Explore Westland

Welcome to Westland Acknowledgements

Westland – The Last Best Place!

On the West Coast of the South Island, Westland covers approximately 11880 km2. From the Taramakau River in the North to Barn Bay in the South, it is bordered by the Tasman Sea to the west and the Southern Alps to the east. Over 80% of the land area is under Department of Conservation stewardship, and is a famously unique district, from the mountains to the sea, with beaches and bush, lakes, rivers and rainforest. Westland Tai Poutini National Park is a jewel in the crown of New Zealand tourism. The name Tai Poutini means ‘The Tides of Poutini’ a Taniwha or Waterspirit which swims up and down the west coast of the south island, protecting both the people and the Pounamu. From the peaks of the Southern Alps to the wetlands and wild beaches, it has a lot to offer – a visual smorgasbord, not forgetting it has a Unesco World Heritage area and a multitude of stunning scenery and experiences for all to enjoy.

Front Cover: Franz Josef Wilderness Tours

Front Cover Inserts: West Coast Wildlife Centre

Back Cover: West Coast Wildlife Centre, Franz Josef, New Zealand

WildernessGallery.co.nz | Nimmo Photography

Booklet design: by James Print | Stock images: Unsplash.com

Kumara

The Gateway to the Coast!

Close to the western end of State Highway 73, approximately 57 km from Otira is the town of Kumara. Once home to Richard John Seddon AKA ‘King Dick’, New Zealand’s longest serving Prime Minister, this former gold mining town was founded shortly after the discovery of gold at Dilmanstown in the 1870’s.

From a population of 4220 in 1877, and with 50 hotels, the town now has just over 300 residents and only one, the Theatre Royal Hotel.

The West Coast Wilderness Trail Cycleway winds through Kumara on the way to Ross. There are also walking and cycling tracks, good fishing and swimming with the Taramakau River flowing past to the north making for great boating and kayaking.

The area is also good for hunting and greenstone hunting, there are glow worms to see and great opportunites for star gazing too.

Early January sees the famous Kumara Races, with the main race – The Kumara Gold Nuggets, which as the name suggests involves a real gold nugget as the prize!

Multisport fans may also be aware of the Katmandu Coast to Coast Multisport race held annually in February and starting from Kumara Beach.

Photo Credit: Juergen Schacke

A Great Place to Kick Back and RELAX…

Kumara deserves a spot on everyones itinerary !

A good place to start is the Information Panels painting a story and providing insight on the towns gold rush history.

Londonderry Rock is a short walk to an enormous boulder, it was too large for the miners of the gold rush days to move or break and so heavy that when it fell its impact stopped the town clock!

If you don’t have time to do the entire Cycle Trail, plan your journey so you finish for refreshments at the Theatre Royal. The West Coast`s only fully restored gold miners’ hotel and if you want to stretch and unwind after a big cycle journey make sure you check out the timetable for some yoga or book a massage at Greenstone Retreat.

Photo Credit: Greenstone Retreat

Kate is the fairy-godmother of Greenstone Retreat. She has been breathing new life into the place since 2015, creating glorious whimsical garden spaces and restoring the historic villa, family rooms and Lolly caravan. Under Kate’s leadership, Greenstone Retreat has become the Holistic Wellness and Yoga Hub on the West Coast. She curates community experiences

connections through the retreat

bring healing and relief. With a passion for Yoga, people and life, Kate is always keen

West Coast Wilderness Trail

You’ve probably heard some wild tales about the Coast - of rugged shorelines, intrepid journeys, sordid stories, hidden treasures… But as the Coasters will be first to tell you, “You dunno the half of it…”

Now’s the time to discover the last of the wild places and spin a yarn or two of your own, with one of the country’s smoothest and most accessible cycle trails. Some sections of the trail are still under construction plus a couple of sections have one or two hills that may require a little more ‘oomph’!

On your trusty bike you’ll wind your way through ancient rainforests, along glacial rivers, around moody lakes and across some downright cracking wetlands. You can do it all at once - across four days - or just nab the odd day-trip. Either way, it’s a fairly spectacular way to journey from the Alps to the sea.

Visit www.westcoastwildernesstrail.co.nz for information and trail map

the place to be! Hokitika

Visitors are spoiled for choice in Hokitika. The town was propelled into the international limelight in 2015 when the Booker Award winning novel The Luminaries, set in 1866 Hokitika during the heady goldrush days, was released.

See artists and carvers work pounamu (jade, greenstone) into the finest jewellery, or watch glassblowing artisans skilfully make items of beauty from molten glass right before your eyes. Relax with a walk on the beach, watch the sun go down at Sunset Point, or soak up the atmosphere in one of the many cafes.

A short drive takes you to the breathtaking turquoise waters of the

Hokitika Gorge, beautiful Lake Kaniere or Lake Mahinapua, or the unique perspective on the world from the Hokitika Treetop Walkway.

Hokitika is home to numerous festivals, notably Driftwood and Sand, when people stake out the beach and make sculptures out of driftwood, and of course the hugely popular Wildfoods.

Head indoors to the National Kiwi Centre and see the loveable kiwi, tuatara or the mesmerising huge eels. If you are a night owl, the glow-worms on the northern edge of town are certainly worth a visit.

Photo Credit: Juergen Schacke

TheBLUE-o-meter

HOW TO MAKE A TURQUOISE RIVER

Ingredients:

• Rock flour

• Melted glacier ice

• River water

Method:

Make the rock flour by grinding down schist and greywacke rock into a fine powder. Combine rock flour with a dash of melted ice and minerals from ancient glaciers. Continuously add to river water. The result is a milky coloured turquoise river.

Gorge Hokitika

It is always best to plan many trips to the West Coast and re-visit iconic spots as chances are it will always be a different kind of beautiful every time… The vibrant milky torquise colour of the water is due to the fact it’s glacial fed and full of ‘rock flour’ … The colour is dependent on what the weather has been like in days immediate or prior.

No matter what the colour is, it’s definitely worth a visit or five! This should allow you to see all the varying shades nature has to offer… be it, bright and brilliant torquise or light ice gray.

