Sights & Activities
West Coast Wildlife Centre
WILDLIFE
(www.wildkiwi.co.nz; cnr Cron & Cowan
Sts; day pass adult/child/family $30/18/80, with backstage pass
$50/30/125; 
) 
This feel-good attraction
ticks all the right boxes (exhibition, cafe, retail, wi-fi), then
goes a whole lot further by actually breeding the rowi – the rarest
kiwi in the world. The day pass is well worthwhile by the time
you’ve viewed the conservation, glacier and heritage displays, and
hung out with real, live kiwi in their ferny enclosure. The
additional backstage pass into the incubating and chick-rearing
area is a rare opportunity to learn how a species can be brought
back from the brink of extinction, and a chance to go ga-ga over
what may be the cutest babies on the planet.
Independent Walks
A rewarding alternative to driving to the glacier car park is the richly rainforested Te Ara a Waiau Walkway/Cycleway, starting from near the fire station at the south end of town. It’s a one-hour walk (each way) or half that by bicycle (available for hire from Across Country Quad Bikes (Click here) or the YHA (Click here)).
Several glacier viewpoints are accessed from the car park, including Sentinel Rock OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP (20 minutes return) and the Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere Walk (1½ hours return), leading you to the terminal face (read the signs; respect the barriers).
Other longer walks include the Douglas Walk (one hour return), off the Glacier Access Rd, which passes moraine from the 1750 advance, and Peter’s Pool, a small kettle lake. The Terrace Track (30 minutes return) is an easy amble over bushy terraces behind the village, with Waiho River views. Two good rainforest walks, Tatare Tunnels and Callery Gorge Walk (both around 1½ hours return), start from Cowan St.
The rougher Roberts Point Track (five hours return) heads off from the Douglas swing bridge (access via the Douglas Walk). The Alex Knob Track (eight hours return) runs from the Glacier Access Rd to the 1303m peak of Alex Knob. Look forward to three glacier lookouts and views to the coast (cloud cover permitting). Both Roberts Point and Alex Knob are suitable only for well-equipped and experienced trampers.
Check out the glacier in the morning or evening, before the cloud cover sets in or after it lifts. Expect fewer tour buses as well.
Pick up a copy of DOC’s excellent Glacier Region Walks booklet ($2) which provides maps and illuminating background reading.
Guided Walks & Helihikes
Small group walks with
experienced guides (boots, jackets and equipment supplied) are
offered by
Franz Josef
Glacier Guides
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 
03-752 0763, 0800 484 337; www.franzjosefglacier.com; 6 Main
Rd) . Both standard tours require helicopter transfers to
and from the ice: the ‘Ice Explorer’ ($325) is bookended by a
four-minute flight, with around three hours on the ice; the easier
‘Heli Hike’ ($429) explores higher reaches of the glacier,
requiring a 10-minute flight with around two hours on the ice.
Taking around three hours, the ‘Glacier Valley Walk’ ($75) follows
the Waiho River up to the moraine, offering a chance to get beyond
the public barriers for close up views of the ice. All trips are
$10–30 cheaper for children.
Aerial Sightseeing
Forget sandflies and mozzies. The buzzing you’re hearing is a swarm of aircraft in the skies around the glaciers and just beyond in the realm of Aoraki/Mt Cook. A common heliflight ($200–230) is 20 minutes long, and goes to the head of Franz Glacier with a snow landing up top. A ‘twin glacier’ flight – taking in Fox as well as Franz in around 30 minutes – costs in the region of $300, with a full-monty 40-minute trip (swooping around Aoraki/Mt Cook) from $400. Fares for children under 15 are between 60% and 70% of the adult price. Shop around: most operators are situated on the main road in Franz Josef.
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0716, 0800 723 274;
www.airsafaris.co.nz) Franz’ only
fixed-wing flyer offers a 30-minute ‘twin glacier’ ($250) and
50-minute ‘grand traverse’ ($340).
