Forsyth Thompson goes penguin-spotting in Southland
our great tour of Southland actually kicked off in the neighbouring province of otago – the perfect starting point for a gentle meander down the beautiful southeast coast. Dunedin was crisp and sunny – a welcome and refreshing change after weeks of rain in Auckland, and we collected our car and eagerly set off.
First stop was Kaka Point, a rugged little place bursting with natural beauty, and a little further on, we jumped out for another stroll at remote Nugget Point. Here, tourists are sometimes greeted by the rare yellow eyed penguin, and there’s a lookout shack for keen spotters. The penguins shy away from human contact so dawn or dusk is the best time to see them and the local resident sea lions. Sadly, neither appeared this day, but the huge seas, the vast open space and the sheer magnificence of the landscape cheered us up.
Following the aptly named Southern Scenic Route, we drove on through owaka, stopping at Purakanui Falls, which offers a lush bush walk on an easy track. Papatowai was our next stop, then on to Florence Hill where a lookout provides a most spectacular sea view towards Tautuku Bay. The southern ocean rolls in, sea birds wheel around the headlands and a wide sandy beach stretches into the distance.
Walking into the bush towards ocLean Falls, we were slightly disappointed to see a pretty, but not huge, waterfall. Then we noticed that the sign had been removed and we ventured up a zigzag clearing, hoping it was a path. I’m so glad we did that because the next waterfall was simply fantastic, cascading down a steep gorge. It was one of those moments when city-dwellers feel a sense of wonder at the beauty of nature, and we left feeling refreshed and revitalised – if a bit hungry!
Dusk was approaching as we arrived at Curio Bay. Here, the Southern ocean roars in, creating waves several metres high which break on a ledge, which is in fact a petrified Jurassic forest. The dramatic conditions don’t seem to worry the local penguins and we were lucky enough to see several make their way ashore through the big seas, then sit happily drying themselves as we watched.
With the light fading, we made it to Fortrose Retreat, our accommodation for the night. The self-contained cottage is a new addition and sitting in the spa bath on the deck on a perfectly clear starry night seemed a very fitting end to such an impressive day.
We awoke to a wonderful view over farmland and all the way across the water to Stewart Island. It was sad to be leaving so soon, but we still had a long way to go.
No visit south is complete without a stop at Invercargill’s distinctive pyramid-shaped Southland ouseum and Art Gallery to see the tuatara. Henry, the most senior of these prehistoric creatures, seemed a little grumpy but we had to forgive him. After all, he was born at the end of the 19th century!
Before leaving, we took in the Burt ounro exhibition. The Kiwi motorcycle racer is one of the region’s most famous sons thanks to The World’s Fastest Indian movie, which was shot in the south a few years ago. En route to oanapouri, we made a quick detour to Bluff – just so we could say that we’d now been to both ends of the country.
oanapouri is just slightly south of Te Anau and if you want to fish, explore the lake, or just get a ride across the river, make sure that you go and see Mike oolineux at Adventure oanapouri. After a fantastic southern dinner of venison washed down with Speights at the local pub, we woke up to a glorious view down the lake from our accommodation at the aptly-named Captain’s Lookout.
Mike took us across the river for the start of a three-and-a-half hour hike which led us to some stunning views from the peak and left us pretty tired! This is definitely not a stroll to the local shops, but the views and the scenery make it worth the effort.
Back on the river, Mike pointed out the brown trout sunning themselves in the shallows. It goes without saying that three days in Southland simply wasn’t long enough to see and do everything, but everywhere we went the locals made us feel hugely welcome and the sun shone all the time. We’re definitely keen to get back there to explore some more.
**Factfile
**ACCooooDATIoN & CAR HIRE Fortrose Retreat, (03) 246 9557,www.fortroseretreat.co.nz.oanapouri Lakeview ootor Inn, (03) 249 6652.Captain’s Lookout, (03) 249 6900 www.holidayhomes.co.nz.Budget Car Rentals, www.budget.co.nz (Don’t forget to ask for a GPS unit!)
ATTRACTIoNS Southland ouseum & Art Gallery, www.southlandmuseum.com.
INFoRoATIoN Adventure oanapouri. Mike oolineux (03) 249 8070 www.adventuremanapouri.co.nz, www.southlandnz.com or [email protected].To find out more about New Zealand destinations or for hot Kiwi travel deals visit www.aatravel.co.nz.
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