Photo Credit: Juergen Schacke

Pounamu Hokitika

Hokitika is famous for its pounamu (also known as greenstone and jade). The town brands itself as “Jade Country” and every jade shop displays stunning hand-crafted pieces.

• The Koru is an integral part of maori carving.

• The design represents new beginnings.

• Depicted in nature it is inspired by nature, it resembles the new shoot of a fern.

• A gift of Pounamu is a significant symbol of respect, love and admiration for another.

• The Twist represents the bond between two people.

• The hook or hei matau brings good fortune and strenth to those who wear it. Regarded as a symbol for safe passage over water. These are just a few of the many different special carvings available. Call into a local Jade Shop and have a chat, you’ll discover more beautiful carvings and the meaning behind their origin.

Photo Credit: Nimmo Gallery

Hot Spots

Hokitika Glow Worm Dell

North of the Hokitika Township lies a cute glow worm dell located right on the roadside. Head out at dark for a refreshing walk. You will be spellbound by a glittering display of little lights. Take a torch or you can use your cell phone as this will provide enough light for this one minute walk.

Hokitika Gorge

A short drive from Hokitika takes you to the breath taking turquoise waters of the Hokitika Gorge.

National Kiwi Centre

National Kiwi Centre is situated in the heart of Hokitika in an undercover facility that provides viewing of kiwi in a nocturnal house that replicates their natural environment. View New Zealand’s oldest living dinosaur, the tuatara. Take part in the giant eel feeding (10am, 12 noon and 3pm daily).

After the eel feedings, watch the Kiwi being feed.

Catch & release a freshwater crayfish (koura) in our lake area – fun for all ages! We have plenty of other to look at, and it’s all inside so no getting wet on that rainy day.

Treetop Adventure

An exhilarating treetop adventure among temperate rainforest giants.

Experience life with the birds, high in the ancient Rimu and Kamahi tree canopy.

Easy access for all to enjoy along a steel platform 20 metres high and over 450 metres long.

Come and enjoy a leisurely 45 minute to one hour stroll through the beautiful West Coast rainforest tree tops. One of the top things to do in Hokitika, only 15 minutes drive south of the town centre.

Check out www.westcoast.co.nz

For more things to do and see in the area...

Crawly at The National Kiwi Centre

Westland Stories

West Coast author, Wendy Scott, has won multiple international book awards, including a Gold Medal in the UK Wishing Shelf Book Awards for 9-12 years, and a Silver Medal in the Readers’ Favorite Book Awards for preteens.

She uses 3 different pen names: Wendy Scott (fantasy with mature themes), WJ Scott (children’s and familyfriendly), and Wendy Jayne for other genres (short stories).

The internationally acclaimed novel, Hieroglyph, begins in Hokitika. 13-year-old TC has a secret. No one knows she possesses a supernatural power. Can TC help her Uncle Max, an archaeologist; to unearth enough evidence, proving Ancient Egyptians visited Australia before he’s discredited in the media by those that want the past to stay buried?

There’s also a distinct New Zealand flavour in the short story, Tequila Rose Virginity Blues, which is set entirely in Hokitika. Wendy also offers writing workshops and one-on-one book coaching. She’s also developed the Aspiring Author series with Creative Writing Prompts and Writing Journals to encourage young and new writers to unleash their imaginations.

Website: authorwendyscott.mysites.io

Email: wendyscottbooks@gmail.com

Time

holiday

Westland District Library

20 Sewell Street, Hokitika email library@westlib.co.nz www.westlib.co.nz &

Take Note

1 Weld Street, Hokitika email takenote.hokitika@gmail.com

Start or Finish the Westcoast

Wilderness Cycle Trail?

Then come visit us at the Ross Goldfields Info centre

Just 20 min’s South of Hokitika on the way to the Glaciers. Ross is an iconic little gold town home Of the Historic Jones Creek Water Race Walkway, Public Gold fossicking area, museum & Historic buildings and doorway to numerous outdoor activities. The Ross Goldfields Info Centre is the recognized Shuttle Stop for the Westcoast Wilderness Cycle Trail, situated on Aylmer Street just up from the Historic Empire Hotel renown for its friendly atmosphere and Sunday Roasts.

Wendy Scott

Hidden Gems Of Westland

Gold, glaciers and greenstone – Westland is a tourist’s mecca to explore! This is where the pioneer gold diggers first set foot, ready to make their fortune. The main town of Hokitika – the goldfields capital of the West Coast – is a good base for exploring, and the glaciers are a ‘must do’. Westland is full of life, from upmarket cafes to attractive galleries – and nothing is ever far from the great unspoiled environment that defines New Zealand. Take a bush track, feel the sand between your toes on the wild beaches, listen to the pounding surf – and escape.

Lake Kaniere

Lake Kaniere, 19km inland, feels like a different world. Bush-clad mountains dominate this playground for lovers of the outdorrs. Home to the brown trout and known to locals as one of the best lakes for water sports. Tranquil, beautiful and off the beaten track, you will find so much to see and do. Great for families...there are short forest walks that lead to picnic areas, waterfalls and sandy beaches ideal for swimming . This is also a is very popular spot for mountain bikers and trampers . Only a 27 minute drive from Hokitika township.

Lake Mahinapua

Lake Mahinapua is a scenic reserve that offers opportunities for camping, picnicking, walking and water based activities 10kms south of Hokitika.

Photo: West Coast Wilderness Trail

Photo: Nimmo Photography

Cloud 9 needs (03) in its phone number

KUMARA AREA

1 LONDONDERRY ROCK easy  15 mins return

1km east of Kumara off SH73

Walk passes through stone-fields of old goldmining tailings and kanuka forest to huge glacierdeposited boulder, too big for the early miners to move or break.

GOLDSBOROUGH

(SHAMROCK CREEK ECOLOGICAL AREA) Open to Dogs on a lead.

2 GOLDSBOROUGH (SHAMROCK) TRACK moderate  4 hours one way

Starts at Goldsborough camping area. Ends on Callaghans Rd. Walk back along road or return transport required.

Both ends of track feature signs of historic goldmining, including fine tunnels on Shamrock Creek. The higher portions of the track are one of the best remaining local examples of hill-country rimu and miro forest.

