Stewart Island | Dunedin to Stewart Island Guide | Rough Guides Australasia » New Zealand » Dunedin to Stewart Island » Stewart Island Foveaux Strait separates the South Island from New Zealand’s third main island, STEWART ISLAND, a genuinely special place of rare birds, bountiful seas and straight-talking people. Most of Stewart Island is uninhabited and characterized by bush-fringed bays, sandy coves, windswept beaches and a rugged interior of tall rimu forest and granite outcrops. It is known in Maori as Rakiura (“The Land of Glowing Skies”), although the jury is still out on whether this refers to the aurora australis – a.k.a. southern lights – occasionally seen in the night sky throughout the year, or the fabulous sunsets. With the creation of Rakiura National Park in 2002 a full 85 percent of the island is now protected. Almost the entire population of 400 lives in the sole town, Oban, where boats dock, planes land and the parrot-shriek of kaka provides the soundtrack.

There’s not much to do in town, but the slow island ways can quickly get into your blood and you may well want to stay longer than you had planned, especially if you’re drawn to serious wilderness tramping, abundant wildlife in unspoilt surroundings and sea kayaking around the flooded valley of Paterson Inlet. Brief history Maori had been here for centuries before Captain Cook came by in 1770 and erroneously marked Rakiura as a peninsula on his charts. The island was later named after William Stewart, the first officer on a sealing vessel that visited in 1809. With the arrival of Europeans, felling rimu became the island’s economic mainstay, supporting three thousand people in the 1930s. Now almost all of Stewart Island’s residents live from conservation work, fishing (crayfish, blue cod and paua), fish farming (salmon and mussels) and tourism. Find out more 1. – Stewart Island/Rakiura – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand Entrance to Rakiura National Park The roughly triangular Stewart Island, known in Māori as Rakiura, is New Zealand’s third largest island at 1,680 square kilometres.

It lies south of the South Island. Halfmoon Bay, the centre of settlement, lies on the north-east coast. It is 39 kilometres from Bluff – a ferry trip of one hour across Foveaux Strait, the stretch of water which separates the island from the Southland coast. The island is bisected by latitude 47º south. Its hills and mountains make it readily visible from the mainland, which locals refer to as ‘the other side’. Beyond the southern tip of Stewart Island lies the Southern Ocean – this is New Zealand’s ‘land’s end’. Apart from the small areas of settlement around Halfmoon Bay, the island retains its natural forest cover. There are two main mountainous areas, one to the island’s north and one to the south. Down the middle of the island, from Mason Bay in the west to Paterson Inlet/Whaka ā Te Wera in the east, a low-lying area of land nearly cleaves the island in two. There are two major inlets or harbours. Paterson Inlet is the larger. Port Pegasus/Pikihatiti on the south-east coast is the last sheltered water for boats heading further south.

Kiwa’s pathway and Kewa’s lost tooth Māori knew Foveaux Strait as Te Ara a Kiwa (the pathway of Kiwa). Kiwa was an ancestor who tired of crossing the isthmus which, according to the story, then connected Rakiura to Southland. He asked the whale, Kewa, to eat through the land to create a channel so Kiwa could cross by waka. Crumbs that fell from the whale’s mouth became islands in Foveaux Strait. Solander Island (Hautere), which guards the western approaches of the strait, was also known as Te Niho a Kewa, a tooth lost from the whale’s mouth. Names The island’s English name acknowledges William Stewart, first mate on the sealer Pegasus, who charted Port Pegasus in 1809. Its Māori name, Rakiura, which means ‘glowing skies’, comes from the southern lights, the aurora australis. Rakiura is not the only Māori name for the island – at one time it was also known as Motunui (big island).

In oral tradition the demigod Māui fished up the North Island (Te Ika-a-Māui – the fish of Māui) and circumnavigated the South Island (Te Wai Pounamu – greenstone waters). To keep his waka (canoe) from drifting away he pulled up a stone (Stewart Island) from the seabed as an anchor and named it Te Punga o Te Waka o Māui (the anchor of the waka of Māui). Climate and waterways The island has a cool temperate climate without extremes in temperature. Because of the surrounding ocean, temperatures are often milder than those in the southern South Island. The weather is very changeable – in a typical year it rains on 210 days at Halfmoon Bay, but much of this comes as showers. There are also microclimates – the north and east coasts are more sheltered than the south and west coasts. Alpine areas in the far south of the island can receive 5,000 millimetres of rain in a year, while Halfmoon Bay gets 1,600 millimetres.