Fox & Franz
Josef
Heliservices SCENIC FLIGHTS
(
03-752 0793, 0800 800 793;
www.scenic-flights.co.nz)
Glacier Helicopters SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0755, 0800 800 732;
www.glacierhelicopters.co.nz)
Helicopter Line SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0767, 0800 807 767;
www.helicopter.co.nz)
Mountain Helicopters SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0046, 0800 369 432;
www.mountainhelicopters.co.nz)
Other Activities
Glacier Country Kayaks KAYAKING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0230, 0800 423 262;
www.glacierkayaks.com; 46 Cron St; 3hr
kayak $105, 4hr kayak & walk $145) Take a guided kayak
trip on Lake Mapourika (7km north of Franz), with fascinating
commentary, birdlife, mountain views, a serene channel detour, and
an additional bushwalk on offer. Go in the morning for better
conditions. Ask about family trips, freedom rental and stand-up
paddle-board hire.
(www.glacierhotpools.co.nz; 63 Cron St;
adult/child $25/18; 
1-9pm) Skilfully embedded into pretty
rainforest greenery on the edge of town, this stylish outdoor
hot-pool complex is perfect après-hike or on a rainy day. Communal
pools, private ones ($42.50 per 45 minutes) and massage also
available.
(
03-752 0714, 0800 458 677;
www.skydivefranz.co.nz; Main Rd)
Claiming NZ’s highest jump (18,000ft, 80 seconds freefall, $559),
this company also offers 15,000ft for $419, and 12,000ft for $319.
With Aoraki/Mt Cook in your sights, this could be the most scenic
jump you ever do.
(
03-755 4254, 0508 669 675;
www.ecorafting.co.nz; family trip
adult/child $135/110, 7hr trip $450) Rafting adventures
throughout the coast, from gentle, family trips to the seven hour
‘Grand Canyon’ trip on the Whataroa River with its towering granite
walls. Includes a 15-minute helicopter ride.
South Westland Horse Treks HORSE RIDING
(
03-752 0223, 0800 187 357;
www.horsetreknz.com; Waiho Flats Rd; 2hr
trek $99) Located 5km west of town, this trekking company
runs one- to six-hour equine excursions across farmland and remote
beaches.
Glacier Valley Eco Tours GUIDED TOUR
(
03-752 0699, 0800 999 739;
www.glaciervalley.co.nz) Offers
leisurely three- to eight-hour walking tours around local sights
($70 to $160), packed with local knowledge. Glacier shuttle service
($12.50 return).
Across Country Quad Bikes QUAD BIKING
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0123, 0800 234 288;
www.acrosscountryquadbikes.co.nz; Air Safaris Bldg,
SH6) Four-wheeled outings, rockin’ and rollin’ through the
rainforest (two hours, rider/passenger $160/70). Mountain-bike hire
available (half-/full day $25/40).
Sleeping
Franz Josef Glacier YHA HOSTEL $
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0754; www.yha.co.nz; 2-4 Cron St; dm $23-30, s
$57, d $85-110; 
) This tidy hostel has warm, spacious
communal areas, family rooms, free sauna, on-site bike hire and a
booking desk for transport and activities. It has 130 beds, but
you’ll still need to book ahead.
Franz Josef Top
10
Holiday Park HOLIDAY PARK $
(
03-752 073, 0800 467 8975;
www.franzjoseftop10.co.nz; 2902 Franz
Josef Hwy; campsites $40-45, d $65-165; ) This spacious
holiday park, 1.5km from the township, has shipshape facilities and
more sleeping options than you can shake a stick at. Tenters are
well catered for with sunny, free-draining grassy sites away from
the road, looking out over farmy paddocks.
(
03-752 073, 0800 728 3728;
www.sircedrics.co.nz; 8 Cron St; dm
$23-33, d $50-110; ) This ramshackle enclave of dorms and
motelesque units offers a decent bolthole, with respectable beds
and enticing extras such as a spa pool, free soup and unlimited
internet. Worn but welcoming communal areas include a sunny patio,
two kitchens, and den with a wood burner.
Rainforest Retreat HOSTEL, HOLIDAY PARK $$
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0220, 0800 873 346;
www.rainforestretreat.co.nz; 46 Cron St;
sites $39, dm $28-32, d $85-220;
) This capacious enterprise
packs plenty of options into its forested grounds, the pick of
which are the ‘huts’, ‘houses’ and ‘lodges’ nestled in the bush.
Campervans enjoy similar privacy but lose out on high-use communal
facilities, as do backpackers who may well arrive on a large tour
bus. The on-site Monsoon Bar has a low top shelf, lively atmosphere
and decent meals ($22 to $32).
