Driving Tours

En Route to Invercargill

You could drive from Dunedin to Invercargill in roughly 2 1/2 to 3 hours via State Highway 1, passing through the small Southland townships of Balclutha, Gore, and Edendale. This pleasant drive will take you past farmland and mile after mile of grazing sheep.

But now that I've personally experienced the Southern Scenic Route via the Catlins for the first time, I urge you to consider taking an extra day to explore this rich, unspoiled coastline. I spent a leisurely 7 hours getting from Dunedin to Invercargill, taking as many side routes as I could, and I never regretted a second of it. The region contains the most significant area of native forest on the east coast of New Zealand, and walking tracks will take you through tall podocarps such as rimu and totara.

Keep in mind, though, that rain falls in this area 214 days a year, so chances are you're going to get wet. However, a lot of the rainfalls occur overnight and won't disrupt your sightseeing. Be sure to pick up the visitor center's brochure on the Southern Scenic Route (St. Hwy. 92), so you can make informed decisions about the stops you make. It is also important to note that many of the roads are unpaved, and if you're unfamiliar with this sort of driving, knock 20kmph (12 mph) off your speed, concentrate, keep in the road grooves, and don't overreact if you skid.

Leaving Dunedin, your first diversion should be to the wildlife-rich area of Nugget Point, signposted just south of Balclutha. Gloriously undisturbed coastline awaits, and from here all the way to Waikawa, you'll find a rich vein of scenic opportunity. Chief among them will be Purakaunui Falls, accessed by a 20-minute round-trip walk through beech and podocarp forest; Cathedral Caves, an 80-minute round-trip walk along the beach at low tide only; and the spectacular curve of Tautuku Bay, 2km (1 1/4 miles) south of Papatowai. If you see nothing else, the hilltop view of this bay alone makes the trip worthwhile.

Farther south, you'll find one of the world's finest fossil forests, which can be viewed at low tide at Curio Bay. This sea-washed rock terrace dates back 160 million years and is the original floor of a Jurassic subtropical forest of kauri trees, conifers, and other trees growing at a time when grasses had not evolved. At low tide, you can easily make out the stumps and fallen logs that were petrified after being buried in volcanic ash, then raised when the sea level changed.

Another worthwhile stop is Slope Point. As the name suggests, the strong winds here are responsible for the rather strange, bent-over form of the trees. Wear warm clothing, as the winds lash in off Foveaux Strait. This is the southernmost point of the South Island, and if you're here on a fine day, you'll be pleased with the views.

The Southern Scenic Route continues on to Te Anau -- a total trip of 440km (275 miles) from Dunedin. The Catlins side of the journey is by far the most interesting leg, and it's easy to see why this area is one of the new frontiers of New Zealand tourism. There's a range of moderately priced motels, B&Bs, and backpacker accommodations along the way if you decide to stop over. There are brochures for many of these at the Owaka Information Centre. For more information on the route, call tel. 0800/723-642 in New Zealand, or 03/214-9733, or go to www.southland.org.nz.