A feature of the island’s streams is their brown tannin-stained waters and low sediment load. The Freshwater River, with its surrounding wetlands, is one of the country’s few large remaining lowland rivers free of introduced species. Rakiura National Park Rakiura National Park, created in 2002, is New Zealand’s most recent national park. It covers 157,000 hectares – about 85% of the island’s land area. The island has a long history of reserves. Following failed attempts to encourage settlement and development, all forested crown land was set aside as a state forest in 1886 and by the early 1900s the majority of the island’s land had reserve status. Areas in eastern parts of the island, around Halfmoon Bay and Codfish Island (Whenuahou), are also conservation land but are not part of the National Park. On the eastern coast, around East Cape and Port Adventure, there is a large tract of land owned by the Rakiura Māori Land Trust.

Stewart Island | island, New Zealand | Britannica.com Stewart Island Borneo Stewart Island, third largest island of New Zealand , in the southwest Pacific Ocean off the southern tip of South Island . Roughly triangular and measuring 45 by 25 miles (70 by 40 km), the island has a total land area of 674 square miles (1,746 square km). It is generally hilly (rising to 3,215 feet [980 m] at Mount Anglem), wooded, and windswept, and its 102-mile (164-kilometre) coastline is deeply creased by Paterson Inlet (east), Port Pegasus (south), and Doughboy and Mason bays (west). The numerous, small Mutton Bird Islands lie close offshore. Stewart Island was seen (1770) by Captain James Cook , who thought it was a peninsula of South Island. This initial description was disproved in 1809 by a survey conducted by Captain William Stewart, one of the many whalers and sealers who visited the island at that time. Tidal flat on Stewart Island, New Zealand.

Ingolfson Stewart Island is sparsely populated and depends on summer tourists and fishing for oysters and crayfish for its livelihood. It is connected to Bluff, on South Island, by a ferry, which crosses Foveaux Strait, approximately 17 miles (27 km) wide. The ferry lands on Stewart Island at Halfmoon Bay (formerly Oban), which is the most southerly permanently inhabited place in New Zealand. Learn More in these related articles: Invercargill | New Zealand | Britannica.com New Zealand Alternative Titles: Inverkelly, Kelly’s Point Related Topics list of cities and towns in New Zealand Invercargill, city, Southland regional council, South Island , New Zealand . Invercargill lies in the southernmost part of the South Island along the Waihopai River, near its confluence with the New River estuary. A service centre for the region’s agricultural industries, the city is situated on a plain that stretches to the north, east, and west; to the south, the estuary leads into Foveaux Strait, which separates the South Island from Stewart Island . Waihopai River at the edge of Invercargill, New Zealand.

Courtesy, Venture Southland Tourism Maori had inhabited the region for centuries by the time Europeans arrived in the area. Captain James Cook and his crew were the first, sailing around the southern tip of South Island, including Foveaux Strait, in 1770, and passed by again three years later. Europeans, often transient , began arriving in the region in the late 1700s and early 1800s, attracted by the prospects for seal and whale hunting. The area including what is now Invercargill was bought from the Maori by the New Zealand Company in 1853 in an agreement called the Murihiku Purchase. Within a few years of the purchase, New Zealand officials, among them Governor Thomas Gore Brown, began planning the establishment of a township to be called Invercargill; the name was chosen to honour Captain William Cargill, a prominent settler and administrator in what was then Otago province. John Kelly, an Irish-born sealer and whaler, arrived with his family in 1856 as the first European settlers near what would soon be chosen as the site of Invercargill.

