Blogs from Catlins, Otago, South Island, New Zealand, Oceania

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Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins December 7th 2013

Saturday 7th December, 2013. The Catlins - Day 2 We woke up after the best night's sleep in a hospital bed either of us had ever had! After breakfast we made our way to the Okawa Museum which Nigel (the Warden) had told us was excellent and would also be able to advise on when it was best to try to see the Yellow-Eyed Penguins (YEP's). The museum was a very modern building for such a small town. Here we discovered that the Catlins were first inhabited by the Maori from around 900 to 1700 AD. It is believed that moa hunting drew them here. The first Europeans to see this coast were the crew of Captain Cook's endeavour in 1770. Whalers and Sealers arrived between 1800 and 1880. Vast areas of the Catlins were covered ... read more
25. M and D at Purakaunui Falls
28. Penguin Footprints on Helena Falls Beach
35. Long Point

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins December 6th 2013

Friday 6th December, 2013. The Catlins - Day 1 The whole of the Catlins was an important area for Maori. Forest birds, cabbage tree sugar, fish cockles, eels and lamprey (which were caught o the first full moon in spring) were important food sources. Waikawa harbour was a seasonal campsite. The first Europeans in the area were sealers and whalers. A short-lived whaling station was established just inside Waikawa Harbour entrance in 1838 - it was abandoned by 1844. Waikawa developed as a timber port in the 1880's and in 1889 had a pub, a couple of stores and a smithy. The main communication with the outside was by coastal steamer which shipped timber to Dunedin. Today the main activities are based around fishing, farming, and tourism. M wanted to come here to see the rare ... read more
18. M at Slope Point
23. The Lighthouse at Waipapa Point
28. Cathedral Caves Looking Out

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins March 20th 2011

Another Sunday exploring New Zealand. Today's road trip was to the Catlins, known as the "hidden gem" of the southeastern coast. The landscape is rugged and runs along the coastal cliffs, with gorgeous views of the ocean, waterfalls, and penguins! Although we were young and adventurous and in cars, we were unable to see absolutely everything we wanted to see in one day. We left Abbey College, bright and early and returned at dinner time, once the sun had nearly set itself down on the ocean. Nugget Point was probably my favourite stop along the way, as the view was like something out of a computer screen saver - vivid blues, stunning cliffs and sharp colourful rocks, covered in sun-bathing sea lions. We wanted to visit the Cathedral Falls but didn't have the time. Instead of ... read more
Nugget Point, Catlins NZ 004
Nugget Point, Catlins NZ 014
Nugget Point, Catlins NZ 016

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins February 27th 2011

Quittant la région des fjords, nous nous dirigeons à nouveau en direction des côtes, sous un temps pluvieux qui va nous accompagner en tout cas une bonne semaine malheureusement. Nous plongeons donc totalement dans la région du Southland, allant presque jusqu’à sa pointe. En effet, nous faisons une halte à Invercargill, une ville de 50'000 habitants, rien de bien spécial dans le coin, surtout sous la pluie. Mais depuis là, nous allons atteindre le village (industriel) de Bluff, qui symbolise pour beaucoup de Kiwis le bout du monde. En effet, la route principale qui part du Cape Reinga, tout au nord de l’île du nord (vous vous rappelez, le cap où le Pacifique et la Mer de Tasman se croisent) se termine en ce point, 2200 km plus au sud. En fait, ce n’est pas vraiment ... read more
Bluff : le pôle sud n'est pas loin...
On nous épie, à moins que ce soit l'inverse...
Surat Bay, où on a dormi

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins March 2nd 2010

It's an early wake up call as we make our way slowly to Invercargill and visit the Catlins along the way. I actually did not know how to title this post as we were technically following the Southern Coastal Route as well. We had a leaflet with a great map describing all the places we could stop and obviously we had to pick and choose as we only had a day to do it in. At least we knew we were not rushing to Invercargill as we were told there was not much to do their and it really was just a pit stop to rest our weary heads. We stopped at kaka point with beautiful views of the beach before making our way to visit the lighthouse at Nugget Point. There were fantastic views to ... read more
Nugget Point
Purakaunui Falls
Cathedral Caves

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins February 18th 2010

Hi there, We started our month trip in New Zealand in Christchurch. First stop is the Moeraki Boulders. We couldn't miss this place which is the cover's photo of the Rough Guide... We kept on our trip heading south visiting Otago peninsula and the Catlins. It was a very peaceful area and a serie of quiet beaches, wildlife and waterfalls...... read more
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Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins September 29th 2009

A few weekends ago I went to the Catlins national park with my friends Clara and Jenny. We drove to Invercargill on Friday and then spent saturday and sunday driving around the catlins and getting out to do short walks, see look out points, and see waterfalls. It was such a fun and relaxing weekend with those girls. We all really enjoyed ourselves and got an entire hostel to ourselves on saturday night which was really nice. The Catlins is so beautiful. I guess everybody will have to get used to me saying this about everywhere I go, but New Zealand is such a beautiful place as you will see in the pictures. :o)... read more
Catlins
Catlins
Catlins

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins August 11th 2009

Every Silver Lining Has A Dark Cloud Half the enjoyment and beauty we experience traveling is the journey to each of our destinations, taking us passed or through places that we do not expect to go to or see, these places can throw up a life long memory, whether it is a little café with the best carrot cake, Cosy Nook a weathered old fishing village or Tuatapere the sausage capital of NZ (where we purchased some of their finest beef Bangers!) but with all these delights it's only a matter of time before disappointment rears its ugly head. Invercargill a bleak seaside city with all the fun of the fair with none of the rides working! Boy racers took to the streets early playing with each others exhausts into the wee hours! Our one night ... read more
Still Smiling!
Sea Lion Flipper Prints
Pink Sky Sunset

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins February 6th 2009

INVERCARGILL / CATLINS / ALEXANDRA Ja mit Burt Munro und seiner Scout gehen die Impressionen von Invercargill zu Ende. Doch noch nicht ganz..., bevor ich mich von Invercargill östlich in Richtung Catlins bewege, besuche ich noch kurz die Oreti Beach, im Südwesten von Invercargill. Dort nähmlich war die Teststrecke von Burt's Indian. Auch in der Verfilmung mit Anthony Hopkins wurde dort die Wette mit den Jungs von der Motorrad Gang, also das Strandrennen, abgedreht. Beim Anblick dieser Infotafel hier allerdings, insbesondere der Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung, muss ich schon etwas schmunzeln... Wie auch immer. An dieser Beach zu stehen ist für einen echten Burt Munro Fan ein wahrlich bewegender Moment. Mal schauen ob ich zu so nem Fan werde wenn ich dann die Biografie gelesen habe... Während Fredy immer noch auf Stewart Island im Schlamm und Sumpf waatet, bin ... read more
Oreti Beach West
Oreti Beach East
Catlins Green Hills

Oceania » New Zealand » South Island » Otago » Catlins January 19th 2009

Hello From Dunedin to Milford Sound to Christ Church. After we left Dunedin by car we traveled on the South Coast through the Catlins National Forest reserve. We stayed at a small Backpackers (that means hostel). If you actually go backpacking. that is called tramping. And a trail is called a track. Anyway we enjoyed walking along the beach and saw five seals. We walked by two of them and didn't even see them til we turned around. It was a lovely beach on Surat Bay. We walked for along time and hardly anyone around. In the evening we went to Nugget Point to see, from a high lookout some penquins (three) come out of the water. We left the next day and drove south and saw a beautiful waterfall and gorgeous beaches which we wish ... read more
beach at Surat Bay
Seaweed
sand patterns




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