Stewart Island, south of New Zealand, a warm, cozy, rewarding remoteness

Now and then I search for places in the south hemisphere that fill the least requisites for Ultima Thule - remote, isolated, something not-of-this-world, rather unknown and somehow fascinating, mainly accessed by sea.

It's not easy. Besides the international Antarctic Stations, I've already mentioned here the Kerguelen Islands, Hobart in Tasmania, Dunedin and Invercargill in the south of mainland New Zealand. Further south is Stewart Island. This is really a hard-worked post, it took several weeks to publish, so enjoy.

Stewart Island is far from the main routes, known only of newzealanders and mostly uninhabitated. So it will do ;) as a warm, cozy Ultima Thule, at a higher latitude then Hobart but lower then Ushuaia or Punta Arenas.

The first Europeans to sight the island were explorer Captain James Cook and his crew in 1770, from the Shetland and Orkney Islands. They started sealing, whaling, tin mining, merino sheep farming, fishing and logging. Activity went growing, seventeen mills sites existed on the island. The European name was later attributed in honour of William Stewart, first officer on the ship Pegasus, from Sydney, which sailed to the island in 1809 on a sealing expedition.

Stewart Island is short of 18 degrees to the south polar circle, not-so-remote then, but who ever has heard about ? It's like a New Zealand's small Tasmania, still far from Antarctica - in fact, the territory enjoys a warm Mediterranean climate and a forested land free of ice.The highest peak is Mount Anglem, which stands at 979 meters near the northern coast.

The island is roughly 25 by 40 miles in size, the third-largest island of New Zealand, and can be reached from South Island across Foveaux Strait.

Oban is the main settlement, located on Halfmoon Bay by the Paterson Inlet. It has aircraft connections with Invercargill and a ferry service to Bluff, on South Island.

The town was named as Oban in Scotland ( An t-Òban in Scottish Gaelic, meaning Little Bay), most likely due to the strong influence Scottish settlers had in the south of early colonial New Zealand.

Oban / Half Moon Bay

Coordinates: 46° 54′ S, 168°  E
Population:  ~ 400

The only town on the island, Oban lies at the head of Half Moon Bay. It's known for the hilltop red roofed church, and several restaurants serving fresh seafood. Great sand beaches can be found around, and Oban is also the departing point for hiking excursions around the island.

The town's profile: a church on the green hilltop overlooking the wharf and the ferry pier.

Rakiura Visitor Centre (left), close to the ferry pier.

The old presbyterian church peeking up among green foliage.

The town has developped around Halfmoon Bay and the ferry pier.

Presently the two bays are linked by urban area, as the town reached Golden Bay.

The ferry arriving, viewed from uphill.

And viewed from aboard.

The Visitor Terminal, at the ferry's pier, is the liveliest place in town, with its Wharfside Café.

Church Hill Restaurant

Church hill restaurant on Kamahi Road.

Uphill by he church, this is a gourmet restaurant with particular ambiance and the best views in town.


Downtown Oban:

An excursion from a cruise ship is in town.

On Main Street, the French Creperie and the Bunkhouse Theatre.

Bunkhouse Theatre, a cinema and theatre venue.

Movies and comedy all year through.

Also a Gift Shop.

And the General Store.

Downwards by the waterfront:

Four Square supermarket.

The South Sea Hotel

South Sea Hotel on the bay's central front, maybe the island's best offer for accommodation.

Another option is Bunkers Backpackers BBH, Argyle Street:

The Rakiura Museum

Rakiura Museum on Ayr Street.

http://blog.mailasail.com/beezneez/2475

Heritage Centre and Museum.

The Centre houses an extensive collection of  first settlers and shipping items and photographs from the island's early history: European, Maori, nautical, fishing, timber, milling and mining. It also houses an extensive collection of Stewart Island shells and crustacea.

The end of the day at Oban

Horseshoe Bay, a neighbouring bay north of Halfmoon:

A local joke tells this should be the "halfmoon" bay, not the other, because of its perfect shape.

The Coast and the Bush

Stewart Island is situated in a region of unpredictable weather; 275 is the yearly average days of rain and frequently strong westerlies attacking the rugged granite, bush-clad island.

Wild beaches: Mason Bay

On the remote and wild west coast of the island lies Mason Bay, a desolately beautiful 14 km crescent of sandy beach.

The Dunes at Mason Bay.

The dunes here stretch inland as far as 3 km and are an amazing example the original dune ecosystem

The historic hut at Mason Bay is refurbished and more comfortable.

Lonnekers Beach

North Rakiura

The North Rakiura Track and huts.

The circular  Rakiura Track is Stewart Island's most famous hike. Taking three days, the trail covers 36 kilometers. It's a gentle track, convenient for all.

The circuit follows open coastline, along exposed shores of windswept trees and brush, crossing the forested interior of the island and winding along sheltered shores, inlets, bays and mudflat. In its mid section, the track crosses steep hills covered in dense forest, with well-maintained and gravelled trails.

Rakiura National Park covers 80% of the island's total area, over 200 km of tramping trails, forests of native trees and low-growing sub-alpine shrubs and grasses.

Port Williams Hut. There are several huts to accomodate hikers along the trail.

In fact, the inner bush feels much more remote than the twenty minute flight on a small plane or hour-long passage on the often ferry might suggest.

Maori Bay suspended bridge.

Rakiura Track
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkjmbjH3zuo

The southernmost point in the island's central ridge is Mount Allen, at 2,460 feet. Sub-alpine habitat allows endemic flora to grow free; this rare buttercup is one of a number of plants found only on Stewart Island.

Mount Allen Buttercup (Ranunculus viridis).


Many other small islands lie around the coast. Notable among these are Ruapuke Island, in Foveaux Strait 20 miles northeast of Oban; Codfish Island, close to the northwest shore; and Big South Cape Island, off the southwestern tip.

Codfish Island, small but spectacular.

South Island saddleback (Philesturnus carunculatus), once almost extinct, has recovered to a population of about 700.

Sunset at Mason Bay...

and at Rakiura Bay.


And more: at Stewart Island, you can even watch auroras! Austral auroras, of course, pink or green like this one.

Southern lights at Halfmoon Bay.