(
03-752 0627, 0800 662 766;
www.58oncron.co.nz; 58 Cron St; d
$175-245; ) Lacking imagination in both name and
decor, these motel units nevertheless impress with their comfort,
cleanliness, mod cons and considerate attitude to guests.
(
03-752 005, 0800 453 6334;
www.glenfern.co.nz; SH6; d
$230-289; ) A handy 3km out of the tourist hubbub,
these delightful one- and two-bedroom villas sit amid groomed
grounds with private decks surveying mountain scenery. Top-notch
beds, full kitchens, bike hire and family-friendly facilities
strongly suggest ‘holiday’, not ‘stop-off’.
(
03-752 0299; www.hollyhomestead.co.nz; SH6; d
$265-430; ) Guests are welcomed with fresh home
baking at this wisteria-draped 1926 B&B. Choose from three
characterful en suite rooms or a suite, all of which share a deck
perfect for that sundowner. Children over 12 welcome.
Te Waonui Forest Retreat HOTEL $$$
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0555, 0800 696 963;
www.tewaonui.co.nz; 3 Wallace St; s/d
from $579/699; ) Franz’ top-end hotel appears
earthy and unflashy, with the inside following suit in natural,
textured tones brightened by bold, zippy carpet. It offers a classy
package of porter service, degustation dinners (included, along
with breakfast, in the price) and a snazzy bar, along with
luxurious rooms in which you’ll sleep like a log. All have a deck
facing into the forest.
Eating
Expect to have numerous dining choices, but be prepared that they might not set your culinary world on fire; some menus haven’t changed since the last ice age.
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(SH6; snacks
$3-7; 8am-5pm) Follow the bright pink sandwich
boards to this cracking little bakery. Heaps of good-value
ready-to-scoff goods, including epic pasties suitable for bagging
for a picnic lunch, or heating up later at dinner time. Other
enticements include fresh bread and ‘donut Saturday’.
Landing Bar & Restaurant PUB $$
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(www.thelandingbar.co.nz; SH6; mains
$20-40; 7.30am-late; ) This busy but well-run pub offers an
inordinately huge menu of crowd-pleasing food such as burgers,
steaks and pizza. The patio – complete with sunshine and gas
heaters – is a good place to warm up after a day on the ice.
(SH6;
7.45am-9.30pm) Mr
Four Square comes to the party, big time.
Information
Wi-fi is available at most accommodation providers and several eating joints. There’s an ATM on the main street, and the postal agency is located at Glacier Motors (SH6) .
Franz Josef Health
Centre (
03-752 0700, 0800 7943 2584; 97 Cron
St; 9am-4pm Mon-Fri) South Westland’s main
medical centre.
Westland/Tai Poutini
National Park Visitor Centre & i-SITE ( 03-752 0796; www.doc.govt.nz; Cron St;
8.30am-6pm summer,
8.30am-5pm winter) Regional DOC office with good exhibits,
weather information and track updates; the i-SITE desk books major
nationwide transport except the Interislander. See also www.glaciercountry.co.nz.
Getting There & Around
The bus stop is opposite the Four Square supermarket.
InterCity (
03-365 1113; www.intercity.co.nz) has daily
buses south to Fox Glacier (35 minutes) and Queenstown (eight
hours); and north to Nelson (10 hours). Some services can also be
booked via Atomic Travel (Click
here). Book at the DOC Visitor Centre or YHA. Naked Bus (www.nakedbus.com) services the
same routes three times a week. Both provide connections to
destinations further afield.
Glacier Valley Shuttle ( 03-752 0699, 0800 999 739; www.glaciervalley.co.nz) runs
scheduled shuttle services to the glacier car park (return trip
$12.50).
Fox Glacier
Fox is smaller and quieter than Franz Josef, with a farmy feel and more open aspect. Beautiful Lake Matheson is a highlight, as are the historic sites and the beach itself down at Gillespies Beach.
Fox Glacier & Village
Activities, Courses &
Tours
Sleeping
Eating
Shopping Sights & Activities
Glacier Valley Walks
It’s 1.5km from Fox Village to the glacier turn-off, and a further 2km to the car park, which you can reach under your own steam via Te Weheka Walkway/Cycleway, a pleasant rainforest trail starting just south of the Bella Vista motel. It’s just over an hour each way to walk, or 30 minutes to cycle (leave your bikes at the car park – you can’t cycle on the glacier walkways). Hire bikes from Westhaven (Click here).