They were quickly followed by a small number of others, forming a settlement known at first as Kelly’s Point or Inverkelly. That same year the chief surveyor for Otago province, John Turnbull Thomson, chose the existing settlement as the location of Invercargill and surveyed and laid out the town site. The first sale of town lands took place in March 1857, and by the end of the year, there were several dozen residents, many of them Scots, and a small number of businesses. Invercargill served as the capital of Southland province (1861–70) during its short existence independent of Otago province. (The provincial system was abolished in 1876.) The town was made a borough in 1871. With the development of the Southland region from the late 19th century as an agricultural and food-processing centre, Invercargill grew rapidly, and it was incorporated as a city in 1930.

Similar Topics New Plymouth Invercargill is the centre of a sheep- and dairy-farming region and has food-processing plants, wool-processing facilities, sawmills, joineries, storage facilities, and engineering plants. The city airport, located approximately 2 miles (3 km) from the city centre, provides domestic connections. Stewart Island can be reached by air from Invercargill or by ferry from the port of Bluff, some 17 miles (27 km) south of the city. The city’s prominent cultural institutions include the Anderson Park Art Gallery, the neo-Georgian former home of a noted local businessman that now houses the work of New Zealand artists; the Southland Museum and Art Gallery; and a number of historic churches, houses, and administrative buildings. Invercargill has an established network of historic walks, parks, and nature trails. The main park, Queen’s Park, features an aviary and rose gardens. The landmark brick Invercargill Water Tower (1889), capped by a cupola, can be climbed for a scenic view of the city. Pop.

(2006) 46,773; (2012 est.) 49,000. Public art in downtown Invercargill, New Zealand. Courtesy, Venture Southland Tourism Invercargill - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) The southernmost city on New Zealand’s South Island is Invercargill. The city lies on the Waihopai River near its confluence with the New River estuary. It is the largest city in Southland, a largely rural, agricultural region known for its breathtaking fjords and other natural scenery. Cultural attractions in Invercargill include the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, the Anderson Park Art Gallery, and a system of historic walks, nature trails, and parks. The Southern Institute of Technology and the University of Otago’s Southland Campus, which offers teacher-education programs, are also located there. Article Contributors Island off the southern tip of New Zealand | Ecoregions | WWF x Temperate broadleaf and mixed forests Island off the southern tip of New Zealand Rakiura Island is a southerly refuge for many of New Zealand’s endemic species.

Its large tracts of wilderness and mist-drenched forests provide insight into what mainland New Zealand was like before the arrival of humans. This is possibly the southernmost rainforest in the world, with dense forests of podocarps and hardwoods. Endemic and threatened birds of the mainland thrive here, such as the flightless kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), a large, nocturnal parrot that was completely extirpated from the mainland and later rediscovered here. A large portion of the island is protected, and while some pests have been introduced, the island has largely been spared the devastating alien species introductions of the mainland Scientific Code Description Location and General Description Rakiura, also known as Stewart Island, lies about 25 km south of the South Island of New Zealand. The 1,700 km2 island is separated from the mainland by the shallow Foveaux Strait, but has been connected to the South Island during past glacial periods, most recently about 14,000 years ago. Stewart Island is hilly and wet, with little flat ground.

Mean annual rainfall varies from 1,000 mm to 3,000 mm depending on altitude, and rainless periods of more than 2 weeks are uncommon (McGlone and Wilson 1996). The highest peak, Mt. Anglem, rises to 975 m above sea level. The island is composed primarily of diorite gneiss and granite, which decays rapidly to clay (Cockayne 1909). The clay soil is not very fertile, but the wet conditions, mild temperatures, and humus from decaying vegetation allow forest to thrive across the island. The main factors limiting the forest cover on Rakiura Island are wind and salt spray. This ecoregion also includes the Snares Islands, a 3.3 km2 island group located 105 km southwest of Rakiura. The Snares are volcanic in origin, and consist of one main island and several rocky islets. Climatic conditions are similar to Rakiura.

