katkat

We would be driving from Dunedin to Te Anau, starting around 11am (should we start earlier?). Should we take a side trip to Nugget Point from Balclutcha, and how much time should we allow for this detour?

Also, where should we stop for lunch on our way from Dunedin to Te Anau?

Thanks!
Kat

tropo

Kat, why not buy some sandwiches, etc, and take it with you, then you can stop whereever, it takes your fancy, without worrying about somewhere to eat along the way.

Melnq8

Kat -

Dunedin to Invercargill is 271 km (about 3.5 hours) and Invercargill to Te Anau is about 157 km (about 2 hours). The Catlins is located between Dunedin and Invercargill on the coastal route (so, you're looking at a drive of at least 5.5 hours, which is certainly doable).

If memory serves, Nugget Point is a short distance off the coastal scenic highway, so it should only be a short detour.

We took this route in 2001 - the Catlins are very pretty, but the day we were there was blustery and incredibly cold (September) so we didn't linger.

Seals and sea lions can sometimes been seen on the rocks below the lighthouse at Nugget Point. It's also a good place to see yellow-eyed and little blue penguins if you're there at dawn or dusk.

I'm with Tropo - pack yourself a picnic and stop somewhere along the way.

WA

Katkat

We did the exact trip about four weeks ago - would recommend the detour - we saw sea lions, seals and penguins. We have some nice pictures of seals shcasing each other in the water.hen are you leaving. The road stops a couple of hundred yards befor ethe light house (which itself is a nice picture). Be sure to look down the side of the cliff as you walk (seals and sea lions). Also DO to a pair of binoculars - the distance from the observation deck and the sea is a few hundred feet.

It may be that we hit a good time of the year - but I would not miss the drive through the Catlins - I ran out of a tape before I go to Ivercargal.

We left Dunedin at 11:00 am as well. We went to Bluff, which after a stop for dinner got us into Te Anau about 10:00. Frankly, if I had it to do over - I would pass on Bluff - it really is not the time (at least not for just a look). If you can leave a little earlier (just a hour) that may be better - I wish I had. At the end I think ther eare some nice shots of the snow capped mountains as you get closer to Te Anau. As Tropo says - bring some sandwiches. Stopping anywhere along the way would be a picnic in the park.

Oh! One othe rword - after Invercargal - there is only one small junction with any kind of services before Manipori (sp?) We were fortuante - the pub was stil open and th eowner opended the kitchen to us.

BTW: watch you speed in Dunedin - I pick up a ticket just as I made as I cross the over to get on to the scenic highway (10MPH over - radar). "50 in the towns"

You will really enjoy the drive.

WA

I really have to start proof reading - I hope you get the message through the mess.

katkat

Thanks a lot, tropo, Melnq8 and WA. Because of you guys, we've decided to take the ultimate detour to Invercargill instead of only the small one to Nugget Point!!

WA, do you remember roughly how many stops you made along the way? Cuz 11 hours of driving is beginning to sound a bit overwhelming to us... Beside skipping Bluff, what else would you have skipped? Is the 80-min Cathedral Caves walk worth it?

From Invercargill did you take SH6 or highway 1 to Gore?

Thanks a lot!!
Kat

kodi

Katkat, Now I think I'd like to do the same drive and have been very interested in the help you've received.

The difference is, I have the whole day to get from Dunedin to Queenstown, which will take a bit longer than Te Anau.
So what stops should I make if I'm willing to spend 8 to 10 hours for the trip. I'm thinking it can be done in about 6 hours (?), so is it really worth it to go all the way down and through Invercargill? And what highlights can anyone recommend to make it a really great day?
WA I would plan on leaving earlier, perhaps at 8 AM, and taking your advice to pack a lunch.
Thanks for any help.

dotty

Hi, Katkat / kodi - leave much earlier from Dunedin if you are able to. We just loved Nuggest Point - spent nearly 2 hours there 3 years ago! The Catlins is an interesting part of the country. Curio Bay has the most amazing fossilised trees. I was sceptical, but oh boy! it was worth the stop. At Porpoise Bay you may be lucky and see some beautiful Hector's dolphins. These endangered dolphins are only 1 metre long, and quite distinctive. Our German 'daughter' was rapt to see them, and had the added pleasure of swiming with some of them at Akaroa Harbour a few days later. There are some lovely scenic water spots along the way too. We didn't see the Cathedral Caves as we were too late to get there and back safely around the tides.
Also support the idea of taking sandwiches, muffins, etc so you are able to nibble whenever you fancy. Don't forget a drink too, though.
We took our girl to Invercargill and Bluff so she could say she had been to the southernmost city and point! Invercargill has wonderful wide streets, and is quite an interesting place.
Have a safe trip driving through the deep South.
Dot

kodi

Thank you Dotty.
I will leave early and take my goodies with me. I will have just done the Cadbury's tour in Dunedin, so I'll have a VERY good day....with lots of chocolate to munch on. Hmmm, I think the chocolate will give me energy. That's the story I'm sticking to!!