From the car park, the terminal face is 30 to 40 minutes’ walk. How close you can get to it depends on conditions. Obey all signs: this place is dangerously dynamic.
Short walks near the glacier include the Moraine Walk (over a major 18th-century advance) and Minnehaha Walk. The River Walk extends to the Chalet Lookout Track (1½ hours return) leading to a glacier lookout. The fully accessible River Walk Lookout Track (20 minutes return) starts from the Glacier View Road car park and allows people of all abilities the chance to view the glacier.
Pick up a copy of DOC’s excellent Glacier Region Walks booklet ($2) which provides maps and illuminating background reading.
Fox Glacier Guiding GUIDED WALK
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-751 0825, 0800 111 600;
www.foxguides.co.nz; 44 Main Rd)
Guided walks (equipment provided) are organised by Fox Glacier
Guiding. Half-day walks cost $132/105 per adult/child; full-day
walks are $185. Helihikes cost $399/369 per adult/child, while a
day-long introductory ice-climbing course costs $320 per adult.
Note that age restrictions vary depending on the trip. There are
also easygoing two-hour interpretive walks to the glacier
(adult/child $49/35). Longer guided helihike adventures are also
available.
Other Walks
The famous ‘mirror lake’ can be found about 5km down Cook Flat Rd. Wandering slowly (as you should), it will take 1½ hours to complete the circuit. At the far end – on a clear day – you may, just may, get the money shot, but failing that you can buy a postcard at the excellent gift store by the car park. The best time to visit is early morning, or when the sun is low in the late afternoon, although the presence of the Matheson Cafe means that any time is a good time.
Follow Cook Flat Rd for its full 21km (unsealed for the final 12km) to the remote black-sand Gillespies Beach, site of an old mining settlement. Various interesting walks can be had from here, from a five-minute zip to the old miners’ cemetery, to the 3½-hour return walk to Galway Beach where seals are wont to haul out. Don’t disturb their lazing about. On the way there or back, stop at the signposted Peak View Picnic Area to spin the dial and determine exactly which mountain you’re looking at.
Skydiving & Aerial Sightseeing
With Fox Glacier’s backdrop of Southern Alps, rainforest and ocean, it’s hard to imagine a better place to get high. Costs at Fox parallel those at Franz Josef, as does healthy competition, which sees all heli-operators lined up on the main road.
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-751 0080, 0800 751
0080; www.skydivefox.co.nz; Fox Glacier
Airfield, SH6) Eye-popping scenery abounds on leaps from
16,000ft ($399) or 12,000ft ($299). The airfield is conveniently
located three minutes’ walk from the centre of town.
Fox &
Franz
Josef Heliservices SCENIC FLIGHTS
(
03-751 0866, 0800 800 793;
www.scenic-flights.co.nz)
Glacier Helicopters SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-751 0803, 0800 800 732;
www.glacierhelicopters.co.nz;
SH6)
Helicopter Line SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-752 0767, 0800 807 767;
www.helicopter.co.nz; SH6)
Mountain Helicopters SCENIC FLIGHTS
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-751 0045, 0800 369 423;
www.mountainhelicopters.co.nz)
Sleeping
Fox Glacier Top 10
Holiday Park HOLIDAY PARK $
(
03-751 0821, 0800 154 366;
www.fghp.co.nz; Kerrs Rd; sites per
person from $20, s/d $70, cabins & units $70-215;
) This park has options to suit all
budgets, from well-draining tent sites and gravel campervan sites,
to lodge rooms and upscale motel units. Shipshape amenities include
a splendid communal kitchen/dining room, and a playground for the
kids.
(
03-751 0140, 0800 724 636;
www.rainforestmotel.co.nz; 15 Cook Flat
Rd; d $115-145; ) Rustic log cabins on the outside with
neutral decor on the inside. Epic lawns for running around on or
simply enjoying the mountain views. A tidy, good-value option.
(
03-751 0084, 0800 369 452;
www.thewesthaven.co.nz; SH6; d
$145-185; ) These architecturally precise suites are
a classy combo of corrugated steel and local stone amid burnt-red
and ivory walls. The deluxe king rooms have spa baths, and there
are bikes to hire for the energetic (half-/full day $20/40).