3 GERMAN GULLY PACK TRACK AND GOFFS TRACK moderate  1.5 hour loop

Starts at Goldsborough camping area, crosses creek and climbs via German Gully Track to Scandinavian Hill Rd. Turn north here and return by Goffs Track and part of the Goldsborough Track. Historic goldmining features in regrowth native forest.

4 TUNNEL TERRACE LOOP WALK easy  20 mins one way Signposted on Stafford-Goldsborough roadside. Track enters and exits through old goldmining tailrace tunnels, and passes through regenerating rimu, kamahi and tree fern forest.

HOKITIKA TOWN WALKS

18 HOKITIKA BEACH easy

Open to Dogs on a lead.

Readily accessible from Beach St, via Weld Lane, Sunset Point Rd and several other access roads. Wonderful wild beach, black sand and pebbles (including pounamu-jade), driftwood, mountain views, sunsets, sunrise, and starry nights. Walks, picnicking, fossicking for pebbles and driftwood, sandcastles, swimming (for the experienced only), surfing, and surfcasting.

19 SUNSET POINT easy  5 min walk from town centre

By foot, along beach, beach track, or Quayside section of Heritage Walk. Sunsets, sunrises and starry nights. Hokitika rivermouth and beach. Views of NZ’s highest mountains: Aoraki/Cook and Horo Kawau/Tasman. Tambo ‘shipwreck’. Walks, picnicking, beach fossicking, fishing, and whitebaiting.

16 THE GLOW-WORM DELL easy  2 min

From roadside at northern town entrance, 50 metre track leads to Glow-worm Dell. Free viewing of glow-worm colonies. (Glow-worms can only be seen at night). Lovely fern grotto by day. Flashlight recommended.

17 HOKITIKA HERITAGE WALK easy  30 min –2 hours

Request brochure from Visitor i-Site

From i-Site and Hokitika Museum, or any point along walk.

Goldrush and river-port town historic heritage sites, buildings and statues. Brochure and information panels bring history to life. (Or try the 11km Heritage Trail around the town perimeter)

15 PROSSERS BUSH WALK easy  10 min return

Carpark on Town Belt East.

Best example of the kahikatea forest that once covered most of Hokitika township area. Regrowth forest already 20+ metres high. Also delightful native ferns and orchids.

For more information on walks, tramping or back-country huts, visit the I-Site or DOC office.

Paramata Lodge, Stella needs () as in (03) for phone numbers

see www.westlandmtbclub.co.nz Volunteers and Westland Mountain Bike Club members have developed a number of tracks on Blue Spur. Most tracks are short and access is on forestry roads. They vary in difficulty to suit all skill levels.

For track

Hurunui Jacks location is a bit off, my fault should be just a bit southeast - where the right hand bend is, put it under the blue line (inside of bend)

Westland Pharmacy remove “a/h” in phone number

Add black dot for Library as number has been removed

Toilet at Cass square – should be on western side (Bealey St) so might need to move Rest

Home words. If you need to remove the rest home completely then fine, not sure why it is

Arahura bridge dot should be red not black sorry

Are the headings ARTISTS, EXPERIENCES, ETC aligned at the top?

On back map, please add the baby buggy icon to the Mananui Tramline (Mahinapua

On back map, change WCWT line at Wards Road/Hurunui Jacks like you did on the front

Walksfor all

Whether you are looking for a short stroll or a hard out tramp there is something to suit within a few minutes of Hokitika.

On back map, add Arahura Bridge Heritage Park red dot like the front

Remove WCWT dotted line from down SH from Mananui Tramline to Ruatapu (Lake Mahinapua), only goes around lake now

GORGEblue

Move WCWT dotted line from SH6 at Golf Links road and replace with new line - as

Move WCWT dotted line from #56 to town and replace with new line - as attached image

From a short five-minute walk to Dorothy Falls, near Lake Kaniere, to the many multi-day tramps – some say we offer the best range of hikes and rainforest walks in the country. Often you’ll come across relics from the gold mining days, and whether you do a long or a short walk you are bound to see abundant bird life. Tuis, Bellbirds, Fantails, Pukeko, Kereru and Weka are all common.

For something different you could try a heli-hike. Chopper into the Toaroha Valley for a soak in the natural hot springs and an overnight stay in a DOC hut then hike out the next day. The forests and ranges are also popular with hunters looking for red deer and chamois. More experienced walkers can head to the Styx or Arahura Rivers where they will find the rare Blue Duck or Whio. Whatever your ability there will be a walk for you.

RIMU HILL AND BLUE SPUR

14 RIMU LOOKOUT easy  1 hour loop walk

Open to Dogs on a lead.

Carpark at the top of Rimu Hill, 4 km over Kaniere Bridge.

Panoramic views of the Hokitika valley, and access to displays on the gold mining heritage of the area.

7 BLUE SPUR BUSHWALK moderate (care required)  1.5 hour loop walk

Carpark on Blue Spur Rd.

Old Chinese goldmining workings: races, stone walls and shafts in regrowth native forest. Care required due to hidden drops. Stick to the track and supervise children, wear strong footwear.

LAKE KANIERE SCENIC RESERVE

11 KAHIKATEA FOREST WALK easy  10 mins return

Sunny Bight picnic area. Wheelchair accessible.

Best short walk through fine virgin kahikatea forest.

10 CANOE COVE RIMU FOREST WALK easy  15 mins one way

Carpark opposite Milltown Rd.

Best short walk through fine rimu forest. Ends at sheltered swimming and picnic beach.

9 LAKE KANIERE WALKWAY moderate  4 hours one way

Carpark just south of southern end of the lake. Follows western shore of lake. Ends at Sunny Bight at northern end of lake. Open to Mountain Bikes.

Lush forest, great lake and mountain views, bays and beaches.

6 DOROTHY FALLS easy  2 mins

Carpark beside bridge at Dorothy Falls Rd on eastern side of lake. Short path to pool at base of best local falls.

12 KANIERE WATER RACE WALKWAY easy/moderate  3-4 hrs one way, 1 hr option

Carpark at The Landing at the northern end of Lake Kaniere. Ends at Kennedy Ck near Kaniere Forks Power Station. A shorter easy section from The Landing to Wards Rd (1 hour one way) is most popular. Open to Mountain Bikes.

