New Zealand South Island 2024
Helen
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| New Zealand North Island 2023 | Melbourne to Perth 2024 |
Being just after New Year’s it was really, really busy and so we ended up having to book the lunch time ferry. When we got on board we went up top quickly but it was quite windy so we headed down, just as quickly, to find some seats. Smart decision as they closed the top deck due to the wind as soon as we left the port and everyone was scrambling for spots. We managed to get some comfortable seats and even had a bit of a view.
Since it was just after the holidays, there were loads of people, a lot of families and so many kids. There was a clown making balloon shapes and a scavenger hunt to keep them busy but it had mixed results. We used the time to make a couple of plans and read our books. The crossing was smooth and we arrived as scheduled. When disembarking, we had a minor scare when the older van in front of us ended up putting up their hood but whatever they did worked so we didn’t have any delays.
We decided to spend the first night in Havelock as we wanted to stop at the Mussel Pot again. The very twisty drive we had done last time along the sound was under major construction due to landslides with large delays being reported so we took the supposedly less scenic route. Note, there is no such thing in New Zealand and it was still beautiful. Over the past year there had been a lot of landslides and washouts, so almost every highway was affected so we had to adjust accordingly. The campground in Havelock was okay, had a nice sitting area by the kitchen and everything we needed. While out for a walk to stretch our legs, we walked over and made a reservation for dinner, a good decision since people were being turned away. We enjoyed the meal, still tasty, and went for another short walk before heading back to the SPT.
Our plan was to head across to the west side of the island, then head down to Invercargill and Bluff, the southernmost point of the South Island, before going back up to Christchurch along the east coast. It never really worked out that way, but that’s the great thing about plans, they can change! We had a stop in Murchison Motorhome Park, pretty sure it was the same lady as before, but we didn’t see the older fella that told us bees like the colour blue. We had a nice walk to the river before it started to rain. Luckily, we were very close to SPT so we didn’t get totally soaked. The next day we drove through the gorge to Greymouth. I don’t understand why this area gets a bad rap sometimes, but we find it a decent town with good grocery choices and a lot of walks.
We stayed in the Greymouth Seaaside Top 10 here which was great, booked 2 nights because of another late night footie game. We were 5 minutes from the beach which was very rocky but beautiful, people had made driftwood fires along the beach and we had some great sunsets. There was a nearby pathway where you could walk into town. We had a site that had no one nearby which was perfect and the amenities were good. Paul found a couple of highly recommended beach walks nearby which we planned for the next day. When we pulled up to the first one the flies were so bad we didn’t even get out of SPT. Instead, we had a quick lunch and went north to Motukiekie Beach. It was awesome and is possibly our second favorite walk. We walked south along the beach which was spectacular. You are walking on small pebbles of so many colors and the rock formations along the coastline were really wild looking. At the end you went through a small cave and could see the river heading into the sea. You did have to keep an eye on the tide because in some spots there was no place to go if it came in, but we timed it well. We may have taken a few rocks to keep with the tradition of a “van rock collection”.
We decided to head to Jackson Retreat the next day and had booked into one of the sheltered sites. We woke up to watch the game and then went back to sleep for a few hours since it was a shorter drive. Unfortunately when we woke up the second time my phone was dead. It was an original Pixel from 2016 so to be fair we were lucky it lasted this long. Paul tried every trick in the book but wasn’t able to get it to work. In the end, we shared his phone and the raspberry pi when stopped at night. This worked better then when we tried to share a sim card in New Zealand in 2017 but was not ideal. Paul had been researching new phones and thought it best we wait for all the new 2024 releases to become available before we replaced the phone.
Anyhoo, we made it to Jackson Retreat without any more issues. We looked for a place nearby to have lunch, we remembered a park by a lake but couldn’t find it so ended up having lunch in the Lake Brunner parking area before heading over to check in. The campground was under construction and they were adding more cabins where it used to be set up for caravans. We got a nice spot in the shelter since we liked the privacy of that last time. We headed over to Cave Stream and pushed our luck going through a second time. It was quite busy and lots of people were going through. We saw some families with kids and Paul questioned how they would get through. Several people had guides and were all roped up, which was probably the smart thing to do. Personally, I thought the water was flowing faster this time and it was harder for me to reach the ladder to climb out at the end, but it was still pretty awesome. Paul did a late night visit to the Glow Worm Caves which were spectacular. The next day we decided to head off to Otira Valley for a hike. It was a windy day, but we made it to the rocks where “mountaineering skills” were advised and had some lunch. The campground was filled with kids who ran too close to the BBQ for my liking so I gave them my best “oi, be careful” grumpy aunt impersonation.