Fox Glacier Lodge B&B, MOTEL $$$
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(
03-751 0888, 0800 369 800;
www.foxglacierlodge.com; 41 Sullivan Rd;
d $195-225; ) Beautiful timber adorns the exterior and
interior of this attractive property, imparting a mountain chalet
vibe. Similarly woody self-contained mezzanine units with spa
baths and gas fires are also available.
(
03-751 0707; www.reflectionlodge.co.nz; 141 Cook Flat
Rd; d $210; ) The gregarious hosts of this
ski-lodge-style B&B go the extra mile to make your stay a
memorable one. Blooming gardens complete with Monet-like pond and
alpine views seal the deal.
Eating & Drinking
Fox would be a total stodge-fest were it not for a duo of notably good cafes.
OFFLINE MAP GOOGLE MAP(cnr Sullivan Rd
& SH6; lunch $10-20, dinner $22-32;
noon-late) Making the most of
its sunny corner location with outside tables, the Last Kitchen is
a relatively elegant option offering contemporary à la carte cafe
fare such as halloumi salad, five-spice pork belly and genuinely
gourmet burgers. It lacks extensive counter food, but will satisfy
for coffee and cake, and fine wine and nibbles.
(
03-751 0878; www.lakematheson.com; Lake Matheson Rd;
breakfast & lunch $9-20, dinner $17-33;
8am-late Nov-Mar, 8am-4pm
Apr-Oct) Near the shores of Lake Matheson, this cafe does
everything right: sharp architecture that maximises inspiring
mountain views, strong coffee, craft beers and upmarket fare
ranging from smoked salmon breakfast bagels, to slow-cooked lamb
followed by berry crumble. Next door is the ReflectioNZ Gallery
stocking quality, primarily NZ-made art and souvenirs.
Information
Activity operators and accommodation
providers are well-oiled at providing information on local services
(and usually a booking service), but you can also find online info
courtesy of the
Fox Glacier Tourism Promotions Group
(www.foxglaciertourism.co.nz) and
at www.glaciercountry.co.nz. There’s an ATM
at Fox Glacier General Store
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP ( 8am-8pm) , the last one until Wanakaheaded
south.
Fox Glacier Motors
OFFLINE MAP
GOOGLE MAP (SH6) is your last chance for
fuel before Haast, 120km away.
DOC South Westland
Weheka Area Office (
03-751 0807; SH6;
10am-2pm Mon-Fri)
This is no longer a general visitor-information centre, but has the
usual DOC information, hut tickets and weather/track updates.
Fox Glacier
Guiding (
03-751 0825, 0800 111 600; www.foxguides.co.nz; SH6) Books
Intercity and Atomic buses, and provides postal and
currency-exchange services.
Fox Glacier Health
Centre (
03-751 0836, 0800 7943 2584;
SH6) Clinic opening hours are displayed at the centre, or
ring the 0800 number for assistance from the Franz Clinic.
Getting There & Around
Most buses stop outside the Fox Glacier Guiding building.
InterCity (
03-365 1113; www.intercity.co.nz) runs two
buses a day north to Franz Josef (40 minutes), the morning bus
continuing to Nelson (11 hours). Daily southbound services run to
Queenstown (7½ hours). Some services can also be booked via Atomic
Travel (Click
here).
Naked Bus (www.nakedbus.com) runs three times a week north along the coast all the way through to Nelson, and south to Queenstown.
Fox Glacier Shuttles ( 0800 369 287) , staffed by the inimitable
Murray, will drive you around the area from Franz Josef to the
Copland Valley, and including Lake Matheson, Gillespies Beach and
the glaciers. Look for him parked up opposite Fox Glacier
Motors.
South to Haast
From Fox Glacier it’s a 120km (two-hour) drive to Haast, along a scenic stretch of highway chopped through lowland forest and occasional pasture, with views inland to sheer-sided valleys and intermittent but grand views seaward.
About 26km south of Fox Glacier, along SH6, is the Copland Valley trailhead, the western end of the Copland Track. It’s a six-to-seven-hour tramp to legendary Welcome Flat where thermal springs bubble just metres from the door of DOC’s Welcome Flat Hut (adult/child $15/7.50) . Unsurprisingly, the hut and its adjacent campsite are extremely popular, with a warden in attendance, so both must be booked in advance either online or in person at DOC visitor centres.
