Campervanning New Zealand’s South Island (Part 1)
By: Zoë Poulsen
Tags: New Zealand South Island, Natural History, Wildlife, Travel, Birds

Travel and New Zealand

Campervanning New Zealand’s South Island (Part 1)

After growing up in southern England, ten years ago I moved south, making the beautiful and biodiverse city of Cape Town, South Africa my home.

In December 2017, visiting family took me on a long journey to the far-flung and achingly beautiful country of New Zealand.

On a relatively small travel budget, I spent two weeks touring some of the remoter reaches of South Island in a tiny campervan. A natural history paradise, this region encompasses extraordinary alpines, wild forests, unique birdlife and unforgettable mountain landscapes.

Although often promoted as a bustling centre for adrenaline junkies, South Island has peace and wilderness aplenty for those looking to explore New Zealand’s fascinating natural history. In Part 1 of this series, I document the first part of my solo journey, heading south to the Otago Peninsula, the Catlins, and Stewart Island.

Penguins & Albatrosses: The Otago Peninsula

The Taiaroa Head lighthouse at the end of the Otago Peninsula was built in 1864.

My South Island journey started by heading south from Christchurch to Dunedin, South Island’s second-largest city. The rugged Otago Peninsula begins in the city, jutting out into the wild south-west Pacific Ocean. The peninsula is volcanic in origin, forming part of the Dunedin Volcanic Complex which was active during the Miocene between 13 and 10 million years ago.

The Otago Peninsula is perhaps most famous for its extraordinary birdlife. Taiaroa Head at the end of the peninsula is home to a colony of Northern Royal Albatross or toroa, the only mainland human-inhabited colony of albatross in the world. Breeding colonies are also found in the Chatham Islands and Enderby Island in the Auckland Islands.

Northern Royal Albatross have a wingspan of over three metres.

Northern Royal Albatross have a wingspan of up to three metres, with squid forming the largest component of their diet. When not on land to breed they can fly over vast distances, spending as much as five years at sea. To learn more about these extraordinary birds, tours can be booked at the Royal Albatross Centre, run by the Otago Peninsula Trust.

Adult Yellow-Eyed Penguin

Another iconic bird that can be seen on the Otago Peninsula is the Yellow-Eyed Penguin or hoiho, which is only found in New Zealand and the waters around it. They are one of the world’s rarest penguins, becoming increasingly threatened by introduced predators, disease, overfishing and marine pollution. The Otago Peninsula is one of the best places to view these fascinating birds, where they can be seen at the Penguin Place Conservation Reserve.

Yellow-Eyed Penguin Chick around seven weeks old.

Rainforest & Waterfalls: The Catlins

Glacial pool in the Catlins.

After seeing the new year in on the Otago Peninsula, it was time to head south to continue my journey. New Zealand’s Southland region is known for its rugged coastal beauty, wild seas and sometimes wild and wet weather. Some of the wildest weather I experienced on the trip was in the Catlins, curled up in the van with some good books while the wind howled and the rain lashed against the side of the van.

Exploring estuarine wetlands in the Catlins.

Eventually, the sun emerged and it was time to explore this beautiful and wild area, known for having one of New Zealand’s largest areas of temperate rainforest. Most of New Zealand was once covered in forest, but following human settlement, much of it was cleared for agriculture, with non-native introduced mammals such as rats and stoats impacting on native birds and other wildlife.

Trees in the temperate rainforests of the Catlins are covered with moss and lichens, which thrive in the area’s wet climate.

The temperate rainforest of the Catlins are highly complex ecosystems, dominated by trees such as totara(Podocarpus totara), rimu (Dacrydium cuppressinum) and matai (Prumnopitys taxifolia). The wood of totara was much used by the Maoris, particularly in the making of canoes. These dense forests are home to many different birds, reptiles, amphibians and bats. The trees are covered in moss and lichens and epiphytic plants such as the strongly-scented Easter Orchid (Earina autumnalis) abound.

McLean Falls south of Papatowai.

The Catlins are also known for their spectacular waterfalls. I particularly enjoyed McClean Falls south of Papatowai, which at 22m in height is the highest waterfall in the area. The falls can be reached by a short and relatively easy hike through spectacular rainforest of 40 min return. Look out for Tree Fuschia (Fuschia excorticata) along the trail, the world’s largest Fuschia species. The blooms are often visited by nectar-feeding birds such as tui and bellbirds.

Tuis are endemic to New Zealand and relatively common and widespread across the country.

Beyond the forests, the spectacular coastline of the Catlins is equally worthy of exploration. Slope Point, the southernmost point of New Zealand, can be accessed via a 20-minute walk through farmland, perched high on a cliff overlooking the wild seas below. When standing at the ceremonial yellow sign, waves often break over the cliffs on wild and stormy days. Note that access is prohibited during lambing season.

