 |
Ocean, river, forest, and caves are the scenery you’ll encounter on the South Scenic Route, New Zealand. The list of scenic opportunities to be explored is extensive. Tunnel Beach Walkway is distinctive with sea carved caves, cliffs, and arches to be discovered a mere 15 minutes away from the road. Low tide’s the best time to experience this trail, located along the Dunedin to Brighton Coastal Road. |
 |
Other wetlands lure on the South Scenic Route, New Zealand in the way of fishing. The Taieri River Walk illustrates a historic heritage trail culminating in a stunning bay view from high vantage point. Lake Waihola is both tidal and fresh water, offering the largest catch of any lake in the region. It’s also renowned for beautiful reflections and black swans. Yachting, water skiing, and power boating are popular. |
 |
South Scenic Route, New Zealand features a gully of ferns, rimu and kamahi trees (which produce honey) in the Milton area. Cook’s Rock offers a pleasant walk to the beach and is best experienced at low tide. At Milton/Milburn Limeworks, glow worms and rare fossils can be seen. |
 |
The Clutha River has year round salmon and trout fishing at Naish Park/Blair Athol Walkway. Kaka Point Bush Walk and Nugget Point offer unusual wildlife and remote, rugged scenery. Cannibal Bay to Surat Bay features spectacular cliff climbing and views at the top, rivaled by Hooker Sea Lions on the beaches below. |
 |
Pounawea Nature Walk on the South Scenic Route, New Zealand provides a rare sequence of vegetation from rich bird inhabited estuary shore to forest and saltmarsh in a 40 minute round trip. Tunnel your way through a large hole 55 meters deep and 200 meters from the sea at Jacks Blowhole in Tunnel Rocks Scenic Reserve. |
 |
You might spot rare endangered Mohua or Yellowhead birds or find a great place for trout fishing as you tramp past swing bridges and silver beech forest on the Catlins River Track. |
 |
For waterfall enthusiasts, 10-meter high Matai Falls can be seen on a nice walk through podocarp/broadleaf forest south of Owaka. Purakaunui Fall is the Catlins’ signature falls, off the south end of Catlins River Bridge on the South Scenic Route, New Zealand. |
 |
In the Papatowai area, journey on the Old Coach Road bridge past standout silver beech forest en route to the beach. Picnic Point is another feature that shows off the region’s layered rock structure and extends toward small bays and seascapes at Kings Rock. |
 |
History’s on tap at Traill Tractor Walk, with bush tram tractor converted for use on wooden rail set up on the site of the former Cook sawmill, in the Tautuku section. In the same area, Estuary Boardwalk features wading birds, crabs, and snails in mudflat habitat. Lake Wilkie displays panoramic forest view and when its colorful Rata flowers are in bloom, color and sounds of tui and bellbird feasting on the nectar enhance the scenery. |
 |
In South Scenic Route, New Zealand Chasland area, time your 40-minute walk to and from another signature feature, Cathedral Caves, within two hours before or after low tide, as the access road and the caves are only reachable during that time. The return takes you down through dense bush and along Waitapi Beach. Possibly the most striking waterfall can be found in the same area on a forest walk through McLean Falls. |
 |
An easy beach walk along Curio Bay leads to Fossil Forest. Waipohatu Recreation Area is a southern rain forest with a wide range of ferns ans is registered as a Kiwi Walk. Two small waterfalls are found on a 3-hour track there. The southernmost point in the South Island is Slope Point, accessible only through private property. |
 |
The last wooden of wooden lighthouses built in NZ, Waipapa Lighthouse is found along sandy beach of Curio Bay at the sight of the country’s worst shipwreck. |
 |
On Stewart Island, breathtaking short walks around Halfmoon Bay offer forest and mountain bay views. In the Bluff area, walking track and boardwalks follow the shoreline on the Greenpoint Walkway with panaromaic views across the harbor. A viewing platform overlooks historic landmarks and a ship graveyard. |
 |
A vintage farm machinery museum is found at Thornbury.in the Riverton area of the South Scenic Route, New Zealand. A great vantage point to see Stewart Island is Riverton, a seaside resort and fishing port with excellent cafes and restaurants. |
 |
With a long history of Maori history, Colac Bay / Oraka is host to Maori burial grounds at Centre Island. It’s also a bay town with sandy beaches popular surfing. |
 |
South Scenic Route, New Zealand’s Orepuki Area is the site of Chinese and European gold mining, complete with private museum and guided walk to relics at Midland Farm. In the Tuatapere area, Monkey Island, site of a fabled canoe wreck, is now a safe swimming beach. Hectors dolphins are often sighted. |
 |
On a clear day along the South Scenic Route, New Zealand, you can see Solander Island to the south from McCracken’s Nest. This legendary tooth-shaped volcanic skeleton is said to have been chewed between Stewart Island and the mainland by a Maori whale, who broke a tooth in the process of chomping island crumbs. |
 |
The most diverse of South Scenic Route, New Zealand walking tracks is found on the viaducts of Tuatapere Hump Ridge from Bluecliffs to Port Craig. Landscapes include coastline, podocarp and beech forests, and alpine setting within a 53-kilometer walking distance. Ecological and scenic high points, plus rich Maori and European history, star in this most remote, wild part of NZ. |
 |
Australian hardwood Clifden Suspension Bridge with concrete towers resembling stone is an impressive 1899 structure built to replace ferries used by early sheep stations. With 28 steel cables, it’s one of the longest bridges on the South Island and an important engineering feat. Now closed to traffic, the bridge makes for an interesting stroll. Limestone caves are found in the area too. |
 |
One of the world’s ten deepest lakes and New Zealand’s deepest, Lake Hauroko has a lookout bluff with spectacular views. Ancient burial sites are located here. Boat service to Dusty Track takes 8 days and requires top physical condition. |
 |
One of the largest known thousand-year-old trees can be seen on the Big Totara Tree Track in Dean Forest. At Redcliff Wetland, waterfowl can be viewed from the road. |
 |
Twenty minutes from Te Anau, picturesque Lake Manapouri with its Cathedral Mountain backdrop is the departure point for launch trips to West Arm underground power station, Dusty Track, and Doubtful Sound/Patea. You can hire a dingy to access walking tracks across the Waiau River. |
 |
Te Anau is the hub of Fiordland National Park and World Heritage area on the South Scenic Route, New Zealand area and within walking distance of magnificent rain forest. Kepler Track is also located nearby, with short 1.5 hour family walks to 3-4 day treks. |
 |
World renowned Milford Sound is an extremely accessible 2.5 hour drive from Te Anau. Bottlenose dolphins fur seals, and penguins can be spotted on a 2-hour launch cruise there against a background of sheer cliffs, peaks, and waterfalls, often accompanied by soft mist. |
There’s seemingly no end to the incredible natural vistas along the South Scenic Route, New Zealand.
|
