We Are Almost as Far South As We Can Go

Invercargill is almost as far south in New Zealand as you can go. Only the port of Bluff a few kilometres down the road is further south.

We left Dunedin this morning after a short stop at the supermarket to buy some more breakfast supplies and headed south down the motorway. We made a mistake when we saw a sign pointing to the southern scenic route and thought that this would be a better way to go than straight down the highway. It was indeed a scenic road except that it passed through many little villages and settlements where the speed limit was only 50 km/h. At that rate we would be in Invercargill by midnight. We turned on our GPS to head back to main highway and the distance was much greater than we expected. At one stage we were driving through hilly country on a dirt road. The pine plantations on either side had been cut or harvested in the area was quite desolate and barren.

This little diversion cost us about an hour and a half of time and we reached Balclutha (the largest town on the way) much later than we expected for lunch

Balclutha, dubbed the ‘big river town’ is on the Clutha River/Mata-Au, about 10 km upstream from its mouth. A ferry first crossed the Clutha at Balclutha in 1852. The river was bridged in 1868, and a borough (town) council was formed in 1870. After severe flooding in 1878, levee banks were built to protect the town. The major employer, Finegand freezing works opened in 1912. A high school and hospital date from 1925 and 1926. The existing six-span arched concrete bridge opened in 1935. Balclutha’s population tripled between 1945 and 1976, from 1,500 to 4,500. Housing expanded up the slopes on both sides of the river. Livestock numbers soared; the kill count at Finegand peaked at 2 million in the 1984/85 season. Numbers have fallen since, and the town’s population has been static.

A little way south of Balclutha we picked up the southern scenic route again, this time travelling faster because the area is more remote and less populated. This route took us through the Catlins – a spectacular coastal area in the south-eastern corner of the South Island between Balclutha and Invercargill. It is a rugged, sparsely populated area and the rough coastal beauty shaped by the ocean and wind is stunning.

Our first stop was at Kaka Point on the northern edge of The Catlins where we watched the surf pound onto a steep sand beach at Molyneux Bay.

Our major stop for the day was at Nugget Point. (or ‘The Nuggets’ as referred to by the locals) is  located a short distance from Kaka Point. There is a car park area from where you commence a 900 metre walk to the Nugget Point Lighthouse. Wave-eroded rocks, which are likened to the shape of gold nuggets, can be seen from the viewing platform at the end of the path.  The lighthouse was built in 1869-70, is 9.5 metres high and situated 76 metres above sea level.

Along the track, it is possible to see fur seals on the rocks at sea level. Many seabirds make The Nuggets their home.

When you see the paddocks around here, it is not surprising to learn that there are many more sheep in New Zealand than there are people.

Back on to the scenic route, the road winds through many kilometres of dense Kiwi forest. We found a number of waterfalls along the way and stopped to visit the Matai Falls.it was only a short walk down to the river and the falls made quite a spectacle with a vertical drop of about 10 metres. 

We also passed a number of scenic valleys and crossed many streamsthat made this drive very interesting and enjoyable.

Invercargill, New Zealand’s southernmost city, is the commercial hub of Southland, a mostly agricultural region of extreme natural beauty and with a population of  51,696 according to the 2013 Census. The city has firm Scottish traditions dating back to the Early Settlers who pioneered the region.

The most famous person to come from Invercargill was the late Burt Munro. He is one of Southland’s most celebrated legends, and tributes to him have become popular attractions. He was the New Zealander who was immortalised in The World’s Fastest Indian movie. He was a speedbike racer that set land speed records in Utah in the late 1950s and 1960s on a highly modified Indian Scout motorcycle. He is most famous for his under-1000cc world record (an average speed of 183.586mph – 295.45km), set at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1967. The record still stands today.

In Southland around Invercargill, dairy farming is a major agricultural industry. The region has a temperate and cooler climate and ample rainfall, making it ideal for pasture-based dairy farming. This is home to some of the country’s largest dairy farms, and the industry employs thousands of people in the region