Follows historic, but still used, Kaniere Forks power station water-race, through virgin and regrowth forest. Freshwater mussels, crayfish and the odd trout may be spotted.

5 MT TUHUA TRACK hard and steep  7 hours return

Signposted on Dorothy Falls Rd just south of Hans Bay.

Great local access to open mountain tops. Panoramic views of Southern Alps, Lake Kaniere, coastal plains and Hokitika. Must be fit. Boots required.

8 MT BROWN TRACK hard and steep  4 hours up to Mt Brown hut Signposted on Dorothy Falls Rd South of Dorothy Falls on South bank of Geologist Creek. Best local access to open mountain top Hut. Steep climb leads to Mt Brown Hut offering panoramic views of Southern Alps, Lake Kaniere, coastal plains and Hokitika. Must be fit. Boots required. More demanding than Mt Tuhua Track.

Sometimes you see photos of a tourist spot and think yeah right, it can’t look as good as that in real life. Hokitika Gorge is one of those places. The vivid turquoise water surrounded by lush native bush looks too good to be true. Trust us, it is well worth a visit.

The Gorge is 33km from Hokitika. It is a short walk from the carpark through a mainly rimu and podocarp forest to a viewing platform where the water has to be seen to be believed. You can walk a little further across a swing bridge to get closer to the stunning blue river and the sheer ravine.

If you fancy a drive then we would recommend a loop to the Gorge, then back through dairy country around Lake Kaniere, Dorothy Falls and home to Hokitika. To make it even more unique, visit the site of a mass murder – it may be a little morbid but the memorial to the seven victims Stanley Graham killed back in 1941 is very poignant.

HOKITIKA GORGE SCENIC RESERVE

13 HOKITIKA GORGE SWINGBRIDGE easy

min return to swingbridge 33km east of Hokitika at end of Kowhitirangi and Whitcombe Rds. (Passes Kowhitirangi Incident memorial on route). Wheelchair accessible lookout 5 min from carpark.

Magnificent granite gorge with milky blue-green pools, backed by cliffs and fine rimu forest. Take care on south bank track. The drive to the gorge passes fine West Coast dairy farms and a memorial to the victims of the Stanley Graham shootings.

LAKE MAHINAPUA SCENIC RESERVE

23 BELLBIRD WALK easy  10 min loop

At southern end of camping area.

Pretty sand dune forest and old black sand gold dredge pond.

21 JUM MICHEL TRACK easy  20 mins one way

From lake access road. Ends close to camping area.

Tree ferns, kamahi and totara forest on old sand dunes.

20 MANANUI TRAMLINE (MAHINAPUA WALKWAY)

easy-moderate  2 hours one way + 40 min detour to lakeside

8km south of Hokitika on SH6. Or start 3km from Rimu on Rimu-Ross Rd. Open to Bikes.

Follows old logging tramway route through a cross section of West Coast bush history. Best longer walk through natural terrace rimu forest. Also regenerating native forest and pine, eucalypt and monterey cypress plantings. Wetlands and Mahinapua Creek. Detour to lakeside picnic point along fine rimu-forest ridge worthwhile.

22 MANANUI BUSH AND BEACH WALK easy  20 min return

Carpark 9km south of Hokitika just off SH6. Open to Dogs on a lead.

Intriguing walk through rare remnant of sand dune totara forest. Wonderful lonely driftwoodstrewn beach.

ROSS HISTORIC GOLDFIELDS

24 ROSS WATER RACE WALKWAY easy-moderate  1 hour loop

Walk starts from Ross Visitor Centre. Open to Dogs on a lead.

Follows Mt Greenland Rd up Jones Ck and loops back following water race and through old Ross cemetery. Goldmining area relics to be seen on walk and at visitor centre.

Lake Mahinapua

Lake Mahinapua activities

It is a lovely place for a swim, the water is surprisingly warm. Families love it as there is a suitable wading area for young children and bigger kids love jumping off the jetty.

• Fishing is best done from a boat, with perch and brown trout plentiful.

• Birdwatchers are likely to see black swans, white herons and grey mallard ducks.

• There are a number of short walks that are very accessible for children.

• Go sailing!

Photo: Nimmo Photography

The eels at the National Kiwi Centre in downtown Hokitika are the world’s biggest freshwater eels.

The eels at the National Kiwi Centre in the heart of Hokitika are the world’s biggest freshwater eels.

Feedings are held three times a day as an interactive show allowing visitors to learn their full history and story –and its quite a story.

It starts off 70 million years ago and touches on Gwondana and its effects on the eels.

Feeding times at the eel tank are interactive, allowing visitors to learn their full history and story – and it’s quite a story. These eels have been part of the centre for 20+ years and are very friendly – they like people as much as people like them.

Feed Times are: 10am; 12pm; 3pm The resident North Island brown kiwi

You will also learn about some of our special characters, including Grandma at the ripe old age of 120. These eels have been part of the centre

for 20 years and are very friendly –they like people as much as people like them.

named Hokinga Mai (to return) and Turehu (pale one) are fed following the eels.

The resident North Island brown kiwi named Irirangi (spirit voice) and Ruwhenua (Shaking Ground) are fed following the eels.

See and learn about New Zealand’s oldest living dinosaurs, the Tuatara.

The National Kiwi Centre is cool on a hot day and dry on a wet day, and it is the only place in Hokitika where you can get up close and personal with these special wildlife, and more.

The National Kiwi Centre is cool on a hot day and dry on a wet day, and it is the only place in Hokitika where you can get up close and personal with these special wildlife, and more. Where else can you catch a crawlie (freshwater crayfish) indoors?

Where else can you catch a crawly (freshwater crayfish) indoors?

South Westland Experience

South Westland is where the scenery gets even bigger and better. Here, you are closer to the mountains, the rivers are deep and the beaches rugged. The population is small, the air fresh and the scenery simply breathtaking.

Franz Josef / Waiau Explore

Franz Josef township is just 5 km from the terminal face of the Franz Josef Glacier. The Waiho river runs from the glacier to the south, through the town and into the Tasman sea.

The glacier was named by Julius von Haast in honour of the Emperor of Austria – Franz Josef I.

