Murchison Action
NZDH Murchison Action Chapter
The South Island is the island of action and adventure and here where the northern
tip of the Southern Alps meets the Murchison/ Nelson Lakes region visitors have
two choices: relax and soak up the beautiful scenery, or break personal boundaries
and enjoy a new activity in the great outdoors.
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Day One
Murchison
And from snow sports such as skiing, snow-boarding and ice-skating; to mountain
biking; jet boating; kayaking; fly fishing; or even cometing – an activity unique
to this region – there’s no lack of adrenaline pumping activities to choose from!
During the winter the Rainbow Ski Field near St Arnaud provides a range of skiing
and boarding trails for the novice through to the more advanced. Access to the top
of the range is provided by chairlifts, while skiers at Mt Robert Ski Field must
take a stiff two hour hike up the aptly named Pinchgut track to the slopes, or catch
a ride in a helicopter for around $40.
However it’s the year-round whitewater rafting and kayaking opportunities that provide
the greatest drawcard to the region. Murchison is fast earning a reputation as the
kayaking capital of NZ as it has a wide range of accessible paddling on offer from
steep creeks to big volume rivers and runs. Reliable river flows ensure excellent
paddling year-round and the region is becoming a popular destination for experienced
international paddlers.
Ultimate Descents offer kayak expeditions ex- Murchison for first-timers aboard
inflatable or sit-upon kayaks and no previous experience is necessary. The guaranteed
ratio of one guide to every four paddlers ensures everyone gets the most out of
their kayaking experience.
Murchison is also the base for The New Zealand Kayak School which runs residential
kayak courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced paddlers, with coaching provided
by some of NZ’s top professional instructors.
The crystal-clear upper reaches of the mighty Buller River provide some of the best
stretches of white water in NZ. There are plenty of thrills and spills for both
first timers and experienced paddlers alike.
Whitewater rafting expeditions with tour operators such as Ultimate Descents depart
daily from Murchison. The awe inspiring journey down the Buller River begins with
a float on peaceful waters where the only sounds are the gurgling current and the
rhythmic splash of paddles slicing through the water. There’s plenty of time for
each whitewater rafting crew member to get a good grip on their paddle before hitting
the big stuff: the granite canyons where roaring white water carves its way through
deep gorges. The training certainly pays off when the raft is perched precariously
at the crest of a towering bottle-green wave, about to take an 80-degree dive down
into foaming whitewash! All this action is spiced up even more with challenging
waterfalls such as Ariki, a formidable fall dubbed Freaky Ariki by the locals!
As well as adrenaline-pumping water sports the local rivers also provide excellent
fly fishing opportunities. Lake Rotoroa and Lake Rotoiti are internationally renowned
for fly fishing and many visitors choose to hire guides who know the region well.
On the upper reaches of the Buller River visitors can enjoy the challenge of stalking
brown trout in waters so clear you can see them – and they can see you, which makes
it a real hunting experience.
During the summer months jet boating on the Buller is an option, and at the ‘Swingbridge’
over the raging Buller Gorge, cometing provides a whole new way to get across! A
word of caution however: if you find the 110-metre long swingbridge challenging,
don’t even consider a comet ride as you will find yourself strapped in, tied up
and swinging like a puppet at the end of string, ready to fly off the platform across
the gorge in no time at all!
Not quite so ‘on the edge’ is the comet line, a 160-metre flying fox with a seat.
But those who do make it across the river in one piece whatever their mode of transport
can try their luck panning for gold or stroll along the banks of the Buller to Ariki
Falls and the Whites Creek faultline, the site of the 1929 Murchison earthquake.
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