8 minute read
Road Trip - Dunedin to Invercargill
Start the day at Dunedin
Head south down SH 1 and the spectacular Southern Scenic Route.
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The drive out of Dunedin follows the southern coast before heading inland for your first essential stops on this route – Milton and then Balclutha. Prepare for your Catlins trip in Balclutha and take a stroll on the Blair Athol Walkway to see the mighty Clutha River.
Head to Owaka, past Nugget Point; you’ll drive only half an hour before you feel like you’ve travelled to another world. Through The Catlins and Curio Bay, you’ll arrive in the region’s largest centre, Invercargill. On to Bluff before crossing Foveaux Strait to Stewart Island, a memorable highlight.
Dunedin to Milton via SH 1 40min, 54.3km
Milton to Balclutha via SH 1 20min, 25.2km
SIDE TRIP : Gore, Lumsden & Winton, Inland via SH 1 & SH 6 2hr 28min, 207km
Balclutha to Owaka via Kaka Pt Rd & Esplanade 1hr, 61.5km
Owaka to Invercargill via Papatōwai Hwy & Chaslands Hwy 2hr 18min, 156km
Invercargill to Bluff via SH 1 23min, 28.2km
SIDE TRIP: Bluff to Stewart Island via the Foveaux Strait on ferry to explore Stewart Island 1hr, 58.7km
© AA Traveller 2021
HIGHLIGHTS
Cave at Nugget Point © www.cluthanz.com
BILL RICHARDSON TRANSPORT WORLD Reputedly the largest private collection of its type in the world and haven for petrol heads. Explore over 300 vehicles, a wearable arts’ collection, children’s play zones and themed bathrooms fast becoming as famous as the vehicles.
TUMU TOKA CURIOSCAPE Enjoy a world-class interpretive centre that details the fascinating stories of Curio Bay, including its wildlife, people and history. Curioscape’s Gateway Experience is highly interactive and the immersive theatre is always a big hit with visitors.
KAKA POINT On the northern edge of The Catlins and a good base for easy access to Nugget Point, it’s also a special town in its own right, with a line of cribs along its coastline, a few shops, a good swimming beach if you’re visiting in summer, and plenty of great walking tracks. Kaka Point attracts wildlife photographers too, such is its environmental credibility.
MCLEAN FALLS Flowing from 22m heights on the Tautuku River in the Catlins Conservation Park and often described as the most spectacular in the region.
CHEESE ROLLS It would be criminal to visit Southland and not try a local cheese roll. Early recipes date back as far as 1930 with the delicacy found at most cafés and bakeries in the region.
BURT MUNRO CHALLENGE Seven events over five days culminates in the largest motorcycle rally in the southern hemisphere. Held every year in Invercargill in February.
BLUFF OYSTER & FOOD FESTIVAL Succulent southern seafood is headlined by the Bluff oyster as hungry locals and visitors descend on this famous party in their droves. Held in Bluff in May.
TUSSOCK COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL For country musicians (and fans) of every ilk. Held from Queen’s Birthday weekend for nine solid days in Gore, New Zealand’s official Country Music Capital.
NUGGET POINT Named by Captain Cook in honour of its wave-eroded rocks looking like nuggets of gold, this is a genuinely fascinating place. Located near Kaka Point, a popular seaside village, the iconic panoramic platform is home to one of the country’s oldest lighthouses, Tokata. You may also see fur seals, elephant seals and sea lions.
CATHEDRAL CAVES Only accessible very close to low tide, feel dwarfed by the sheer size of these caves found at the northern end of Waipati Beach.
INVERCARGILL
Burt Munro Challenge 2019 – Troopers War Memorial © Great South
Invercargill’s streets are lined with Victorian, Edwardian and art deco buildings. Enjoy the city’s green spaces such as Queens Park. Located in the heart of the city and a Garden of National Significance, this whopping 80-hectare park features animal enclosures, a bird aviary, castle, sculptures and band rotunda.
Invercargill is also a boutique food and beverage producer. Enjoy freshly caught blue cod, crayfish, and the famous Bluff oyster, along with legendary Kiwi fare like cheese rolls and lolly cake.
Dig This Invercargill © Great South
HIGHLIGHTS
> Queens Park
> Dig This
> Oreti Beach
> Seriously Good Chocolate Company
> E Hayes Motorworks Collection
Side Trip to GORE, LUMSDEN, WINTON & WAIKAIA
Trout fishing, Gore © Great South
GORE It may be small, but it goes large where its recreation is concerned, with ample public gardens, a BMX track and Dolamore Park, replete with multiple walks and a tranquil campground that come nightfall, twinkles with stars and glowworms. Gore is also regarded as the world’s Brown Trout Fishing Capital with almost 150km of accessible water.
Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore © Great South
Proud of its rich history, Gore has a plethora of public educational spaces like the Gore Heritage Trail and the Croydon Aviation Heritage Centre for scenic flights aboard a vintage bi-plane. Gore is also home to the Eastern Southland Art Gallery. Nicknamed the ‘Goreggenheim’ and housed inside the 1909 library, discover a dazzling collection of contemporary artworks.
Lumsden biking © Chris McLennan
LUMSDEN Once a major rail junction with departing lines from each point on the compass. The local station building remains a major landmark to explore, along with heritage buildings populating the main streets and the classic Kiwiana filled cafés.
WINTON Providing a tranquil and relaxed atmosphere, the town’s beautiful gardens and historic buildings are a highlight and provide a welcome reprieve on your road trip. Partake in a 5km heritage trail, enjoy farmstays or fish for trout here.
Tiny WAIKAIA in northern Southland, snug between the Black Umbrella and Garvie mountain ranges,has a major surprise: its celebrated Switzers Waikaia Museum which features historic exhibitions about gold,Chinese miners and farming and shares stories of the town’s military history along with locals’ memories.
Stirling Point © Chris McLennan
BLUFF is a book that can be judged by its beautiful cover;a great story awaits you. From adventure cruises and fishing charters to local ship wrecks on display, it’s a town rich in surprises.
Bluff is the most historic and southern port town in New Zealand. Motupōhue, as it is known in Māori, was settled from 1824 and is now home to a significant geographical landmark – Bluff Hill. The towering hill has a commanding presence with views of it possible from as far away as Fiordland on a fine day. It covers approximately 630 hectares of land connected to the mainland by a 300m-wide isthmus at Ocean Beach.
Stirling Point, one of the southernmost mainland points, is where you’ll find that iconic signpost pointing to elsewhere in the world. Obligatory selfies here, please.
OWAKA: PLACE OF THE CANOE
Owaka Museum © www.cluthanz.com
Owaka, close to the Owaka River is the main centre of the North Catlins area and is the perfect base for a Catlins adventure. An impressive 10m stainless steel waka that lights up at night tells you you’ve arrived. Only 30km from Balclutha, it’s inherited the region’s relaxed, friendly attitude to life. You’ll be made welcome here, and you’ll find plenty of outdoor activities that put a smile on your dial.
Side Trip to STEWART ISLAND
Halfmoon Bay © Great South
Yellow-crowned parakeet/ kakariki © Adobe Stock
Perfectly remote, Stewart Island/Rakiura is virtually free of light pollution, making the views exceptional, especially at night. Combined with the island’s scenery and landscape, when darkness falls you really will experience an unprecedented night sky. In 2019 this was recognised at a global level and the island was declared an International Dark Sky Sanctuary. Seeing is believing.
Stewart Island is where life falls into a more relaxed rhythm. From its impressive seascapes to its generous recreation – boating, fishing, diving, kayaking and hunting – it’s an unforgettable experience. The island’s Rakiura Track, a 32km circular tramping track, is one of New Zealand Great Walks.
The scenery of the island has barely changed over thousands of years. Explore the pure podocarp forest, wild open coast, forested ridges and wilderness beaches. Take a break to carve your own greenstone souvenir and – highly recommended – go bird watching on Ulva Island.
THE CATLINS
trip to the famous Catlins, straddling the boundary between the Otago and Southland regions, is an escape from civilisation. This sparsely populated area offers pure peace. Check out Curio Bay, where there is a petrified forest on the western headland of Porpoise Bay. At low tide,you’ll see ancient tree fossils more than 18 million years old. Yellow-eyed penguin, or hoiho, may come out to greet you here.Visit waterfalls such as the Purakaunui Falls, 20m high with three distinct tiers; Matai Falls, and McLean Falls,which can be found on a gentle 40-minute walk through lush trees. Experience The Catlins’ coastline on horseback or take a leisurely stand-up paddle board ride on the hidden waterways of Papatōwai. The 55m-deep Jack’s Blowhole is worth seeing in Tunnel Rocks Scenic Reserve and Tautuku Boardwalk, a sacred Māori spot, is too.
Main Image Above : Lighthouse at Nugget Point © Adobe Stock