One of the steepest glaciers in the country, it descends from a height of 3000m above sea level to 240m over a distance of 11km. It also moves at over 50cm per day. The glacier has the lowest terminal face elevation of any glacier that flows into a temperate rainforest in the world.

Photo: Juergen Schacke

Lake Matheson Okarito

Pickup timesReturn timesPickup timesReturn times 8.45am11:45am9:30am1:30pm

HEADING SOUTH TIMEDISTANCE

Hokitika to Ross 19mins26.6km

Ross to Hari Hari 35mins45.8km

Hari Hari to Whataroa 24mins30.4km

Whataroa to Pukekura 44mins53.6km

Franz Josef to Fox Glacier 28mins23.3km

Fox Glacier to Haast 1hr 28mins 120.7km

HEADING NORTH TIMEDISTANCE

Hokitika to Greymouth 32mins38.9km

Greymouth to Punakaiki 39mins44.6km

Punakaiki to Westport 51mins56.1km

Westport to Karamea 1hr 23mins 95.7km

Day Walks

ROSS WALKS

ROSS HISTORIC GOLDFIELDS WALK

10 minutes – 1 hour walks | easy

A range of interesting historic goldfields walks starting from the Ross Information Centre.

OKARITO WALKS

WESTLAND WALK

20 minutes | easy

From the car park by the Okarito School House this track winds though bush before crossing the estuary on a curving boardwalk.

OKARITO THREE MILE PACK TRACK

OKARITO COASTAL WALK

3 hour 30 minutes | easy

Only suitable within 2 hours either side of low tide. Follows coastal forest to climb over Kohuamarua Bluff to Three Mile Lagoon.

OKARITO TRIG WALK

1 hour 30 minutes | easy

Winds gently uphill on well-graded track to a survey trig for amazing views.

FRANZ JOSEF GLACIER WALKS

GLACIER VALLEY WALK

45 minutes | moderate

From the glacier car park it’s a 45-minute walk to the public glacier viewing point.

GLACIER WALK

TE ARA A WAIAU WALKWAY

1 hour | easy

Track goes from village to glacier carpark via bush track.

PETERS POOL WALK 25 minutes | easy Enjoy reflective views of the glacier and mountain peaks from the smaller kettle lake.

LAKE MATHESON

LAKE MATHESON WALK

20 minutes or 45 minutes | easy From the car park it’s a 20-minute walk to the jetty where on still days the lake forms a mirror. A walk around the lake will take 1 hour 30 minutes. One of Docs great short walks.

HAAST WALKS

MONRO BEACH WALK 40 minutes | easy Easy walk through luxuriant coastal forest to Monro Beach.

SHIP CREEK - OPTION OF TWO WALKS

30 minutes | easy

WHAREKAI

TE KOU WALK

20 minutes | easy Walk from sheltered Jackson Bay to the rocky shore at Ocean Beach.

HAAST HIGHWAY WALKS

FOX GLACIER WALKS

GLACIER VALLEY WALK

30 minutes | moderate

From the car park it’s a 30-minute easy walk to the public glacier viewing point.

TE WEHEKA WALKWAY

1 hour 10 minutes | easy

Track goes from village to glacier carpark via bush track.

There are two walks that leave from the picnic area. Experience an ancient kahikatea forest walk or head through wind-shorn coastal forest to a dune lake.

JACKSON BAY WALKS

GILLESPIES BEACH

SMOOTHWATER BAY WALK

1 hr 30 minutes – 2 hours / moderate Follows old pioneer’s track and then riverbed back to stunning beach coastline.

Thunder Creek Falls 5 minutes | easy This easy walk is located adjacent to the Haast Highway and follows a sealed track to the spectacular 28m high Thunder Creek Falls.

HAAST

BLUE POOLS WALK

30 minutes | easy

At the crest of Haast Pass, surrounded by forest, enjoy this gentle walk to a swing bridge and pristine river pools.

White Heron of the Waitangiroto

Whataroa is the departure point for tours to visit New Zealand’s only known nesting site for the Kotuku or White Heron. Deep within the remote Waitangiroto Nature Reserve the nesting birds were first discovered in 1865 by a pioneer surveyor Gerhard Mueller.

White Heron Sanctuary Tours (Est 1987) operates the original and only tour to visit the nesting White Heron. For over 30 years the Arnolds, a fifth generation Whataroa family have been guiding visitors to see and be delighted by this wonderful nature experience.

Tours to visit the nesting site operate with a Department of Conservation concession and entry into the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve is by permit only. The Arnolds assist the Department of Conservation with monitoring the nesting Kotuku and participate in predator control in and around the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve with the trapping of stoats, rats and possums.

The 2.5 hour White Heron Tour consists of an informative minibus ride through private farmland into the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve.

In the Nature Reserve a short walk leads visitors through ancient Kahikatea rainforest to a purpose-built viewing hide to observe the magnificent Kotuku, White Heron in their natural nesting environment.

The White Heron use this area for breeding so can be seen in the Waitangiroto Nature Reserve during the spring and summer months, typically midSeptember until February. At the end of the nesting season the White Herons disperse widely throughout New Zealand and during the autumn and winter months are mostly seen as a

solitary bird.

The White Heron in flight is the bird featured on our New Zealand $2.00 coin. To Maori the bird is ‘he kotuku rerenga tahi’ a kotuku of a single flight, seen once in a lifetime and symbolising the beautiful and rare.

The population of White Heron in New Zealand is approximately 150-200. To see one of these splendid birds is a special sight and to visit their only New Zealand breeding ground is a truly unique experience!

ARE YOU CUT OUT FOR THE COAST?

THE WEST COAST OF NEW ZEALAND IS ON A GLOBAL SEARCH FOR WORKERS OF ALL KINDS.

www.westcoast.co.nz/cutoutforthecoast westcoastnz westcoastnewzealand

If you’re looking for easy access to some of the world’s most stunning natural surroundings, lots of space, great jobs, affordable housing and close knit communities, this is your kind of place. Are you ready for a change? Do you think you’re cut out to work and live on the West Coast? If so get in touch with us now.