Waipapa Point Lighthouse

The beautiful and historic Waipapa Point Lighthouse at the southern end of the region marked the end of my Catlins adventure. First lit in 1884, this wooden lighthouse was built following the loss of 131 lives during the shipwreck of the passenger steamer Taurarua on a reef just offshore. Today the lighthouse is automated and monitored remotely from Maritime New Zealand’s Wellington office. New Zealand Fur Seals or kekeno can often be seen here. They are known for diving deeper than any other seal species in search of prey, with female fur seals having been recorded diving more than 240 meters deep.

New Zealand Fur Seals fighting.

The next part of my campervan journey took me southwards to Invercagill, New Zealand’s southernmost city, and then onto the small town of Bluff, the southernmost town in mainland New Zealand. The town’s harbor is the terminus for the ferry to Steward Island, where I would leave the campervan for two nights.

Dark moody skies and wild winds along the coastline near Ivercagill, Southland.

Glowing Skies: Stewart Island/Rakiura

Wild seas in the Foveaux Strait the day before I made the crossing to Stewart Island.

Stewart island is reached across the Foveaux Strait, a formidable stretch of sea that separates Stewart Island/Rakiura from mainland New Zealand. Located in the middle of the Roaring Forties, the Foveaux Strait can be treacherous and rough, with gale-force winds throughout the year, huge waves and powerful tidal races. The catamaran journey from Bluff to Oban on Stewart Island takes around an hour, with spectacular views with clear weather towards Mount Anglem/Hananui, the highest point on Stewart Island at 980m asl. For those who may wish to arrive by air instead, direct flights take 20 minutes from Invercagill by light aircraft.

Oban, Stewart Island.

Comfortable budget accommodation can be found at the Stewart Island backpackers, just a short walk around Half Moon Bay from the Oban ferry terminal. Stewart Island is New Zealand’s third-largest island and southernmost island with human habitation. Around 400 people live here, the majority in the main town of Oban. The Rakiura National Park, New Zealand’s newest national park, occupies 85% of the island. Stewart Island’s Maori name Rakiura means ‘land of the glowing skies’.

Paterson’s Inlet, Stewart Island.

For the more energetic, the Rakiura Track (One of New Zealand’s great walks) is a three-day circular hike exploring the island’s extensive native forest and beautiful coastline. There are plenty of interesting historical points of interest along the trail and accommodation can be booked ahead with a choice of huts or camping. For those visiting Stewart Island for a shorter time, there are plenty of shorter day hikes around Oban, with more information available at the Department of Conservation (DOC) offices.

View from Ackers Point, Stewart Island towards the Titi/Muttonbird Islands at 11pm at night, waiting for sunset and the return of the muttonbirds to their burrows.

During summer the long evenings are a wonderful time to explore these trails. A particular highlight for me was the Harrold Bay and Ackers Point trail, taking around 3 hours to return. At the end of the trail, there are stunning views over towards the Titi/Muttonbird Islands. During mid to late summer the muttonbirds/titi, also known as sooty shearwaters, can be seen returning to their burrows at sunset. After dusk has fallen blue penguins are also sometimes seen. If you decide to stay out on the trail after dark to enjoy this wildlife spectacle, remember to bring a good torch (and spare batteries…) for the return walk to Oban.

New Zealand Pigeon/kereru on Stewart Island.

Many keen birders flock to Stewart Island to see the Stewart Island/Rakiura kiwi/tokoeka. Few people realize that New Zealand in fact has five different kiwi species. The Stewart Island kiwi is a subspecies of the Southern Brown Kiwi. They are unusual in that they have more communal behavior than other subspecies/species and that they are sometimes active during daylight hours. However, for me, the Stewart Island kiwi remained elusive.

Stewart Island Robin seen on nearby Ulva Island.

After an idyllic couple of days exploring this stunning and wildlife-rich island, it was time to return to Bluff to continue my South Island journey, turning north towards Fiordland and the West Coast. The journey will continue in Part 2…

Further Reading

Dawson, J. Lucas, R. (2000) Nature Guide to the New Zealand Forest, Random House New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand.

De Roy, T. Jones, M. (2006) New Zealand: A Natural World Revealed, Bateman Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand.

Fitter, J. (2010) Bateman Field Guide to Wild New Zealand, Bateman Publishing, Auckland, New Zealand.

Mark, A.F. (2012) Above The Treeline: A Nature Guide to Alpine New Zealand, Craig Potton Publishing, Nelson, New Zealand.