Karl and Melanie's house is perfect for exploring the Catlins coast. The place itself is the old homestead which has been recently redecorated and is absolutely lovely. Owaka is quiet but has everything you'd need and the Lumberjack restaurant in town is well worth a visit. We stayed for 2 nights on our way from Dunedin to Invercagill, and it was really well situated to head to loads of the best sights within an hour.