We were continuing down the west coast so our next stop was Ross Beach Top 10, which was great. Andy and Sue, the owners, were from England and really friendly. The sites were large and private and you were right on the beach. The amenities here were really nice and they had a little “bar truck” set up where you can get wine, beer and pizza. We walked along the beach to the north the first day, found a lagoon and skipped rocks for a while. The next day, we walked along the beach to the south for a few hours. It was a lovely walk and we saw lots of old tree stumps that had washed ashore. The kitchen area was small but they had a nice balcony with tables and umbrellas for sitting outside and enjoying the view. We drove up to Hokitika on a rainy day for some groceries and probably the longest wait we’ve ever had for a takeaway coffee. The cafe was run by an older couple who were very nice. While waiting I got to hear about a friend’s accident and was reassured that “not to worry about the coffee going cold, he made the milk extra hot”. Unsurprisingly, this isn’t the selling feature he thinks it is as burnt milk isn’t tasty.
Next up Franz Joseph. We booked in at Rainforest Retreat, which was really quite nice and got a great site, very private and right by a little creek. The amenities were being upgraded but the kitchen was still quite good aside from the BBQ’s not working. We hiked from the campground to Franz Joseph glacier, it was a beautiful walk. The glacier access is closed off due to people being idiots but you can still get a glimpse of it and the walk made it worthwhile. After a short rest, we went for supper to celebrate our anniversary at the restaurant at the grounds. It was a nice meal and we had a free anniversary beverage. The next day was another hike back towards the glacier but we went in another direction on the way back. There was a swing bridge and you could walk along the rocks by a river. Paul went and checked it out and then we headed back by Peter’s Pool.
Our next day we planned a longer hike with an elevation gain to see above the glacier. Unfortunately it was raining when we woke up so we took our time, thinking we’d go after it stopped. By that afternoon, it was still raining and seemed to be getting heavier every hour. We got a warning from Wendekreisen that we were in a heavy rain warning area and to stay put. At the same time the campground advised the highway heading south was closed and while the highway heading north wasn’t closed yet, it was labelled as dangerous conditions and should not be attempted. We ended up staying at the campground for another 2 nights because of the rain and closures, having to switch sites as the creek beside us overflowed into our spot. The front desk staff were great in dealing with shuffling people around and providing as much information as possible. We got dressed in our rain gear and headed out for a walk to check out the river which was crazy… it was really churned up and flowing fast. You could hear the water moving the larger rocks against the bridge. Before going to sleep, we could hear water and when we looked outside the whole area around our new campsite was like a large puddle.
In the end it worked out because not only did it give Paul a nice break from driving, we had been notified of a cancellation of our flight to Kuala Lumpur in March, so this gave us time to get that sorted. It also meant a change to the rest of the time on the South Island because of the extra days spent here but we had time to figure it out. We met some of the staff in the kitchen, who happened to be Filipino and were cooking for a family birthday. They wouldn’t let us leave empty handed and shared some delicious food. We are glad we took an extra day, we heard the highways were quite busy and very slow moving once they opened.
When it eventually cleared up we headed south towards Wanaka. In 2017 we drove through the area and weren’t that keen but had since heard so many good things that we decided to check it out. We were happy to be proven wrong, it was great. It was a longer drive but, again, it was beautiful. We found a nice stop by a creek in the mountains for lunch and to stretch our legs. We ended up going for a walk along the lake and into town that evening after dinner. Technically it was on a search for Paul’s favorite beer but it was a lovely walk and felt good after the long drive. There was a tree lined walk through Wanaka Station Park which also takes you down to the lake but through a rose garden and quiet park. Around the camp kitchen was a large deck area where you could sit out and it had a lovely view. We were able to get groceries, found a decent coffee place, did a lot of walking and enjoyed the scenery.