Lake
Moeraki, 31km north of Haast, is a rippling fishing lake. At
its southern end is one of NZ’s best ecolodges, Wilderness Lodge Lake Moeraki ( 03-750 0881; www.wildernesslodge.co.nz; SH6; d incl
breakfast & dinner $700-1000; ) . SIn a verdant setting on
the edge of a river channel, it offers comfortable rooms and
four-course dinners, but the real delight here are the outdoor
activities, such as kayak trips and coastal walks, guided by people
with conservation in their blood.
About 5km south of Lake Moeraki is the much-photographed Knights Point, where the Haast road was eventually opened in 1965. Stop here if humanly possible.
Ship Creek, 15km north of Haast, is a terrific place to stretch the legs, boasting two fascinating walks with interesting interpretive panels: the Dune Lake Walk (30 minutes return), which is all sand dunes and stunted forest, leading to a surprising view, and the unsurprisingly swampy Kahikatea Swamp Forest Walk (20 minutes return).
If you haven’t had your fill of whitebait yet,
call into the
Curly Tree Whitebait Company ( 10am-5pm) , 10km north of Haast at the
Waita River bridge. Exemplary whitebait patties for $8, plus bait
to go at the market price.
Haast Region
The Haast region is a major wilderness area. The area’s kahikatea and rata forests, wetlands, sand dunes, seal and penguin colonies, birdlife and sweeping beaches ensured its inclusion in the Southwest New Zealand (Te Wahipounamu) World Heritage Area.
WORTH A TRIP
JACKSON BAY ROAD
From Haast Junction, the road most travelled is SH6, upwards or across. But there is another option, and that is south… to the end of the line.
The road to Jackson Bay is quiet and intensely scenic. Towered over by Southern Alps, the farms on the flat and the settlements dotted between them stand testament to some of the hardiest souls who ever attempted settlement in NZ. Up until the 1950s, the only way to reach Haast overland was via bush tracks from Hokitika and Wanaka. Supplies came by a coastal shipping service that called every couple of months or so.
Besides the ghosts and former glories, which make an appearance here and there, there’s plenty to warrant a foray down to Jackson Bay.
Near Okuru is the Hapuka Estuary Walk (20 minutes return), a winding boardwalk that loops through a sleepy wildlife sanctuary with good interpretation panels en route.
Five kilometres further south (19km south
of Haast Junction) is where you’ll find the base for Waiatoto River Safaris ( 03-750 0780, 0800 538 723; www.riversafaris.co.nz; Jackson Bay Rd;
adult/child $199/139; trips 10am, 1pm & 4pm), which offers a
hair-tousling two-hour jetboat trip upriver into the mountains,
then down to the sea, with plenty of natural- and human-history
stories along the way.
The road continues west to Arawhata Bridge , where a turn-off leads to the Ellery Creek Walkway , 3.5km away. This pleasant amble through mossy beech forest (1½ hours return) leads to Ellery Lake , where a picnic bench encourages lunch with perhaps a skinny dip for afters.
It’s less than an hour’s drive from Haast town to the fishing hamlet of Jackson Bay , the only natural harbour on the West Coast. Migrants arrived here in 1875 under a doomed settlement scheme, their farming and timber-milling aspirations mercilessly shattered by never-ending rain and the lack of a wharf, not built until 1938. Those families who stayed turned their hands to largely subsistence living.
With good timing you will arrive when the
Cray Pot (
03-750 0035; fish &
chips $17-29; noon-4pm) is open. This place is just as
much about the dining room (a caravan) and location (looking out
over the bay) as it is about the honest seafood, including a good
feed of fish and chips, crayfish, chowder or whitebait. Ask a local
to confirm current opening times.
Walk off your fries on the Wharekai Te Kou Walk (40 minutes return) to Ocean Beach, a tiny bay that hosts pounding waves and some interesting rock formations, or the longer (three to four hour) Smoothwater Bay Track , nearby.
Haast
Some 120km south of Fox Glacier, Haast crouches around the mouth of the wide Haast River in three distinct pockets: Haast Junction, Haast Village and Haast Beach. As well as being a handy stop for filling the tank and tummy, it’s also the gateway to some spectacular scenery which can be explored in various ways, down to the end of the line at Jackson Bay. Pick up or download a copy of DOC’s brochure Walks and Activities in the Haast Area ($2) to survey the options.
If you’re heading north, check your fuel gauge as Haast petrol station is the last one before Fox Glacier.