Podocarp-hardwood forests dominate the lowlands of Rakiura Island, but give way to sub-alpine manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) scrub above 300 m (Cockayne 1909). The dominant lowland trees are rimu (Dacrydium cupressinum), kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa), and southern rata or ironwood (Metrosideros umbellata). There are more than 50 other tree and shrub species in the forest, including Senecio spp., daisy-trees (Olearia spp.), and Coprosma spp. Cushion plants, liverworts, mosses, and the fern Blechnum discolor are all common in the understory. The tree trunks are draped with orchids (e.g. Dendrobium cunninghamii) and ferns such as Hymenophyllum dilatatum, Polystichum adiantiforme, Polypodium diversifolium, and Asplenium flaccidum. Due to its small size, only 20 plant taxa are native to the Snares Islands (Molloy 1994).

On the main island of the Snares, Hebe elliptica grows around coastal fringes, while Olearia lyallii forms central stands reaching up to 9 m in height (Wardle 1991). Biodiversity Features Rakiura Island has a lush and distinctive vegetation. The forest here is largely undisturbed by humans, and provides an interesting perspective on what forests on the New Zealand mainland might once have been like (Molloy 1994). There are few endemic plant species on Rakiura, and the island is more notable for the species that are not found here despite being common in similar habitats on mainland New Zealand. Strikingly, there are no Nothofagus spp., Libocedrus bidwillii, or Phyllocladus alpinus present on the island (McGlone and Wilson 1996). The podocarps and hardwoods are thought to have been reestablished at the end of the last ice age by birds, but southern beech Nothofagus spp. rely on freshwater stream dispersal, which would have been prevented by the rising Foveaux Strait (Molloy 1994).

Rakiura Island is well known for its rich birdlife. The island become a haven for mainland species, and some unique subspecies, in the wake of European colonization of New Zealand. European settlers brought a whole range of introduced predators to New Zealand, including cats (Felis silvestris), rats (Rattus exulans, R. norvegicus, R. rattus), stoats (Mustela erminea), ferrets (M. furo), weasels (M. nivalis), and hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), which together drove many New Zealand birds to the brink of extinction. Fortunately for the avifauna of Rakiura Island, ferrets, weasels, and stoats were never introduced there, and populations of cats and rats were largely confined to the small settled area near Half Moon Bay. As a result, bird populations on Rakiura fared much better than those on the neighbouring South Island, and flightless birds like the Stewart Island kiwi (Apteryx australis lawryi) are still found here.

The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus), the world’s only flightless, nocturnal parrot, was extirpated from the mainland by introduced predators but survived on Stewart Island until 1997, at which point the last few individuals were translocated to smaller, predator-free islands for more intensive management (Clout and Merton 1998). The kakapo is now listed as "extinct in the wild" by the IUCN (Hilton-Taylor 2000), but approximately 56 individuals survive on government-owned offshore islands. Other species such as the endemic laughing owl (Sceloglaux albifacies EX) are probably now extinct. The Stewart Island shag (Phalacrocorax chalconotus VU) is found on Rakiura and the southeastern region of South Island (Stattersfield et al. 1998).

Extant endemics on Rakiura and its offshore islets include subspecies of southern robin (Petroica australis rakiura), weka (Gallirallus australis scotti), and fernbird (Bowdleria punctata stewartiana), as well as a leaf-veined slug, a Paryphanta spp., and the harlequin gecko (Hoplodactylus nebulosis). The harlequin gecko is commonly found among subalpine cushion plants and is one of the world’s southernmost lizard species (Molloy 1994). The Snares group is known for its thriving seabird populations, with 23 different species sighted here. No predatory land mammals have been introduced to the Snares Islands and the total seabird population is estimated to equal that of Great Britain and Ireland, with 2.75 million breeding pairs of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) alone (Heather and Robertson 1997, Molloy 1994).

The Snares crested penguin (Eudyptes robustus VU) is restricted to these islands, as is a subspecies of New Zealand snipe (Coenocorypha aucklandica huegeli). C.a. iredalei was endemic to Stewart Island, but died out when weka (Gallirallus australis) and rats (Rattus rattus) were introduced (Stattersfield et al. 1998). Current Status Almost 93 percent of Rakiura Island is owned by the New Zealand government, and over half is designated as either a nature reserve or scenic reserve. The level of protection on the island is excellent, and all of the major habitats are included in the current reserve system. The New Zealand government is currently considering a proposal to turn much of Rakiura into a National Park, to unify the present mosaic of land management activities and give Rakiura a higher public profile. Human settlements on the island have always been small, and have had a very limited impact on the vegetation of the island (McGlone and Wilson 1996).

