About Stewart Island
Located 30 kilometres south west of New Zealand's South Island, Stewart Island is accessible by plane (20 minutes from Invercargill) or ferry (1 hour from Bluff).
Roughly 168,000 hectares in size (almost 934,000 rugby pitches!) Stewart Island has 750 kilometres of coastline and in 2002 became home to New Zealand's 14th national park, Rakiura.
Rakiura is one of the Maori names given to the island and translates as "The Land of Glowing Skies" for its sunrises, sunsets and Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights. Te Punga o Te Waka a Maui, the original Maori name, positions Stewart Island firmly at the heart of Maori mythology. Translated as “The Anchor Stone of Maui’s Canoe”, it refers to the part played by this Island in the legend of Maui and his crew, who from their canoe (the South Island) caught and raised the great fish, (the North Island).
Stewart Island has a population of just under 400 people, mainly around Oban in the Halfmoon Bay area. We have a police station, volunteer fire brigade, primary school, health centre, grocery shop, post office, library, community centre, Anglican Church, Presbyterian Church, gift shops and an art gallery.
In addition to Church Hill Restaurant, food and drink is available at Just Cafe, Kai Kart, and the South Sea Hotel pub & restaurant. Accommodation options include camping, backpackers, B&B, self catering, lodge, motel and hotel.
There are no banks or ATM facilities on the island. Most businesses accept credit cards and EFTPOS but some only accept cash.
Weather
The weather on Stewart Island is changeable and difficult to predict but the climate is temperate. Visitors should be prepared for all seasons but our average temperatures are 15°C in summer and 9°C in winter. Spring arrives earlier than the rest of Southland and winters are milder and calmer than those experienced on the mainland.
Activities
Rakiura National Park covers about 85 percent of the island and is a walkers paradise with 245 kilometres of tracks. Ranging from short walks around the town to longer and remote tramping tracks exploring the northern coast and Southern Circuit, it offers something for everyone.
Ulva Island, in the centre of the Paterson Inlet, is an open sanctuary managed by the Department of Conservation and can be visited during daylight hours throughout the year. This predator-free island is a must for anyone interested in native birds and flora and is easily reached by a short water taxi crossing from Stewart Island's Golden Bay Wharf.
Fishing in Stewart Island waters offers a fantastic day out and the opportunity to catch blue cod with traditional hand lines. Rent a kayak, cruise Paterson Inlet, or go for a swim and explore the many sandy beaches and bays.
For hunters, Stewart Island offers the only readily accessible herd of Virginian Whitetail deer in the Southern Hemisphere (permits are required in advance).
We even have a six-hole golf course perched high on the cliffs or if this all sounds too much like hard work you could try the Stewart Island Spa!
Learn more about the history of the island, including Maori settlement, muttonbirding, whaling, fishing, timber milling, and much more at the Rakiura Museum, or find out about the Halfmoon Bay Habitat Restoration Project at the Environment Centre.
And if all that weren't enough it's probably one of the best places to see Kiwi, or Stewart Island Tokoeka. With an estimated population of 20,000 Kiwi outnumber humans on the island by 50 to 1!
More information
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Stewart Island website Thanks to Matt Jones for providing the header image |