Stewart Island
NZDH Stewart Island chapter
Stewart Island, or Rakiura (glowing skies) as it is known to the Maori, is one of
NZ’s least explored eco-tourism destinations. Granite-based with high rocky outcrops
it offers a mix of deep clear bays, white sandy beaches and towering emerald-green
rainforest.
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Day One
Stewart Island
An ecological wonderland, three-quarters of the island is part of the Rakiura National
Park. As the fourth largest park in NZ, it boasts some 157,000 hectares which teem
with wildlife. The island is a paradise for trampers and nature lovers, offering
many visitors the rare privilege of an unexpected rendezvous with a kiwi.
There are around 20,000 Stewart Island kiwi on the island. One of the larger species
of this flightless bird, they are often seen foraging in the forest or hunting for
sand hoppers on the beach. For those who do not come across one on their travels,
kiwi-spotting night tours are available. Places are limited so it’s best to book
in advance.
Stewart Island is also popular with birdwatchers because it has the largest and
most diverse bird population in NZ, from the vividly feathered kaka and parakeet
to the tui and bellbird with their melodic calls. Seabirds abound: there are several
species of albatross and five types of penguin, including the tiny blue penguin
and the rare yellow-eyed penguin – to name just a few! Ulva Island, a short boat
ride from Stewart Island, is a pest-free open sanctuary where visitors can view
and learn about many species that don’t thrive well on the mainland islands due
to pests such as stoats, rats, and feral cats. The Stewart Island robin, South Island
saddleback and the mohua (or yellowhead) are some of the rare birds likely to be
encountered. The weka – often mistaken for kiwi – is prolific and these friendly
birds usually provide a welcome committee. Day trips to Ulva Island can be organised
at the Visitors’ Centre in Oban.
Stewart Island’s DOC Visitors’ Centre provides information on the island’s network
of hiking trails. There’s a number of short hikes which range from 15 minutes to
seven hours as well as several longer tramps which journey across the island through
ancient podocarp forests of rimu, miro, southern kamahi and a dense carpet of ferns.
The 36-kilometre Rakiura Track is extremely popular. It’s one of NZ’s Great Walks
and can be covered in three days. It crosses the sheltered shores of Paterson Inlet
and features historical sites and a mix of forest and open coast.
The North West Circuit is a challenging 125-kilometre, ten-day hike for the hardier
tramper and tackles some of the island’s most rugged terrain, while the Southern
Circuit (which can be added to the North West Circuit to create a complete Stewart
Island experience) takes six to nine days to complete. Comfortable huts on all the
tracks provide toilets, running water, wood stoves and mattresses.
For underwater explorers there’s abundant marine life to be discovered amongst the
tall bladder kelp, a 70-foot long kelp unique to the island. It can be explored
on a snorkelling or diving trip, while chartered boat tours, deep sea fishing and
sea kayak trips allow you to soak up the island’s sights by sea. Fishing is excellent
and delicious blue cod can be caught from the rocks.
The island’s original Maori name: Te Punga O Te Waka a Maui (the anchor stone of
Maui’s Canoe) refers to the part played in the legend of Maui and his crew, who
from their canoe (the South Island) caught a great fish (the North Island). The
island’s English name came courtesy of First Officer William Stewart, who charted
the southern coast aboard the Pegasus in 1809. Today Stewart Island’s 400 or so
inhabitants (many descended directly from Maori and European settlers) mostly live
in or around Oban, the island’s only town. The pub provides a social centre and
one of several dining options available to the visitor. As there are no banks on
Stewart Island it pays to bring some cash, but most businesses accept EFTPOS or
credit card.
For day trippers, bus tours cover most of the island’s 20-kilometres of road in
an hour or so and give an excellent introduction to its history. Longer bus tours
include bush walks with experienced naturalists.
Stewart Island can be reached by a daily scheduled ferry service from Bluff which
takes around an hour, or a 20-minute flight from Invercargill airport.
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