitika, visit Carnegie Public Library for fascinating exhibits dating back to this thriving time.
Hokitika Gorge © West Coast Tourism
Glowworm Dell You can walk here from town in less than 15 minutes. Well sign-posted from the main road, discover a fern grotto by day and a stunning galaxy of glowworms by night.
Aoraki
Hokitika Heritage Trail Walkway Tracing the town’s
Hokitika Craft Gallery Boasting oo Cworks of art kthat are 80 percent t M perimeter, every secret from locally made, come and admire a Hokitika’s 19th century gold-rush days is revealed along this pathway
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wealth of Hokitika talent. PAGE 7 - REGIONAL MAP
