at Chaslands and the seaside settlement of Papatowai with its many forest, sea and estuary walks, shop and Lost Gypsy automata gallery. Further afield but all within an hour’s travel by car are the petrified forest at Curio Bay, Waikawa museum and information centre, the two-day Catlins River-Wisp Loop Track beech forest walk, Purakaunui Falls, Ōwaka and its museum and information centre, Jack’s Blowhole, Pounawea forest and estuary edge walks, and Surat Bay with its resident population of rare New Zealand sea lions. Nugget Point’s outstanding ocean views are worth the 90-minute drive north-east from Tautuku Forest Cabins. A seal colony can be seen from the lighthouse, and many seabirds live on the rocky “nuggets” that extend into the sea from the point. It’s one of several places along the coast where rare yellow-eyed penguins, or hoiho, can be spotted, especially at dawn and in the late afternoon as they move between their nests and the sea.
DUNEDIN •
ŌWAKA
BALCLUTHA •
PAPATOWAI • TAUTUKU BAY
Fergus Sutherland is the chair of the Lenz Reserve Management Committee.
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Getting there Directions:
Tautuku Forest Cabins are on State Highway 92, south of Ōwaka in south-east Otago.
What’s there: The main cabin has two bunkrooms with a spacious lounge and all-electric kitchen, heat pump and an adjacent toilet/shower block connected to the cottage by a covered way ($20 members and $25 non-members). The Coutts Cabin offers two bedrooms with single beds and lounge/kitchenette, electric heating with a separate shared toilet and shower block ($20 members and $25 nonmembers). The A frame cabin is a compact space with two beds, an all-electric kitchenette and separate shared toilet and shower block ($15 members and $20 non-members). Children are $5 for any of the cabins.
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3 1 Native forest hits the sand at Tautuku beach. Photos: Fergus
Sutherland and Dawn Patterson
2 A boardwalk partly encircles Tautuku Estuary. 3 Forest & Bird Otago/Southland Field Officer Sue Maturin
kayaks on Tautuku Estuary.
4 Coutts Cabin sleeps four people.
When there: To help identify birds, Catlins Birds: A pocket guide by Forest & Bird is $10 plus postage from South Otago branch secretary Jane Young, Ōwaka RD2, 9586 or janejimyoung@ slingshot.co.nz Bookings:
Diana Noonan, Mirren Street, Papatowai, Ōwaka RD 2, 9586, 03 415 8024 or dianakeith@yrless.co.nz
More See www.catlins.org or visit Ōwaka information Information Centre, Ryley Street, Ōwaka. Forest & Bird
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