There is something for everyone on this drive and you can stop as little or as much as you like. The Catlins is off the beaten track on the Southern Scenic Route and takes in the area from Kaka Point to Fortrose.
From beautiful rural country to rugged coastline, a petrified forest, lakes and a gorgeous waterfall, not to mention the variety of wildlife you may see along the way, this drive is a wonderful way to spend a day.
The Catlins website has lots of information and maps that include points of interest. I printed off a map and a list of places I wanted to see along this drive.
I left Dunedin early-ish around 7.30 am as I wanted the time to soak up as much of the scenery as possible. My final destination was Te Anau, so I had a fair drive ahead of me.
I love the country side in NZ and the area south of Dunedin with it's rolling green hills is as appealing as ever.
There are numerous little bays around the coastline where various wildlife native to the area can be found and plenty of walking tracks. There is a variety of shorter walks and longer walks on this trip, so planning ahead is wise if you're wanting to do some further exploration.
My first stop was Kaka Point which gave me a beautiful view of the ocean as I headed towards Nugget Point. I seem to miss the ideal tide times on half of my trips and once again, that was the case on this drive.
I was unable to see all the 'nuggets' that make up Nugget Point, however, I was able to see the largest one which doesn't go under water and another smaller one beside it. The large one was impressive and had an array of bird life nesting all over it.
My next stop was Purakaunui Falls. They are a 20 minute return walk in from the car park and are a hidden treasure. A stunningly beautiful waterfall set in among the rainforest.
There were a couple of places I wanted to see that were affected by the tides unfortunately. One was Cathedral Caves which are only accessible at low tide, so they will have to wait for another day.
Curio Bay is where you will find the Petrified Forest that dates back to the Jurassic Period and this is known as a geological site of International Significance. Again, the Fossil Forest is best viewed at low tide and you may also be lucky enough to see the protected yellow eyed penguins if you're there later in the day.
A short walk will take you to Porpoise Bay where you can see the Hector Dolphins playing in the surf, although they are more likely to be seen during the summer months apparently. I've had two attempts to try and see these little dolphins - Porpoise Bay and Akaroa but alas they've been elusive. One day I'll be successful!
My last stop along this drive was Waipapa Point where there is an historic lighthouse. As you're driving towards the lighthouse, it looks like it's located in a farmland paddock! However, as you draw closer, it's past the paddocks and once again, the views are beautiful.
There is so much more to see than the places I stopped at along this drive. To do it justice, you probably need to take a couple of days and check the tides before you go for those places that are only visible at low tide.
As I came to the end of the Catlins drive, I managed to get lost in Invercargill for half an hour or more. I somehow missed a turn off, so it was early evening by the time I arrived in Te Anau which made for a rather long day, however, it had been a good one.
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