Stewart Island Region

Maori name for Stewart Island, Rakiura, (Land of the glowing skies) refers to the islands spectacular sunsets as well as the night time displays of aurora australis, the southern lights. Separated from the mainland by the 30 km wide windswept Foveaux Strait, Stewart Island is largely a wilderness area. Oban is its only settlement, near the entrance to Paterson Inlet, a drowned river valley that extends southwest almost halfway across the island. At the head of Patterson Inlet are the swampy flats of Freshwater River while on the western coast is the long sandy stretch of Mason Bay with its prominent sand dunes. A central lowland divides the two mountainous areas of the island. The barren granite summit of Mt Anglem looks across the northern coast and is one of a rim of peaks and ridges that surround the Freshwater Valley. The abandoned settlement at Port Pegasus  once boasted a post office and a number of stores on the southern coast of the island but is now accessible only by boat or by hiking across the island. Port William, north along the coast from Oban, was settled by immigrants from the Shetland Islands in the early 1870s, but most had left after a year or two. Today fishing and tourism are the main industries on Stewart Island/Rakiura. Over 80 per cent of the island has been protected as part of the Rakiura National Park.

Stewart Island - Ship

1Oban / Halfmoon Bay

A regular ferry service carry’s passengers from Bluff to Oban and there is also an air link run by Southern Air from Invercargill Airport to Ryan's Creek Aerodrome on the island. Light aircraft also land on the sand at Mason Bay, Doughboy Bay and at West Ruggedy Beach. The island generates its own electricity with a diesel generator, so electric power is expensive for the small number of local residents, who in the past have raised money for local projects by making declarations of independence for the island, selling overprinted postage and health stamps and passports for the newly independent island. There are a number of short walks around the area and you can arrange bus and boat trips as well as scenic flights around the island.

2the northern circuit

The best way to experience Stewart Island is to tramp around the island. The Northern Circuit covers the top half of the island requiring about 10 days to walk the 125 km loop. The track will take you into remote wilderness areas, to golden sandy beaches and through unspoiled forests, but you need to be fit and well equipped to make the journey. It rains on average for about 275 days a year on Stewart Island so the track can get very wet and muddy and it can sometimes be a long slog between the huts which are spaced about a day apart.  These tracks are suitable for well equipped and experienced trampers. The first section of the trip starts at Halfmoon Bay and heads north 12 km to the Port William hut which takes 4 hours, although you can save time by catching a shuttle to Lee Bay eliminating the first 5 km of the walk along the road. From Lee Bay the track follows the coast to Little River and the former sawmilling settlement at Maori Beach. A swingbridge crosses the stream at the northern end of the beach and the track continues over a low hill, passing the turnoff to North Arm, which is part of the easier 3 day Rakiura Track. The Port William hut is on a headland to the north. The next section traverses forested clad hills 6 km to the coast and the Bungaree hut taking about 3 hours. The hut is on the other side of a headland at the northern end of Big Bungaree Beach. From here the track heads inland from Gull Rock Point and then descends to Murray Beach, crossing Murray River upstream from the northwestern end of the beach. Just past the bridge a side track leads to an old steam engine in the bush. The track continues along an old tramline before passing through virgin forest to the Christmas Village hut. This 11 km section of the track takes about 6 hours. If you have time you can spend an extra day and make a side trip and climb the 980 m summit of Mt. Anglem/Hananui. It takes about 6 hours to make the climb and get back to the hut, the Mt. Anglem track starting from a short distance along the track to Yankee River. The well defined 5 km track to the summit leads through forest and climbs through manuka, leatherwood scrub and across subalpine meadows to the highest point on the island. It is a trip that shouldbe made in fine weather. From the Mt. Anglem track junction the main track continues through lowland forest featuring tall rimu, to Lucky Beach. From the west end of the beach the track climbs steeply through a dense areas of fern and into the forest, crossing undulating country to Yankee River and the hut about 12 km and 6 hours walk from the Christmas Village hut. The next stage of the trip to the Long Harry Hut covers 11 km and takes 5 hours, crossing the Yankee River by swingbridge then climbing steeply over Black Rock Point to descend to Smoky Beach which is bordered by sanddunes. Smoky River, at the western end of the beach, is crossed by swingbridge, with the track climbing steeply then continuing through forest to the Long Harry hut. The track continues for 7 km to the East Ruggedy which takes another 4 hour. It follows the coast to Cave Point ridge, then traverses the ridge before descending back to the coast. The track follows the coast for 30 minutes before climbing back up through the scrub to a lookout over East Ruggedy Beach. After making the descent to the beach you cross a stream and walk along the beach. The East Ruggedy hut is marked by poles leading through the sand dunes. The track continues to West Ruggedy Beach which should be walked when the tide is going out. The track then continues around to the eastern side of the Ruggedy Range and descends to Waituna Bay before climbing to Hellfire Pass and the hut, about 7 hours walk and 14 km from the East Ruggedy Hut. It is 15 km and takes 7 hours to walk the next section of track to Mason Bay. The track follows a ridgeline before descending to Little Hellfire beach. From the south end of the beach the track heads inland across a forest covered saddle before descending to Mason Bay. The hut is marked further down the beach. The next section to the Freshwater Landing hut covers 14 km and takes 3 hours, following an old farm track to the Island Hill homestead and then continuing across tussock and manuka covered country to Freshwater River and the hut. The Rocky Mountain track provides a 5 km, 3 hour return side trip, climbing through forest and subalpine shrublands to a viewpoint on a rock outcrops looking out across Paterson inlet. It is another 11 km and 6 hours across the Thompson Ridge to the North Arm of Paterson Inlet on the next section of the track to the North Arm hut. The Rakiura Track from Port William joins the track about 45 minutes before you reach the hut. The final section of the Northern Circuit to Halfmoon Bay covers 12 km and takes 5 hours, traversing above North Arm to Sawdust Bay. From the site of the old sawmill the track crosses a low headland to Kidney Fern Arm in Prices Inlet, continuing through forest to Kaipipi Bay. The old Kaipipi Road is followed back to Halfmoon Bay.