Sanctuary

There is a peace on the West Coast of New Zealand that underlies everything else. A peace that reverberates strongly in the wind; that comes down with the sheets of rain...that avalanches from the mountains on a clear day. And if you open yourself to it, this peace flows through you as well. The ashen sky will suddenly lighten; the rain becomes a whisper, and the sun escapes from behind those recently burst clouds; the warmth hitting your face before you’ve even realised the rain has stopped. The West Coast offers a home for those adventurous enough to seek one here. Visitors often become locals; not able to tear themselves away after their holiday ends. The air is clearer, the pace of life slower. In a world that can be hard to exist in, it is a place that is easy to just be. The rugged mountains, lush vegetation, and the flowing rivers of both water and ice all murmur an ancient tale that we are only hearing the end of. It is

a place that many come to get lost, but what you find here is true treasure. I can sit quietly in my home; rain thundering around me...the shadow of Aoraki Mt. Cook, omnipresent though often obscured, looming above me and I feel small, in the most comforting way. I feel small in the way I long to feel small. Not bowled over by the stresses of everyday life; not drowned by the constant presence of the global disarray that keeps me from my family on the other side of the world; and not diminished by the push and pull of societal pressure...but small because I am a part of something so much greater than myself. Small because I get to live in a place that constantly reminds me how much more there is outside of my present reality. It is a destroyer of narcissism; it is a resistance of selfcenteredness; it is a releasing of the soul from the cages of modern existence. Maggie

McCulloch

Photo Credit Abyee Chambers Williams

Franz Josef Glacier - The MUST DO Attraction

There are five species of kiwi living in the wild today and the rowi kiwi is the rarest of them all, with a population of less than 550.

More about rowi Rowi are the rarest kiwi in the world and found in the wild in South Westland at two locations, Okarito Forest near Franz Josef, and the Omoeroa Ranges near Fox Glacier, where a new population was re-introduced late 2018.

The Department of Conservation actively manages the population, running landscape scale predator control operations to reduce predators and retrieving eggs laid in the wild for safe hatching at captive facilities.

Stoats are the main predator of kiwi in the wild with only five percent of chicks surviving without some form of protection.

Operation Nest Egg (ONE) has been an important technique for bringing the rowi population back from the brink of extinction. In the early 2000’s numbers of

rowi were dwindling to tiny numbers, with only an estimated 160 birds left in South Okarito Forest. Now that the population has grown and stabilised, the technique is used to ensure the genetic diversity of the rowi population is retained.

This technique sees eggs from nesting birds with important genetics removed to the West Coast Wildlife Centre where they are hatched safely in captivity.

The eggs are removed from the forest for safe hatching because kiwi chicks are vulnerable to predation by introduced stoats. Eggs are hatched at the West Coast Wildlife Centre and then transferred to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve where they will remain for approximately two months. The chick will then most likely head to one of the predator free islands at the top of the South Island before being released to the Omoeroa ranges in the Glacier region. They are released into the wild once they have reached a size where they can fend off predators and will be less vulnerable to predation by stoats.

More about the West Coast Wildlife Centre

Since first opening in late 2010 the West Coast Wildlife Centre has safely hatched over 338 rowi kiwi chicks and 125 Haast tokoeka.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is the South Island’s largest kiwi hatching facility and open to the general public from 9am to 5pm daily.

This privately owned and funded facility was one of the very first publicprivate partnerships set up between the Department of Conservation and private enterprise, with the programme continuing to bear extremely successful results supporting the Department of Conservation’s efforts to save these kiwi species.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre runs the official hatching and rearing programme for the world’s two rarest kiwi – the rowi and Haast tokoeka – and has twice won the West Coast Leading Lights Awards and

has been judged by Lonely Planet as one of its top 12 favorite new places to visit in New Zealand.

The West Coast Wildlife Centre is very grateful for the funding and support that it receives from the Department of Conservation to ensure that it continues to deliver exceptional conservation outcomes for our national flagship bird - the rowi and Haast tokoeka kiwi.

www.wildkiwi.co.nz

To Plate From River

A West Coast Delicacy

Described by some on the West Coast as a religion, whitebaiting is a pastime which consumes many fishermen each spring.

Whitebait – tiny, transparent creatures found navigating streams only in spring – are the young of some of New Zealand’s precious native fish.

Standing riverside in any weather with a big scoop net is a passion for many who live on the Coast. There are many theories on what makes whitebait ‘run’ in sometimes massive shoals, but no one knows for sure.

Have a yarn with a whitebaiter on the riverbank in spring, or try the delicacy at a local café or restaurant. Whitebait is often on the menu in season at many restaurants.

Photo: Nimmo Photography

Photo: Nimmo Photography

DELICIOUS DINNER AND TASTY BEVERAGES IN THE HEART OF GLACIER COUNTRY

Open daily from 4:30 – 9pm for food, drinks till late!

Come and join us rain or shine, it rains, we pour.

“Usually

Immerse yourself in the story of Alice May Parkinson along with some mouth-watering food and great ambience. Spectacular views of the Southern Alps can be appreciated from the courtyard.

Alice May prides itself in serving traditional New Zealand homemade food.

We welcome locals and visitors to call in for a delicious freshly cooked meal and beverages.

We offer a fantastic range from the Monteith’s Brewery and an excellent selection of NZ Wines.

Okarito is a revered and truly special place. Home to unique birdlife, plants and aquatic species, the lagoon and wetlands are renowned for the mountains to sea landscape and its biodiversity.

Paula & Swade of Okarito Boat Tours warmly welcome you into their haven of wetlands and waterways aboard their custom built open air boat, the Explorer Douglas.

Passionate and enthusiastic hosts, they will share their vast knowledge of Okarito’s heritage, diverse and abundant bird life, wetland and rainforest plants.   From balancing tourism to conservation and predator control as well as their own efforts living sustainably they will soon have you engaged in learning the fascinating stories of life and living in this small, remote village in the midst of the South Island’s wild west coast.

9 AM EcoTour - 2 hours $115/adult $55/youth (8-16) Kids under 8 come free

11:30 AM departures may be available in peak times - please check our online schedule or contact us to book directly

Private two hour morning charters - offer you a special time to take in the early light of day in this unique and inspiring landscape.

• Departure times from 7:15 AM to 8:30 AM

• Duration 2 hours.