Sleeping
Haast Beach Holiday Park HOLIDAY PARK $
(
03-750 0860, 0800 843 226;
www.haastpark.com; 1348 Jackson Bay Rd,
Haast Beach; sites from $34, dm $25, d $45-110) Well worth
the 14km drive south of Haast Junction, this old dear dishes up
just enough charm, with its clean and tidy facilities that range
from basic cabins to self-contained units, and a pleasant campers’
block with comfortable lounge and views from the deck. The Hapuka
Estuary Walk is across the road, and it’s a 20-minute walk to an
epic beach.
Haast River Top 10 HOLIDAY PARK $
(
03-750 0020, 0800 624 847;
www.haasttop10.co.nz; SH6, Haast
Village; sites unpowered/powered $38/42, d $110-155;
) This highwayside holiday park has a
hangar for its amenities block, a bit of a style winner save for
the lack of a door. (Waiter, there’s a sandfly in my soup.) Motel
units are light, spacious and enjoy great views when the weather’s
kind.
(
03-750 0703, 0800 500 703;
www.haastlodge.com; Marks Rd, Haast
Village; sites from $16, dm $25, d/tw $55-65, units d
$98-130; ) Covering all accommodation bases, Haast
Lodge offers clean, well-maintained facilities which include a
pleasant communal area for lodge-users and campervanners, and tidy
motel units at the Aspiring Court next door.
(
03-750 0022; www.collyerhouse.co.nz; Cuttance Rd,
Okuru; d $180-250; ) This gem of a B&B has thick
bathrobes, quality linen, beach views and a sparkling host who
cooks a terrific breakfast. This all adds up to make Collyer House
a comfortable, upmarket choice. Follow the signs off SH6 for 12km
down Jackson Bay Rd.
Eating & Drinking
(Haast Village; snacks $2-10) Look out for the rusty hut being towed by the orange Landrover. Where you find it you’ll encounter excellent coffee, smoothies and whitebait fritters.
Haast Foodcentre SUPERMARKET $
(Pauareka Rd) This small supermarket stocks sufficient provisions for meal-making, along with fried takeaways and coffee.
(Marks Rd, Haast
Village; dinner $20-30; dining 11am-9pm) This display of deer
antlers is enough to give you the horn. So is the general ambience
of this big, bold pub. Plain, meaty food on offer.
Information
The DOC Haast Visitor Information Centre ( 03-750 0809; www.doc.govt.nz; cnr SH6 & Jackson
Bay Rd; 9am‑6pm Nov-Mar, to 4.30pm Apr-Oct) has
town and backcountry information and has a landline for DIY
accommodation and activity bookings. The all-too-brief Haast
landscape film Edge of Wilderness (adult/child $3/free)
screens in the theatrette.
General regional information and visitor services listings can be found on the online directory administered by Haast Promotions (www.haastnz.com) .
Getting There & Away
InterCity (
03-365 1113; www.intercity.co.nz) buses stop
at the visitor information centre on their daily runs between the
West Coast and Queenstown. Naked Bus (www.nakedbus.com) also passes
through three times a week.
Haast Pass Highway
Early Maori travelled this route between Central Otago and the West Coast in their quest for pounamu, naming it Tioripatea, meaning ‘Clear Path’. The first party of Europeans to make the crossing may well have been led by the German geologist Julius von Haast, in 1863 – hence the name of the pass, river and township – but evidence suggests that Scottish prospector Charles Cameron may have pipped Haast at the post. It was clearly no mean feat, for such is the terrain that the Haast Pass Highway wasn’t opened until 1965.
Heading inland from Haast towards Wanaka (145km, 2½ hours), the highway (SH6) snakes alongside the Haast River, crossing the boundary into Mt Aspiring National Park shortly after you hit fourth gear. The further you go, the narrower the river valley becomes, until the road clambers around sheer-sided valley walls streaked with waterfalls and scarred by rock slips. Princely sums are involved in keeping this highway clear, and even so it sets plenty of traps for unwary drivers.
Stop to admire the scenery, availing yourself of the many signposted lookouts and short walkways such as Fantail and Thunder Creek falls. These are detailed in DOC’s booklet Walks along the Haast Highway ($2), but sufficient detail is provided at the trailheads.
The highway tops out at the 563m pass mark, shortly after which you will reach food and fuel at Makarora. Oh, hello Otago!