Tim_and_Liz

If we take the coastal road from Dunedin to Invercargill, is it better/faster/more scenic to continue along (1)through Riverton, Tuatapere, and Manapouri to Te Anau or (2) drive north to Lumsden and then west to Te Anau? Any opinions?
Thanks!
Liz

WA

Tim and Liz

Can not speak for alternative route - but we went through Turepere and were not disappointed.

katkat

I'm back from NZ and I'm answering my own question -

Totally - or, (much) better yet, do the Southern Scenic route to Invercargill.

And yes, definitely bring a picnic.

Kat

djhughes

KatKat - After reading your trip report and this last thread, I'm thinking of doing the Catlins from Dunedin, south. How does this sound?
We'll be in Dunedin 4 Mar. Leave Dunedin about 12:30 pm on 5 Mar, drive down the Catlin's coast in time to get to Cathedral Caves at 4:30 pm for low tide (about 5 pm), take 1 hr 15 minutes to do caves, drive on to Curio Bay, then on to Invercargill (dinner)and Te Anau, where we should arrive around 10 pm. I hate to drive in the dark and miss anything, so I may stop at Invercargill.

From your experience, does this itinerary sound about right? Is the walk down to Cathedral Caves and Curio Bay easy?

Thanks for your help.

Janice

djhughes

Rereading this thread, everyone says they left Dunedin around 11 am and wishes they would have left earlier. I'm timing this based on the comments that you should get to Cathedral Caves at low tide. Based on this condition, perhaps it's not possible to do the caves and still get to Te Anua at a decent hour?

katkat

Hi Janice,

I'm really glad you'll be going to the Catlins!

Should the low tide be at about 4pm? In any case, I'd say the beach is walkable about half an hour before low tide. Add half an hour for the walk down to the beach with some photo time of the caves from afar, you could probably plan to arrive at the entrance one hour before low tide.

As a reference point for you, our low tide time that day was 6:40pm, and we started out from Dunedin at around 12N, and got into Te Anau (without stopping at Invercargill) at 11pm.
So I'd say you could probably leave Dunedin by 9am, and you'll be happily arrive at Te Anau by 8pm. (That is, if you pack a dinner.)

Staying a night at Invercargill is a good idea, as it'll be a long day of driving and marvellous sight-seeing.

Have fun!
Kat

djhughes

Hi KatKat! Thanks for the clarification. For various reasons - one being wanting to take the TranzAlpine one way and renting a car in Greymouth, I'm reworking my itinerary backwards so I'll refigure this thing from Te Anua to Dunedin and see if it works.

We figure it might be less hassle to go the other direction so we don't have to drop off in Greymouth and re-rent in Christchurch. If we catch the TranzAlpine in Christchurch and start our rental in Greymouth, we can just keep the car straight through to Picton. It looks like it's more expensive to rent in Greymouth, but that may be what we're stuck with.

I'm getting a headache!

Cheers - Janice

katkat

Stay calm stay calm... planning is half the fun isn't it

How many days would you be staying in Christchurch and where would you be going? Cuz unless you plan to go to the Banks Peninsula, you could get by in the city without a car like we did - we just used Sunshine Shuttle to reach suburban areas. They're pretty flexible in pickup times.

But of course it's always nice to be able to keep the dirty laundry in the trunk until the very last day!

Kat

mlgb

Hi, I've driven the Southern Scenic route a few times and I highly recommend an overnight in Invercargill. There are lots of short walks and lookouts along the Catlins and it is a shame to rush thru them. Invercargill has an interesting Edwardian main street (great antique stores). For food, I loved Jagz, 72 King St (recommended by my B&B). I say skip Bluff and visit Invercargill!

Pat_Rick

We will be driving south from Dunedin to Te Anau on New Year Day 2006, shall we spend a night around Curio Bay to make sure that we do not miss the low tide? We are in our late 50's, an 11 or 12-hour drive is too overwhelming.

Kat, love your report, thanks.