Although there was some logging activity on Rakiura between 1860 and 1930, it was mostly confined to the area around Half Moon Bay and Paterson Inlet so that the majority of Rakiura Island still supports intact native forest. Some of the smaller islands surrounding Rakiura are also protected and serve as refuges for highly endangered species such as the kakapo and the South Island subspecies of saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus carunculatus), which was nearly extirpated from Rakiura by the arrival of rats. The Snares are uninhabited and wholly protected as a National Park. Landings are restricted by a permit system (Stattersfield et al. 1998). Types and Severity of Threats The main conservation concern on Rakiura Island, as in much of New Zealand, is the impact of introduced species. Introduced deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) browse heavily on native vegetation, and have significantly affected both the understory and the canopy of Rakiura’s forests (Powlesland et al. 1992).

Introduced cats have had a devastating effect on the native birds and were instrumental in the decline of the kakapo on Rakiura Island. They continue to pose a threat to the Stewart Island kiwi. Introduced rats are also a problem, but fortunately no ferrets or stoats have ever been released on the island. There are currently no introduced predatory land mammals on the Snares, and preservation of the unique fauna found here is contingent upon the total restriction of alien species introductions. Justification of Ecoregion Delineation These islands off the southern coast of New Zealand are considered botanically connected to the mainland (Wardle 1991). However, they are designated a separate ecoregion due to their long isolation from the mainland, endemic flora, and very different history of human settlement in comparison to the mainland. References Clout, M.N. and D.V. Merton. 1998. Saving the Kakapo: the conservation of the world’s most peculiar parrot. Bird Conservation International 8: 281-296. Cockayne, L. 1909. Report on a botanical survey of Stewart Island. Department of Lands, New Zealand. Heather, B. D.

and H. A. Robertson. 1997. The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom. Hilton-Taylor, C. 2000. 1998. The IUCN 2000 Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, United Kingdom. McGlone, M.S. and H.D. Wilson. 1996. Holocene vegetation and climate of Stewart Island, New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Botany 34: 369-388. Molloy, L. 1994. Wild New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Conservation/MIT Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts Powlesland, R.G., B. D. Lloyd, H. A. Best, and D. V. Merton. 1992. Breeding Biology of the Kakapo, Strigops habroptilus, on Stewart Island, New Zealand. Ibis 134: 361-373. Wardle, P. 1991. Vegetation of New Zealand. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Prepared by: Winnie Roberts Stewart Island Stewart Island Excursions Stewart Island, Stewart Island is home to New Zealand's newest national park, Rakiura National Park. The third and most southerly of New Zealand's main islands, Stewart Island is separated from the South Island by the 24-km (15-miles) Foveaux Strait. Its original Māori name, Te Punga O Te Waka a Maui, means "the anchor stone of Maui's canoe." Māori mythology says the island's landmass held the god Maui's canoe secure while he and his crew raised the great fish—the North Island. Today the island is more commonly referred to by its other Māori name, Rakiura, which means "the land of the glowing skies." This refers to the spectacular sunrises and sunsets and to the southern lights, or aurora australis. The European name of Stewart Island dates back to 1809. It memorializes an officer William W. Stewart on an early sealing vessel, the Pegasus, who was the first to chart the island. The island covers some 1,700 square km (650 square miles).

It measures about 75 km (46 miles) from north to south and about the same distance across at its widest point. On the coastline, sharp cliffs rise from a succession of sheltered bays and beaches. In the interior, forested hills rise gradually toward the west side of the island. Seals and penguins frequent the coast, and the island's prolific birdlife includes a number of species rarely seen in any other part of the country. In fact, this is the surest place to see a kiwi. The Stewart Island brown kiwi, or tokoeka, is the largest species of this kind of bird. Unlike their mainland cousins, these kiwis can be seen during the day as well as at night. It's a rare and amusing experience to watch these pear-shape birds scampering on a remote beach as they feed on sand hoppers and grubs. Māori have visited Stewart Island for centuries. Archaeologists' studies of 13th-century Māori middens (refuse heaps) indicate that the island was once a rich, seasonal resource for hunting, fishing, and gathering seafood.

