Tourism New Zealand's Trade Website

SECTION TWO: PAGE THREE

Invercargill

• Invercargill is New Zealand’s southernmost city and the commercial centre of Southland. It is the gateway to the Catlins, Fiordland and Stewart Island.
• The Southland Museum and Art Gallery: houses New Zealand’s largest collection of live tuatara a native New Zealand lizard and the closest living relative of the dinosaur. www.southlandmuseum.com

Bluff

www.bluff.co.nz

Driving time: 25 minutes from Invercargill

• Bluff is the starting and finishing point of New Zealand's main highway at Bluff's Stirling Point - State Highway One.
• Bluff is also the departure point for the Stewart Island catamaran
• Stirling Point: also the starting point for a number of easy walking tracks that provide spectacular views over Stewart Island and Foveaux Strait
• Bluff Hill: enjoy panoramic views of the south coast

Gore

Driving time: 55 minutes from Invercargill

• Brown trout fishing: Gore is a popular spot for brown trout fishing, particularly on the Mataura River between October and April.
• The Hokonui Moonshine Museum: portrays a fascinating element of the district's past - illicit whisky production
• The Croydon Aircraft Company: restored vintage aircraft and open cockpit flights aboard Tiger Moth and other vintage aircraft
  

Riverton

Driving time: 45 minutes

• A picturesque seaside fishing village along the Southern Scenic Route, with safe swimming beaches and a welcoming local community. Riverton has a rich local history, being one of the oldest permanently settled areas in New Zealand
  

Day or overnight trips from Invercargill

• Guided fishing trips: spend some time with a local and learn where the best fishing spots are located.
• The Hump Ridge Track: Tuatapere is the home of the Hump Ridge Track - a three-day, two-night walking experience, through rugged coastline, podocarp and beech forest and spectacular sandstone outcrops. Pre-bookings required. www.humpridgetrack.co.nz
• Jet boating: take a jet boat ride down the Wairaurahiri River and across Lake Hauroko.

Humpridge Track

www.humpridgetrack.co.nz

• Situated in the South Western corner of Fiordland National Park - the gateway town is Tuatapere
• 53 km/33 mile circuit track is New Zealand’s newest track
• This track offers freedom and guided walking
• In summer, most of the walks can be undertaken by people with average fitness and experience. In winter, tracks into alpine areas become more difficult and even impassable and are recommended only for experienced trampers and climbers.
  

Stewart Island

www.stewartisland.co.nz

• Of New Zealand's three main islands, Stewart Island is the southernmost and smallest (about 75 km / 45 miles long and up to 45 km / 28 miles wide).
• Stewart Island's amazingly clear and clean waters make it a snorkelling and diving paradise.
• Human settlement is confined to a small area on the northeast coast, centred on Halfmoon Bay and the main township of Oban with a population of less than 500.
• Bird sanctuary at Ulva Island: a place where the public may view and enjoy rare birds and native plants at close quarters. Guided walks to the island are available. Check www.stewartisland.co.nz for guided walk operators
• Guided and independent sea kayaking: unspoiled bush coastlines and sea life
• Island bus tour: tours of the island depart from Oban
• Ulva's Guided Walk: the highlight of this walking tour is an introduction for visitors to Ulva Island's history, scenery and spectacular birdlife. www.ulva.co.nz
• Charter boats: take a scenic, fishing or diving trip from Halfmoon or Golden Bay. Excursions may include viewing the mussel and salmon farms in Big Glory Bay, and seal colonies and shag rookeries. Visit www.stewartisland.co.nz for operator contact details

Walking on Stewart Island

There are numerous walking opportunities on Stewart Island. The island is set up for both guided and unguided walking - there are a number of operators who will take visitors on walking tours to explain the environment. For those wanting to walk independently, huts and tracks are well set up.

Multi-day walks

• Rakiura Track: Although the Rakiura Track is a 29km / 18 mile tramping track, it is suitable for anyone with moderate fitness - a total of 36km / 23 mile for the entire circuit, including road walking. The track takes three days, provides a good introduction to the scenery of Stewart Island and is suitable for tramping all year round
• North West Circuit: The North West Circuit tracks provide for challenging tramping around the island’s northern coast. About 10-12 days are required for the full circuit

For more information, visit www.stewartisland.co.nz and www.doc.govt.nz.

Rakiura National Park

• Stewart Island's Rakiura National Park is New Zealand's 'newest' National Park, officially opened in March 2002. The Park covers around 85 percent of the land area on Stewart Island.
• Still in a relatively original state, the forests contain the remnants of what the rest of Southland's native forests were once like.

More information

For more details on the region and for contact details of tourism operators, visit either travel.newzealand.com or www.visit.southlandnz.com - a website designed by Southland Tourism, the Regional Tourism Organisation