• $495/group of 1-5 passengers or $750/group of 6 - 12 passengers.

The best of Okarito!

Combines our 9 AM EcoTour with our friends and partners Glacier Valley EcoTours guided walk to discover the “small world” of the plants and birds of the enchanting Okarito rainforest plus!  Learn how to plant a tree as we give back to nature in our lagoon/coastal fringe restoration area.  A fabulous day in Okarito

• Allow up to 6 hours.

• Also includes a  delicious packed lunch.

• $230/adult

Morning EcoTours Early Morning Charters Discover Okarito

Getting BaC to Nature with Okarito Boat Tours

Birds and Conservation in the Okarito wetlands

Paula Sheridan & Swade Finch of Okarito Boat Tours have grown to believe that the more you know about a place the more connected you become with it. And when you have that connection, you look after it - it becomes a part of you, and so you are a part of that place.

While their popular 2 hour Ecotours on their custom built vessel the Explorer Douglas are casual, they may also help “connect you” to this space where all the many layers of these still intact wetlands and ancient rainforest and waterways exist in harmony.

While the Kiwi/domestic travel market kept them busy these past two years, and earned them a Trip Advisors Travellers

Choice award for it in 2022 - they also spent much of their time collaborating and volunteering their time to raising awareness about these wetlands, its forest and birds and conservation both here and around the world.

These include a number of documentaries - Al Jazeera’s 101 East program - “Birds on the Brink”, Canterbury based Gerard Smythe’s “Okarito - an Ancient and Pristine Wetland” a short “Frank Film” as well as Kathleen Gallagher’s documentary (and book) Rohe Kōreporepo – The Swamp, the Sacred Place.

There was also a delightful “feel good covid story” with an international

collaboration between Paula & Swade, and London, UK based singer-songwriter Larry Mindel. Paula supplied Larry Mindel’s European video production team with raw video footage for his song - Okarito Ways (find it on Spotify and YouTube) in this beautiful tribute and plea to save wetlands around the world.

For all that Okarito represents, from the creatures of the rivers to the show

stopping birds of the rich tidal flats and forests - the snowy white KotukuGreat White Heron, the dangerously threatened black billed gull, the giant kahikatea trees, the orchids, flowers and forest birds that call this place home, they strive to share the importance of looking after these still wild, still intact special places.

Discover more about the birds and conservation efforts in Okarito with Okarito Boat Tours this summer.

A truly panoramic experience - not to be missed

HELISERVICES.NZ Fox - Franz - Haast

30 plus years of experience operating on the West Coast, South Island of New Zealand. With bases at Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, Haast (and Whataroa) we cover the South Westland area from Hokitika to Haast. Enjoy an opportunity to fly into Milford Sound from our Haast base, as well as glacier flights departing from our Fox Glacier and Franz Josef bases. Owners James and Debbie Scott are very much long time locals with more than 5 generations of South Westland heritage behind them. www.heliservices.nz

Popular snow landing flights from Franz Josef and Fox Glacier are the highlight of HeliServices.NZ scenic flight operations with Department of Conservation concessions to land within the Westland (Tai Poutini) National Park at

all designated landing sites. These premium landing sites above the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers offer the best views of Mount Cook and Mount Tasman - New Zealand’s highest peaks and New Zealand/s Southern Alps.

With those not so fine days the West Coast endures from time to time, there is still the opportunity to take in the wonderous and spectacular scenery of the West Coast when you visit the Franz Josef Cinema for one of the daily screenings of “WESTLAND WONDERLAND”. Westland Wonderland was filmed just before the Covid pandemic through 2019 with some additional wildlife

scenes added in 2020. Filmed in high resolution 2K and 4K digital Westland Wonderland combines with the Franz Josef Cinema - boasting the biggest screen on the coast with its powerful NEC full size digital projector blasting onto a very large 6 metre x 13 metre HELIMAX screen. Several times throughout the year Hollywood blockbusters adorn the purpose built wide screen cinema for some absolute mind-blowing experiences. Westland Wonderland screens daily on the hour from 10AM – not to be missed.

www.heliservices.nz/franzjosef/movie

Franz Josef Wilderness Tours

Explore further with Franz Josef Wilderness Tours on Lake Mapourika. Tour options include guided kayak trips, small personalised boat tours and fishing charters. Lake Mapourika is simply a must-do when visiting the Glacier Country region.

Lake Mapourika

Lake Mapourika was created by the Franz Josef Glacier as it retreated some 14 000 years ago. Now the lake sits sandwiched between the dramatic Southern Alps and the Tasman sea, in the warmer and drier section of the Franz Josef Glacier valley. It is now surrounded by native oldgrowth rainforest and backs onto the Rowi Kiwi Sanctuary - New Zealand’s rarest kiwi bird!

Renowned for its mirror lake reflections, come experience the magic on any morning tour. Much like a cup of tea, the pristine water is stained dark by tannins creating nearperfect mirror lake reflections. White Heron are often spotted as they feed on small fish and eels in the shallows.

In the summer months the warm water of Lake Mapourika is perfect for a swim!

Kayak, Cruise or Fish?

Our guided kayak tours or scenic boat tours venture further onto Lake Mapourika.

As we approach the far side of the lake we enter into the Kiwi Sanctuary which is home to New Zealand’s rarest kiwi bird. This species has been returned from the brink to a stable population by the Department of Conservation’s Operation Nest Egg.

Explore the Jurassic rainforest from below as we kayak into the narrow stream amongst some of Westland’s oldest untouched forests. Enjoy a warm cup of coffee while you sit back and relax in our purpose built and fully covered tour boat or feel the tug of a salmon or trout on your line as

you reel in your catch. We’ve built our own guided nature trail through the kiwi sanctuary, which you can book as a Kayak & Walk or Cruise & Walk option. The track provides exclusive access to remote untouched rainforest which is unique to other tracks in the region.

A portion of each tour is returned to the Department of Conservation (DOC) and put back into the Westland Tai Poutini National Park. We engage further with our local DOC team in the Kaimahi for Nature initiative, as well as partner with the Zero Invasive Predators program in South Westland.

www.franzjoseftours.co.nz

Welcome to

Otira

TRAVELLERS

High in the Southern Alps, between the Otira and the Bealey rivers, and 15 km north of Arthurs Pass sits the small township of Otira. The name Otira literally means “O” (Place of) and “tira” the travellers.