A commonly eaten delicacy at that time, the titi, also known as the muttonbird, still occasionally appears on menus. In the early 19th century, explorers, sealers, missionaries, and miners settled the island. They were followed by fishermen and sawmillers who established settlements around the edges of Paterson Inlet and Halfmoon and Horseshoe bays. In the 1920s Norwegians set up a whaling enterprise, and many descendants of these seafaring people remain. Fishing, aquaculture, and tourism are now the mainstays of the island's economy. Even by New Zealand standards, Stewart Island is remote, raw, and untouched. The appeal is its seclusion, its relaxed way of life, and its untouched quality. Stewart Island is not for everyone: if you must have shopping malls, casinos, or umbrella drinks on the beach, don't come here. Visitors should be prepared for the fact that Stewart Island can be chilly, windy, and rainy, even in the middle of summer. Dining Church Hill Restaurant & Oyster Bar At the heart of the menu is food of the sea, or kai moana.

Stewart Island blue cod, salmon, mussels, oysters, and paua (abalone) are all cooked to perfection and accompanied by fresh vegetables from the garden just meters away. An intimate little restaurant with a view out to sea, it is popular with both locals and visitors. There's also gourmet food to take-out in a picnic basket from NZ$35 per person. The restaurant hosts popular themed nights in summer offering a special Asian or Italian menu. Bird on a Pear Situated right in the thick of things on Halfmoon Bay Wharf, this popular cafe above the ferry terminal positively bustles from early morning through late afternoon with an eclectic mix of locals and visitors. An impressive menu of breakfast treats, local seafood (try the divine Oyster soup!), huge salads, yummy cakes and muffins all made on-site by owner/operator Jo Leask. Gluten-free and vegetarian options available. Grab a window seat and watch the boats load and unload or spot little blue penguins darting beneath the clear waters below as you sip a tipple from the fully licensed bar. Evening meals available weekends from December through March.

Kiwi French Cafe American owner Britt Moore makes coffee, a selection of sweet and savoury crepes, salads, and pan-fried fish of the day, making this a great place to stop and watch the world go by. Grab a take-out packed lunch or stay for coffee and cake. Dinner offers either an à la carte or set menu. Britt also owns New Zealand's southernmost spa, offering both massages or soaks in the hot tub, and treatments can be booked at the café. South Sea Hotel Restaurant You can have a relaxed meal in the restaurant or an even more relaxed meal in the bar here. Food such as local seafood, pizza, pasta, and steaks offer good value at this little local spot. Seafood chowder is a popular choice, and if you give a 24-hour notice, you can try the crayfish. Reservations are strongly recommended in the busy summer season because there are so few places to eat in these parts. Renowned winter buffets draw the local crowd in on Tuesday night.

Sights Rakiura Museum The Rakiura Museum has an eclectic collection of Māori artifacts, ambergris, old schoolhouse memorabilia, tools from gold and tinning prospectors, and a china "moustache cup" (there's a story behind every item). The museum also forgivingly showcases an old-world globe that doesn't include Stewart Island! Rakiura National Park In spring 2002, about 85% of Stewart Island was designated as Rakiura National Park. The park encompasses areas that were formerly nature reserves and the like. More than 200 walking trails thread through the park, and a dozen huts give shelter for overnight stays. The New Zealand Department of Conservation has more information on its web site. Bunkhouse Theatre "A Local's Tail" is a quirky 40-minute movie about life on Stewart Island as told by Lola the dog. At the two daily screenings (2 pm and 4 pm) in this neat 53-seater cinema, you'll be introduced to local characters and learn about island living. Write a review on the blackboard, pose for a photo with Lola herself, and perhaps add your name to the rogues gallery of moviegoers past.

