You can enjoy Southland by parking up your campervan and stretching your legs on one of the many easy walks around the region. Here are a few to choose from, most are under an hour so can be easily fitted into your travelling day. For a full list of walks around the Southland region, click here.
Otepuni Gardens (Invercargill & Bluff)
Winding pathways along the banks of the Otepuni Stream provide a refreshing break from the city’s central business district. A few minutes walk from the city centre, Otepuni Gardens covers 9.4 hectares and encompasses four city blocks and gives a peaceful sanctuary to city workers,...
Dovovan Park (Invercargill & Bluff)
Donovan Park is an attractive area of rural parkland to the north of the city, linking Bainfield Road with McIvor Road via a winding park road, and also provides an alternative route to Anderson Park. The park’s open grassland, ponds and attractive plantings have a backdrop of farmland.
McLean Falls (Catlins)
This is a walk through native bush to a spectacular waterfall. 40 minutes return. Travel 6km up Rewcastle road.
Lake Wilkie (Catlins)
This walk shows the unique succession of forest development from lake edge to mature forest. Flowering rata are splendid during summer..30 minutes return.
Queens Park - a beautiful park in the centre of Invercargill sprawling across 80 hectares.
Highlights include a beautiful and varied rose garden, a rhododendron dell, an azalea garden, Japanese garden, dramatic tree lined walkways, bush paths through a selection of native plants and rock and herb gardens.
An indoor Winter Garden features tropical and flowering plants and cacti are displayed in an adjoining house.
Matai Falls (Catlins)
A 30 minute return walk through regenerating podocarp/broadleaf forest, the beautiful Matai Falls are best viewed late in the morning.