After that it was down to Invercargill, to get close to the southernmost point of New Zealand South Island. Stewart Island is further south. We stayed just outside the town at Invercargill Holiday Park. It was another longer drive, but a beautiful one. The scenery was rolling hills, gorges, small old towns, river valleys and everywhere was so green. The next day we headed off to the southernmost point which was basically in a farmers field, on the edge of a bluff. It wasn’t as epic as the north, but still pretty cool to say we’ve been to both. We took some photos and headed over to Bluff. An interesting little place but so packed with tour buses we couldn’t get to the point and almost got blocked in at Bluff Hill Lookout. We did find a decent pull over to make lunch where we had a view while eating which was nice. Apparently this is a popular port of call for cruises which we didn’t realize at the time. We made dinner reservations at a recommended restaurant, Buster Crabb, so we could try some Bluff oysters, but unfortunately we were out of season. We did get some blue cod which was delicious and Paul had some pretty tasty fish and chips, followed by an awesome dessert with coconut, chocolate and mango foam.
We headed back north the next day with a stop in Queenstown for some groceries. We took the shorter, but more technical drive up to Wanaka but it was a beautiful day for it. We decided we wanted to stop somewhere and plan out our next adventure so figured Ross would work, good amenities and solid wifi. It was a long drive, so we stopped again in Franz Josef. We stayed back at Rainforest and went out for a meal at another restaurant down the block. The food was good, but we had decided to sit outside and it got quite hot… no rain this time!
During our previous stay, Paul was looking at getting a helicopter ride, something he has always wanted to do. When pricing it out, we realized that he wasn’t guaranteed a viewing seat and it didn’t seem worth it at the time, plus everything was cancelled with the rain. With nicer weather this time, we started looking into it again and it didn’t seem worthwhile unless we did a private charter. The prices seemed reasonable for the length of the ride and being able to experience a once in a lifetime moment tipped the scales. We got in touch with Glacier Country Helicopter Tour and were able to book it for the next morning! Paul would get the main seat beside the pilot and I’d keep my eyes closed with a death grip in the back. When we walked over to the office to check in, we got weighed and we’re advised that our tour would be a bit shorter due to a change in winds. Safety first!
We had an awesome time. It started with a private van ride to the site and the driver was great, he gave us lots of tips on places to try as we headed north. The helicopter ride was one of those beyond epic experiences. We were up for just over 45 minutes and had a glacier stop to ourselves. Our pilot, Mike, was a really nice guy, he liked my response of “don’t fuck with me man” when he and Paul were joking about how long he’d been a pilot. He also gave us some tips on places to stop further north. I wonder if he would have let Paul sit in the pilot seat? We saw glaciers, rivers, Mt Cook… so glad we were able to experience this, especially for Paul. You can access all the photos in the main album link above.
After that we headed back to Ross, where we stayed for several nights. We walked the beaches which were changed, the rain storm had taken out the lagoon and now it was a river into the sea. Visited with a young couple from Italy who were working there, spent time chatting with Andy and Sue, and had a chilly night where we were able to sit by the fire enjoying some pizza. Spent some time planning for our return to Australia while sitting on the porch by the kitchen so we could enjoy the sun. We went to the local pub for the dinner buffet, which was crazy expensive and busy but had a nice visit with a couple who sat at our table, they’ve been traveling about the south island for several months. We spent our last couple of nights in Greymouth, went back to Motukiekie Beach to put back the rocks we had previously collected, did laundry and started packing to get SPT ready to return.
We had a long drive to Christchurch… made even longer by the triathlon that was going on at the time. What should have been 3 hours was closer to 5. It was beautiful though and cool to see all the atheletes. We took a break at a quiet pull over aong the highway for lunch and to give Paul a rest. We booked in at a place not far from the drop off, gave SPT a good wash and finished packing. Next morning we said goodbye to SPT at Wendekreisen before heading off to the Christchurch Airport Novotel Hotel. The lady from Wendekreisen even gave us a ride and we were able to check into the hotel early, which was really nice. Our flight to Melbourne left at 6 the next morning, so a hotel was the best option.
There was a strip mall not far, so we walked over to grab some food and relaxed in our room. The hotel was cool as our room over looked the airport runway so we could see all the planes. We got organized, finished packing and walked over to the mall for dinner and a few snacks for the flight the next day. We were up really early and headed over to the airport. Once we figured out where everything was, it took us a bit since no coffee yet, the airport experience was quite smooth. The flight to Melbourne was packed so we were glad Paul had already checked us in and we had our seats arranged. I suspect a return to New Zealand, specifically the South Island, will be in our minds in the future.
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