Additional screening times can be arranged for groups. On some weekend evenings classic old movies are shown. Get there early on a rainy day and grab a bucket of popcorn from the foyer. Island Explorer If you're short of time, then hop on a scenic bus tour with the Island Explorer, which is operated by Stewart Island Flights. A great way to see the island is on one of these 90-minute tours. There are no scheduled departure times (it's done on demand), so make sure to book ahead whenever possible. Stewart Island Guide| Fodor's Travel Photo: Wildnerdpix / Shutterstock Stewart Island Stewart Island, home to New Zealand's newest national park, Rakiura, is the third largest and most southerly of New Zealand's main islands, separated from the South Island by the 30-km (19-mile) Foveaux Strait. Its original Māori name, Te Punga O Te Waka a Maui, means "the anchor stone of Maui's canoe." Māori mythology says the island's landmass held the god Maui's canoe secure while he and his crew raised the great fish—the North Island.

Today the island is more commonly referred to by its other Māori name, Rakiura, which means "the land of the glowing skies." This refers to the spectacular sunrises and sunsets and to the southern lights, or aurora australis. The European name of Stewart Island dates back to 1809. It memorializes an officer William W. Stewart on an early sealing vessel, the Pegasus, who was the first to chart the island. The island covers some 1,700 square km (650 square miles). It measures about 75 km (46 miles) from north to south and about the same distance across at its widest point. On the coastline, sharp cliffs rise from a succession of sheltered bays and beaches. In the interior, forested hills rise gradually toward the west side of the island. Seals and penguins frequent the coast, and the island's prolific birdlife includes a number of species rarely seen in any other part of the country. In fact, this is the surest place to see a kiwi. The Stewart Island brown kiwi, or tokoeka, is the largest species of this kind of bird.

Unlike their mainland cousins, these kiwis can be seen during the day as well as at night. It's a rare and amusing experience to watch these pear-shape birds scampering on a remote beach as they feed on sand hoppers and grubs. Māori have visited and lived on Stewart Island for centuries. Archaeologists' studies of 13th-century Māori middens (refuse heaps) indicate that the island was once a rich, seasonal resource for hunting, fishing, and gathering seafood. A commonly eaten delicacy at that time, the titi, also known as the muttonbird, is still traditionally harvested and occasionally appears on menus. In the early 19th century, explorers, sealers, missionaries, and miners settled the island. They were followed by fishermen and sawmillers who established settlements around the edges of Paterson Inlet and Halfmoon and Horseshoe bays. In the 1920s Norwegians set up a whaling enterprise, and many descendants of these seafaring people remain. Fishing, aquaculture, and tourism are now the mainstays of the island's economy. Even by New Zealand standards, Stewart Island is remote, raw, and untouched.

The appeal is its seclusion, its relaxed way of life, and its untouched quality. Stewart Island is not for everyone: if you must have shopping malls, casinos, or umbrella drinks on the beach, don't come here. Visitors should be prepared for the fact that Stewart Island can be chilly, windy, and rainy, even in the middle of summer. South Island Itineraries: Itineraries, Itinerary, Road Trips, Journeys, Driving Routes, Maps, Guides, Directions & Planners South Island Itineraries View Larger Image South Island Itineraries New Zealand may be a small country but it has developed a big name as a popular international tourist destination. With good driving roads, top tourist spots easily accessible and an ever-changing display of breath-taking scenery, it is easy to understand why visitors enjoy touring around this beautiful country. Situated in the southwest of the Pacific Ocean, New Zealand is a multi-cultural land boasting a diverse range of landscapes and climatic conditions extending throughout the North and South Islands, while Foveaux Strait separates Stewart Island from the bottom of the South Island. Temperatures range from the warm sub-tropical areas of the ‘Far North’ to the cooler climates of the ‘Deep South’.

With ski-ing in winter and water sports in summer, New Zealand is really an all-season holiday destination. From sparkling golden beaches, picturesque glaciers and tramper-friendly native rainforest, to world-class ski facilities, magical marine life, pristine tramping conditions, historical buildings, Maori culture and lush farmland, it is easy to see why New Zealand is renowned for our eco-tourism and pure, green outdoor image. If you are considering a self-drive journey around this beautifully diverse country, New Zealand’s Information Network in New Zealand have compiled some awesome itineraries to assist you with your Kiwi travel plans. Going to the North Island? Make sure you plan an unforgettable journey with our North Island itineraries . Our South Island itineraries range from shorter 5 day trips right up to the ultimate 12 Day South Island tour. Showcasing a variety of main stream and ‘not so well known’ popular visitor attractions and activities, our travelling writers have provided the low down on what you should see and do not only during your stay in each city, but also things you should take the time to see or experience while you are travelling along the highways and back roads of the ‘Mainland’.