From humble beginnings as a stage coach stop on the long journey from Canterbury to the West Coast, Otira grew during construction of the 8.5km railway tunnel underneath the Southern Alps.

Construction began in 1907 and the tunnel was finally opened on the 4th August 1923. During this time over 600 workers and their families were housed in Otira. The tunnel was the 7th longest in the world and the longest in the British Empire. It has a gradient of 1 in 33 and it is 4.72 metres high and 4.27 metres wide at rail level.

Today less than 100 people inhabit Otira, although the railway station is closed you can observe the Tranz Alpine train as it passes through, and still stay at the Stage Coach Hotel which was built in 1865. People can also visit the former post office which has been refurbished into an art gallery and is now known as the John Burns Gallery of Modern Art.

PLACE OF THE

Photos: WildernessGallery.co.nz

JAB Gallery features the works of artist John Burns

If you are wanting to visit a gallery showing photo perfect landscapes or flowers in a vase, this is definitely not the place for you, avoid it like the plague. However ... if contemporary art is more your thing, you may enjoy a visit ...

The artwork is sometimes not pretty, it’s a bit edgy and can be challenging and confronting, humorous, even enlightening but/and its definitely different.

It may give you another perspective of the weirdness of some of us. Yes, we are out there amongst you, pretending to be normal. We (family and me) are definitely on the fringes of hillbillies. We drive old trucks, use a coal range for cooking, eat hunted meat and can often be found sitting around an outside fire at night – but no one plays the banjo ... yet. We are open most days, but not always. You may wish to phone first. Please note: don’t get especially dressed up if you come to visit – we won’t be.

Fox Glacier - Te Moeka o Tuawe Welcome to

Named after Sir William Fox, Prime Minister of NZ 1869-1872, Fox Glacier is one of the most accessible glaciers in the world. Tucked in the rainforest clad foothills of the Southern Alps, just 23 Km south of Franz Josef,

town was founded when gold was discovered. Fox Glacier is the longest West Coast glacier at 12km. From its peak of 3000m the moving ice river falls 2600m on its journey from the Southern Alps to the West Coast.

A 5 minute drive west takes you to Lake Matheson, a kettle lake within a moraine left behind by the retreat of the glacier during the last ice age. The dark brown waters are famous for the reflective images of Mt Cook and Mt Tasman.

SOUTH BOUND

A West Coaster’s Journey to South Westland

Being a local it’s all too easy to take this beautiful place we live in for granted, as we rush about here and there on path to our next destination.

I’m one of the lucky ones, my job at Explore West Coast allows me to travel to earn my keep.

6 years ago, I lead a creative team to develop this very booklet you now hold in your hands.

The sole purpose was to promote our area from a locals perspective so that you don’t miss out on what makes our

From the comfort of your accommodation room you can plan out your days activities and it answers many of your questions on what you

It gets refreshed annually and since it’s conception, we now cover not only the West Coast ,but also Blenheim, Akaroa, Hanmer

I made it my mission while on route to sell advertising into this high end tourism booklet that I would stop at least once to smell the roses with the purpose to share my experience and encourage visitors to stop and stretch their legs along

And what a choice I had! The Journey from Greymouth to Fox Glacier takes about 2 hours 40 mins.. To say it’s gorgeous is an understatement, the journey boasts of some of the most beautiful scenery in the world from picturisque lakes, it takes in approximately 6 neat little towns and the scenery gets bigger and better the further south you get.

Every day paints a different picture depending on the season and weather. Time restraints meant I could only make two stops and it made me realise this must be how our visitors must feel once they’ve realise they haven’t allowed enough time to explore our beautiful and vast area … common statements include... “Had I have known what the South had to offer, I would have booked to stay longer” or “I’m coming back so I can visit all the places I missed”

A break in the weather chose my destinations and I found myself in the historic township of Ross.

Ross has a rich gold mining history and I spent some time in the chinese gardens on the edge of a man-made lake which was once an open cast mine. It’s a marvel of a restoration.

Ross is also home to the ‘roddy nugget’ New Zealands heaviest gold nugget discovered weighing in at 3.09 kg, story has it was used as a hotel doorstop.

My next stop was Hari Hari and I continued with my theme of spending time in gardens, afterall my plan was to smell the roses, be it metorphorical or literal.

I was drawn to the mosiac maze, the brainchild of a local lady who does a lot of pottery work...It’s easy to lose time getting distracted by the many messages in the tiles

To Check out our full NZ EXPLORE RANGE at https://issuu.com/jamesprint

To advertise in the next booklet contact sharelk@greystar.co.nz

WEST COAST TRAVEL GUIDE

“It is always a pleasure to be South bound. I look forward to my next excursion”

A must-see Nimmo Fine Art

Photography, Gallery+Store is in the heart of central Greymouth. Stewart Nimmo’s stunning landscape prints are available framed, on canvas or rolled for travel or posting. These prints make perfect gifts and memories to have forever.

The Gallery+Store stocks designer giftware, merino clothing as well as handcrafted jewellery, manuka honey, soaps, beauty products, gold and native wood gifts.

Phone 03 768 6499

102 Mackay Street, Greymouth nimmophoto.co.nz facebook/nimmophotographynz www.etsy.com/nz/shop/NimmoGalleryStore

STEP ONTO THE ICE with an experienced guide

The fascination of the glaciers has brought visitors to the West Coast for decades, Fox Glacier Guiding is the most experienced glacier guiding company in New Zealand, continuing an over 100-year tradition of guiding glacier trips and mountaineering experiences to people from all over the world.

Fox Glacier is the West Coast’s longest glacier. Fox Glacier Guiding offer a range of experiences on the ice

to a secret location with an impressive view of Fox Glacier.

Fox Glacier Guiding’s Flying Fox: Heli Hike was voted number 1 in TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice Best of the Best awards for ‘The Most Out of the Ordinary Experience’ – World 2021.

All trips depart from the Fox Glacier Guiding base in Fox Glacier township, and include transport, equipment and a qualified guide who will ensure you have a safe and enjoyable trip.