ROAD TRIP - Westport to Karamea

A journey to Karamea

Westport to Karamea via SH 67 & Karamea Hwy 1hr 29min, 95.7km

SIDE TRIP - Westport to Buller Gorge Swingbridge via SH 6 1hr 10min, 82.3km

SIDE TRIP - Karamea to Oparara Basin via Karamea- Kohaihai Rd & Mccallums Mill Rd 32min, 24km

Nature is in its element on the West Coast. The land is treasured; there’s more protected land here than in any other part of the country.

Although it’s only 100km, travelling on SH 67 between Karamea and Westport can take up to two hours to drive. The road is sealed all the way, but it does twist and turn over the Karamea Bluff – a high point that gives spectacular views of the area.

You will want to stop often to take photos of the incredible views of the Tasman Coast, especially at sunset, or the surrounding towering mountain ranges. There are also plenty of opportunities to stop and go for short walks into the ancient rain forests.

Whether you are a hiker, caver, birdwatcher, geologist, stargazer, hunter or fisherman, this incredibly dramatic and unspoiled area of the West Coast is worth exploring.

Oparara Basin, Karamea

© West Coast Tourism

HIGHLIGHTS

HEAPHY TRACK This is one of the most popular walks in the northern part of the South Island. You could spend up to six days hiking the trail from Kōhaihai just north of Karamea across to Brown Hut in Golden Bay, but even just 30 minutes on the track will delight.

HONEYCOMB CAVES Easily Karamea’s best-kept secret, the caves conceal a full-size, perfectly preserved moa skeleton. Entry is by certified guide only.

DENNISTON MINE Denniston has a rich mining history and the surrounding area, known as the Denniston Plateau was once the country’s largest producing coal mine. Gain a unique insight into the mine’s rugged life and remarkable engineering.

THE OLD GHOST ROAD This former gold miners’ road is now a mountain biking and tramping trail and offers 85km of pure wilderness.

Old Ghost Road

© Richard Rossiter

KARAMEA Tickling the edges of the Kahurangi National Park, the beach is calm and serene and the museum displays many artefacts from the area’s rural heyday.

CAPE FOULWIND Sure it’s blustery, but it’s worth it to see the seal colony.

Cape Foulwind, Westport

© Miles Holden

KAWATIRI COASTAL TRAIL Perfect for walkers and cyclists, flat boardwalks and easy bridges connect Westport with Charleston over 55km. Read the history plaques and drink up stunning coastal vistas. This is an ongoing project with final completion due late 2022.

COALBROOKDALE WALK This gravel road behind Denniston follows much of a track that miners used to carry coal from the mine to the top of the Denniston Incline. It’s a short, onekilometre walk taking about 30 minutes to complete.

WESTPORT

Westport’s history is steeped in the mining and timber industries. Fortunes have been made and lost in gold, coal and wood. Today’s Coasters have diversified with fishing, tourism and dairy farming taking their place alongside mining.

> Cape Foulwind

> Charming Creek Walkway

> Coaltown Museum

> Nine Mile Beach

> Tauranga Bay

> Whitebait Festival

As you’d expect from the largest town in the region, Westport grew from coal mining and a port that shipped it worldwide. Coaltown Museum details the best of it with mine exhibits, videos and hands-on displays. Carters Beach is just five minutes from the town centre and a great place for walking, bike riding, swimming, fishing and kite flying. The beach is ideal for surfing with a park, playground and golf all nearby. Every Labour Weekend, the Whitebait Festival brings a host of events to Westport, with live music, food, entertainment and cooking demos.

Seal, Cape Foulwind

© Adobe Stock

SIDE TRIP - BULLER GORGE SWINGBRIDGE

ATTENTION THRILLSEEKERS East on SH 6 between Murchison and Westport is the Buller Gorge and the Buller Gorge Swingbridge Adventure and Heritage Park. As the coast’s largest river, the Buller River is wild but handsome, and suspended 19m above its thrashing waters, at 110m in length, is the Buller Gorge Swingbridge: the longest in Aotearoa. If you’re not content with simply walking over the river, why not try an exhilarating 160m-long zipline? Known as the Comet Line, fly at screamish speeds over the water. You can even ride tandem and take a friend. You can also pan for gold at the park, enjoy several walks and venture to historical gold workings.

Buller Gorge Swingbridge

© Adobe Stock

SIDE TRIP - OPARARA BASIN

A 45-MINUTE DRIVE NORTH OF KARAMEA, in the Kahurangi National Park, the Oparara Basin boasts impressive limestone formations. The surrounding rainforest is home to the Honeycomb Hill Caves that are worldfamous for their collection of moa bones and other extinct bird species. Because of the fragile environment, access to the caves is restricted but guided tours can be arranged. These are 13km of underground passages that takes around two hours to walk. The tours are suitable for all ages but involve moderate walking and exertion.

Oparara Basin

© West Coast Tourism

TOP TIP: Be sure to check that access by road to the incredible Oparara Basin is open and bring a torch so you can explore it properly.

Oparara Basin

© West Coast Tourism