Our range of South Island travel itineraries cover a diverse range of touring options, each includes information regarding travel distances and time to ensure that you can make the best of your time in New Zealand, no longer how short your visit! Traversing the entire South Island – we have it covered! Many of the itineraries start in the South Island’s biggest city, Christchurch, and showcases some of the best South Island visual attractions and heritage, including visits to Franz Josef Glacier, Queenstown, Southland, the rugged beauty of Stewart Island and coastal destinations such as the West Coast, Otago Peninsula, Kaikoura and Nelson, as well as the vineyard delights of Marlborough, and popular destinations such Fox Glacier, Te Anau, Fiordland and more. If you would like a sneak of the South Island then the 8 day Itinerary is just for you! Starting in Christchurch, climb a Glacier in Franz Josef, experience the adventure capital of Queenstown and the tranquil beauty of Wanaka as well as the picturesque region of Te Anau and the heritage capital of Dunedin city. If you are planning a self-drive tour of the South Island our array of itineraries will help you plan the perfect South Island tour.

New Zealand Itineraries: South Island Suggested Itineraries Our range of South Island Itineraries cover a diverse range of touring options, each includes information regarding travel distances and time to ensure that you can make the best of your time in New Zealand, no longer how short your visit!

5 Day Itinerary : Christchurch – Greymouth, Greymouth – Fox Glacier, Franz Josef – Wanaka, Wanaka – Mt Cook and Mt Cook – Christchurch 5 Day Itinerary (route 2) : Christchurch – Hanmer Springs, Hanmer Springs – St Arnuad, St Arnuad – Blenheim, Blenheim – Kaikoura and Kaikoura – Christchurch 5 Day Itinerary (route 3) : Christchurch – Mt Cook, Mt Cook – Queenstown, Queenstown – Dunedin, Dunedin – Oamaru and Oamaru – Christchurch 7 Day Itinerary : Christchurch – Dunedin, Dunedin – Invercargill, Invercargill – Stewart Island, Stewart Island – Te-anau, Te Anau – Milford Sound, Te Anau – Queenstown and Queenstown – Christchurch 8 Day Itinerary : Christchurch – Greymouth, Greymouth – Fox Glacier, Fox Glacier – Wanaka, Wanaka – Queenstown, Queenstown – Te Anau, Te Anau – Dunedin and Dunedin – Christchurch 9 Day Itinerary : Christchurch – Dunedin, Dunedin, Dunedin – Inver

cragill, Invercargill – Te Anau, Te Anau Milford Sound, Te Anau – Queenstown, Queenstown – Mt Cook, Mt Cook – Lake Tekapo and Lake Tekapo – Christchurch 9 Day Itinerary (route 2) : Christchurch – Omarama, Omarama – Dunedin, Dunedin, Dunedin – Te Anau, Te Anau – Milford Sound, Te Anau – Queenstown, Queenstown – Haast, Haast – Greymouth and Greymouth – Christchurch 9 Day Itinerary (route 3) : Christchurch – Hanmer Springs, Hanmer Springs – Greymouth, Greymouth – Nelson, Nelson – Takaka, Takaka – Motueka, Motueka – Nelson, Nelson – Blenheim, Blenheim – Kaikoura and Kaikoura – Christchurch 11 Day Itinerary : Christchurch – Dunedin, Dunedin – Te Anau, Te Anau – Milford Sound, Milford Sound – Queenstown, Queenstown – Wanaka, Wanaka – Franz Josef, Franz Josef – Greymouth, Greymouth – Nelson, Nelson – Blenheim, Blenheim – Kaik

oura and Kaikoura – Christchurch

Question: What strait separates the South Island of New Zealand from the more southerly Stewart Island?
Answer: Foveaux Strait