Bullers Mollymawk

3Wildlife

Stewart Island/Rakiura is rich in wildlife, especially native bird species, due to the isolation of the island and the absence of predators. You are likely to see the Southern brown kiwi (tokoeka) on the Northern Circuit and you may also come across weka, kaka, albatross, penguins, silvereyes, fantails, and kereru. The endangered yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) has breeding sites on Stewart Island and its smaller neighbouring islands. There are also large colonies of Sooty Shearwaters (muttonbirds) on the offshore islands.

3the rakiura track

Designed to be walked in three days, the Rakiura Track follows the first part of the Northern Circuit to the Port William Hut, then crosses to the North Arm Hut on the second day, following the track from Maori Beach through podocarp forest and climbing to subalpine scrubland and a lookout tower on the summit ridge. The track then descends to the North Arm hut before heading back to Halfmoon Bay on the last part of the Northern Circuit on the third day.

Southern Circuit

4southern circuit

The Southern Circuit track is a challenging tramping experience in a remote wilderness area, requiring a high level of fitness and good route finding skills. The circuit can be reached by following the last two stages of the northern circuit or you can use boat transport to take you in to the track on Paterson Inlet. You can also continue on the Southern Circuit from the Northern Circuit. If you have walked in to the Freshwater hut on the Northern Circuit, the track branches off to the south along the swampy Freshwater Valley to the Tolson River. The track crosses the river by swingbridge then enters the forest, crossing undulating country to Fred's Camp 10 km and 5 hours from Freshwater hut. The track continues to the Rakeahua Hut 12 km and 5 hours away, following the shore of the South West Arm of Paterson Inlet. The hut is 3 km upstream along the Rakeahua River. A 4.5 km side trip can be made up onto Mt. Rakeahua taking about 3 hours to climb through forest and subalpine shrubland to the summit. The main track continues to the Doughboy Bay Bivvy, 16 km and 8 hours away. The track follows the Rakeahua Valley, climbing through forest and across shrubland and bog fields before descending steeply to Doughboy Bay. The small bivvy is signposted just before the beach. There is also a cave at the north end of the beach which has been used for shelter since the sealing days. The track continues from the northern end of the beach, climbing Adams Hill and crossing the swampy summit before descending to Cavalier Creek and Mason Bay. The beach is followed to Duck Creek and the Mason Bay hut. This section of the trip takes 7 hours and covers 18 km.