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Awesome Orepuki - Southland, New Zealand
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Orepuki one of the few places in the world where you can pan Gold from the sand on the beach Relax at the Orepuki Tavern and have a hot or cold drink, ice cream, and lovely meals, and great southern hospitality Easy walking to Gemstone beach for good beachcombing and gathering of unique stones Photograph the beautiful views of Te Waewae Bay with Fiordland in the background Up the road at Cosy Nook, 5 minutes drive from Orepuki was a substantial Maori village in 1820s the early years of European contact Keep driving west on the Southern Scenic Route for 15 minutes and you will arrive at the Town of Tuatapere, gateway to Fiordland In the Monkey Island freedom camping area you can stay for up to 28 days, only 5 minutes from Orepuki

Orepuki lies between the thick, forest-covered Longwood Range and the Tasman Sea with views of Te Waewae Bay, the Princess Mountains, and also Stewart Island, Pahia Hill, and across to the Ruahine Hills and Mt Victoria Gemstone beach is 2 minutes and Monkey Island 5 minutes away Gold has been mined here since the 1800s and can still be found in the sand on the beach and in the hills around Orepuki The weather on average is cool and windy, and Orepuki is exposed to the weather coming from across the sea, but also sees its share of fine weather

Awesome South Coast Sunset

The Deep South Coast of the South Island, New Zealand is one of the most awesome spectacles to see at any time
It is constantly changing from wet and wild to calm and sunny The coastline is scattered with many sights that will be enjoyable to everyone, young and old
There are wild deer and pig for the hunters, and fishing and diving will always get you a feed in this area

Riverton (The Big Paua) is 50kms east of Tuatapere, and 30kms west of Southland's main city Invercargill
Riverton is where the Aparima river runs out to sea and is renown for flounder and whitebait in the estuary and
Greenlip mussels, pauas and fish are available in the sea and off the wharves in and around Riverton

Colac Bay, (The big Surfer) Porridge or Te Wae Wae Bay are great for surfing,
Colac Bay Tavern is worth a call in for great food and drink, with a camping area next door

Wakapatu is a sheltered Bay with good fishing and diving, also at times good surf

Garden Bay and surrounding area is good fishing and diving and also has a concrete boat ramp for the fisherman
Porridge one of the South's better surfing waves is accessible from here

Below - Monkey Island is a freedom camping area 5 minutes from Orepuki, a safe beach for swimming, and fishing and diving is also good
The small island and mini lagoon off the southern end of the beach is accessible during low tide, with a small walking track and lookout
Local Maori used the island as a traditional lookout for whales and named it 'Te Puka o Takitimu', or the 'Anchor stone of Takitimu, Waka/canoe

Humpback Whale at Monkey Island 2011

Orepuki township, has been moved twice, and once had a population of over 3000 people, with gold mining, shale, and flax being big industries
It now has a Tavern where cold or hot drinks and meals are served with a camping area beside it, Accommodation for visitors

Gemstone beach 1 minute west of Orepuki is great for the enthusiasts or just those who fossick around the beaches can find so many things that are not available elsewhere Semi-precious gemstones such as garnet, orbicular jasper, garnet sands, rodinguite quartz, semi nephrite, fossil worm casts, oil shale and elusive sapphires

Tuatapere (The Big Sausage) is a 15 minute drive west and is the gateway to Fiordland, and Lakes, Hauroko, Te Anau and the famous Hump Ridge Track
The Waiau river runs out to sea near Blue Cliffs beach, whitebait, salmon, eels and trout are caught in the river
Pauas, Kinas, flounder, mussels and many fish species are available along the coast around and past Port Craig

Lindsay & Dixon's Sawmill in Tuatapere, the only timber mill in New Zealand that does native timber

Above - Cosy Nook

A Maori village at Pahia served as an important contact point for European sealers and traders requiring potatoes and flax for the Australian market in the 1820s

View from Pahia Hill, Stewart Island in the background

The name 'Pahia' comes from the village Chief of the time, Pahi

Pahia once had a railway running through it, a cheese factory, forest industry and a small gold mining industry

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