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Stewart Island
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Accommodation |
Beaches, parks and walks
| How to get there |
Weather |
Things to do with
children |
Medical and Police
Located at the bottom of the South Island is the eco-paradise of
Stewart Island. The island is a one-hour ferry ride from
Bluff across Foveaux Strait. There are many stunning
bays, inlets, sandy beaches and forested hills on Stewart
Island and it's a great family destination for families who
love the outdoors and New Zealand's natural wildlife.
The island is home to New Zealand's newest
national park — Rakiura. Rakiura National Park was established in 2002 and
covers around 85 percent of the island.
Parents taking their families to Stewart Island should
consider the weather and make sure that they have plenty of spare clothes for
the children to change into! We also recommend that some easily transportable
indoor activities be taken with you, just in case the weather gets the better of
the children.
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On the bright side, if your children are into outdoor
activities you can hire mountain bikes, kayaks and do a lot of walking. The birdlife is truly amazing and it is well worth throwing in a book on native New
Zealand birds so that the children can see how many they can spot. One of the
popular activities for both local and visiting children is fishing off
the wharf with a hand-line. (Picture right: small island in an inlet at Ulva Island)
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Accommodation
There is a range of accommodation to
suit most families. Full details of family accommodation will be
available on this website shortly.
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Beaches, parks and
walks
Although the island has over 280km of
tracks, most of these are moderate to demanding and are only suitable
for experienced trampers. Ulva Island, on the other hand,
offers the family a great day out with easy walking tracks and a
short water-taxi ride to and from the island. A few of the
easier walks around Oban are listed below.
Bathing Beach
Bathing Beach is an easy walk taking
approximately thirty minutes for a return trip. To get to the beach
start at the general store and continue up
Horseshoe Bay Road until you reach Kamahi Road. The track is then
signposted and descends to the popular bathing beach.
Horseshoe Point
Horseshoe Point is a moderate walk
taking approximately three to four hours for a return trip. From the
general store you will need to walk for around forty minutes up
Horseshoe Bay Road until you reach Horseshoe Bay. From there the
coastal track is signposted to Horseshoe Point which should take you
approximately thirty minutes to get to. At the point you can get
great views of Foveaux Strait.
Observation Rock
Observation Rock is a moderate walk
taking approximately fifteen minutes for a return trip and is
located off Excelsior Road. Excelsior Road is an upward hill climb
but once at the top you get great views over Paterson Inlet and it's a
great place to view Stewart Island's famous sunsets.
Ulva
Island
Ulva Island is located in the
Paterson Inlet, which is the main bay on Stewart Island. The island
is owned by the Department of Conservation and is a predator-free
open sanctuary. Ulva became a wildlife sanctuary back in 1899;
however, it only achieved its predator-free status in 1997 after the
Department of Conservation eradicated the last rat from the island.
The island is approximately 266
hectares and is home to a large bird population and is only
accessible by boat or water-taxi.
This is a great day out for families
who love to walk. The walk is an easy two to three hours. The tracks
are between Post Office Cove, Sydney Cove, Boulder Beach and West
End Beach.
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Transport on the Island
Water taxis
Stewart Island i-SITE Visitor
Centre, 12 Elgin Terrace. Ph: 03 219 1400
Stewart Island
Experience, Freephone: 0800
000 511 (within NZ)
http://www.stewartislandexperience.co.nz
Oban Visitor Centre, 12 Elgin Terrace. Ph: 291 0056
Stewart Island Ferry Terminal, Main
Wharf, Stewart Island: Phone: 03 219 0034
Rental Vehicles
Stewart Island
Experience, Freephone: 0800 000 511 (within NZ)
http://www.stewartislandexperience.co.nz
Oban Visitor Centre, 12 Elgin
Terrace. Ph: 291 0056
Stewart Island Experience has a wide variety of rental vehicles,
scooters and mountain bikes. Freephone: 0800 000 511 (within NZ)
http://www.stewartislandexperience.co.nz
Crawford Rentals, Stewart Island
Flights Depot. Ph: 03 219 1090 For cars and vans
How to
get there
Flying
Stewart Island
Flights - Have scheduled
flights linking Stewart Island and Invercargill. They also provide
access to the more remote reaches of the island.
Phone: 03 218 9129 Fax: 03 214 4681 Email:
info@stewartislandflights.com
Internet:
www.stewartislandflights.com
Water
Taxi
Stewart Island i-SITE
Visitor Centre, 12 Elgin Terrace. Ph: 219 1400
Stewart Island
Experience - The ferry crossing between Bluff and
Stewart Island takes one hour.
Phone: 03 212 7660 or freephone:
0800 000 511 (within NZ)
http://www.stewartislandexperience.co.nz
Bluff Visitor Terminal, Foreshore Road, Bluff. Phone: 03 212
7660
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Weather
With an average of 210 days of rain each year, wet weather gear
is a must for those visiting Stewart Island. Temperatures range
from 10 degrees Celsius in winter to 17 degrees in summer. The
island also experiences a lot of wind.
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Things to do on
Stewart Island
Walking and
tramping on Stewart Island
There are over 280km of tracks on
Stewart Island, however most are unsuitable for children. To
find out more about these tracks and those that are suitable for
your family contact the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre
(Main Road, Stewart Island. Ph: 03 219 0009)
Rugged Range Wilderness
Experience
www.ruggedyrange.com 170 Horseshoe Bay Road, Stewart Island.
Ph: 03 219 1066
Kayaking
Rakiura Kayaks
www.rakiura.co.nz 03 219 1160 or 027 698 7638
Rugged Range Wilderness
Experience
www.ruggedyrange.com 170 Horseshoe Bay Road, Stewart Island.
Ph: 03 219 1066
Tours
Rugged Range Wilderness
Experience
www.ruggedyrange.com 170 Horseshoe Bay Road, Stewart Island.
Ph: 03 219 1066
The Underwater Explorer Cruise,
Main Road, Oban. Your family will love the glass-bottom boat,
where you can see the marine life beneath your feet. Ph: 0800
000 511
www.stewartislandexperience.co.nz
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Medical and Police
Medical Services
Stewart Island Health Centre. Hours are 10.30am -
12.30pm daily. 24 hours on call. Phone: 03 219 1098.
Located on Argyle Street, Oban, Stewart Island.
Police
The police are located on Golden Bay Road and View
Street. Phone 03 219 0020.
Other Services
Library
The local library is located at Ayr Street,
Halfmoon Bay. Visitors are most welcome.
Banks
There are currently no banks on Stewart Island.
Visitors to the island are recommended to have sufficient cash with them
prior to visiting the island, although some outlets do have
credit card services available.
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