Introduction
Welcome to the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark!This tour takes you to some of the regions most beautiful and fascinating vistas. Make sure your camera is charged because you'll be wanting to take many photos. Every stop 100% #instagood.Things move a bit slower on Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island, so take your time to stroll these sights and take in the majesty of the land.Other highlights of the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark include unique geological and geomorphological features such as karsted limestone at Elephant Rocks and Gaudi-like towers at Clay Cliffs, as well as coastal delights like Moeraki Boulders and the quirky seaside town of Ōamaru with it's intact Victorian-era streetscapes and Steampunk culture. Our Geosites allow you to explore volcanic remnants and discover the past inhabitants of these places, from microscopic diatoms to giant prehistoric penguins and plesiosaurs.For camping information, check the Freedom camping in Waitaki page.What is Tiaki – Care for New Zealand?Tiaki means to care for people and place. New Zealand is precious, and everyone who lives and travels here has a responsibility to look after it.The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now and for future generations. By following the Tiaki Promise, you are making a commitment to New Zealand: Care for land, sea and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace Travel safely, showing care and consideration for all Respect culture, travelling with an open heart and mindFor more information about the Tiaki Promise, visit the Tiaki official website.
Lake Ōhau
Suggested visit time: 3 hour - 1 dayTurn onto Lake Ohau Road which is about half-way between Twizel and Omarama on State Highway 8. For access please check with the local farmer before entering private property.Lake Ōhau is a glacial lake that has its headwaters in the Southern Alps and which feeds into the mighty Waitaki River. The vistas around Ōhau are classically stunning New Zealand mountain landscapes. The mountains, hills and surrounds are a canvas of warm hues synonymous with the high-country of the South Island. Standing watch over Lake Ōhau is the prominent hill named Ben Ohau, identifiable by its scree scars. Visitors can walk up Ben Ohau, around the lakeshore or tackle more challenging hikes into the hills.Ōhau is a gorgeous lake perfect for a number of recreational activities. Marvel at stunning views of the Southern Alps or enjoy great opportunities for recreational pursuits such as boating, kayaking, fishing, hunting, camping, skiing, high country trekking and mountain biking.The Lake Ōhau foreshore is also a favourite section for many riders on the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail and is popular with walkers too.Enjoy the lake and mountain views from the warm, cosy lodges or campgrounds on offer.Nearby are the stunning Ōhau Snow Fields and the beautiful Lake Ōhau Lodge, popular favourites for Kiwi skiers.
Sailors Cutting
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1 hourOtematata-Omarama Road, State Highway 83.Sailors Cutting is a popular camping and fishing site for local Kiwis. A lovely resting spot on the shore of Lake Benmore, the view across the lake is a treat to behold.It tends to get very busy during the summer months and available campsites are scarce.Toilet facilities and boat ramp available.For more information about campsites, visit Waitaki Lakes Camping website.
Benmore Peninsula Walk
Suggested visit time: 1 hour 30 minTravel along SH83 to Lake Benmore, between Otematata and Omarama.This circuit track passes through an exotic forest and around a peninsula jutting out into Lake Benmore.The views are very impressive - especially earlier in the mornings when the weather is generally calmest.Complete a loop or return the way you came.Time: 1 hr 30 minDistance: 4 kmDog access: Dogs on a lead can be taken along the track.Check out all details on the DOC website.
Kurow Hill
Suggested visit time: 1 hourFrom the end of Grey Street, Kurow, the hill is a fairly steep climb to the top (45 mins).If you're into walking, get those legs pumping up Kurow Hill for amazing views of the beautiful, braided Waitaki River. Kurow is located in the middle of the Waitaki Valley and the stunning views over the valley are well worth it!The Waitaki braided river is characterised by gravel beds, numerous channels and variable flows, which are unique to parts of the world with young, rapidly eroding mountains.The upper part of the Waitaki Basin was formed thousands of years ago when glaciers retreated, leaving behind beds of gravel and boulders. Ongoing geological uplift, erosion and alluvial transport continue to maintain the Waitaki braided river and associated wetlands. Only Alaska, Canada and the Himalayas have the same extensive braided river systems that New Zealand has.Although the specific tradition behind the name has been lost, it literally means “the waterway of tears” and is often referred to in whaikōrero (oratory) as representing the tears of Aoraki. The river was an important ara tawhito (traditional travel route) and you can still see the proof of that in the well-known rock art sites located in the numerous limestone outcrops and shelters.The Waitaki River is also home to an extensive biodiversity including threatened plants and endangered wildlife like the nationally endangered tarapiroe or black-fronted tern.
Elephant Rocks
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1 hourThere’s a parking bay on Island Cliff-Duntroon Road and a signposted gate that gives you access to an easy 5-minute walk across the farmland.Elephant Rocks are geological marvels exposed by erosion, set amongst picturesque farmland. Don’t forget your camera as you wander through these towering limestone rocks. A geological wonder of the Waitaki, this unique landscape has featured in films such as The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.Elephant Rocks features distinctive large hummocky or elephant-shaped limestone outcrops. The “elephants” are formed from Otekaike Limestone, which originated as a fossil-rich marine sand around 25 million years ago. The thick and flat-lying limestone has many joints, or cracks, caused by the land being lifted. These joints, which cross each other, are eroded by water. Eventually, enough limestone is eroded away to leave the “elephants” exposed and isolated from each other.Elephant Rocks is on private land. Please respect this special place and take care not to cause damage. Please go quietly if animals are present and remember to shut the gates. You can help care for this site. Please pick up any rubbish. Tread lightly and leave no trace.Please be aware the following hazards include: traffic, slippery surface when wet, uneven surface, fall hazards, and farming activities.
Anatini
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hourThere’s a parking bay on Island Cliff-Duntroon Road and a signposted gate that gives you access to an easy 5-minute walk across the farmland. The Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail passes through this gully.Discover fascinating limestone features that have been exposed and eroded over the years with fossils of ancient whales protruding from stone. With views over picturesque farmland this was the scene for Aslan's Camp in the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a beautiful photo opportunity.The land you are standing on was once under the sea. Many animals and plants lived and died on this prehistoric seafloor. Over a few million years, shell fragments from these creatures compacted to become limestone, while bones from vertebrates (such as whales, dolphins and penguins) became preserved within the sediment. The limestone here is from the late Oligocene Epoch, formed 23 - 25 million years ago. Our landmass - Zealandia - was then mostly a submerged continent with only a series of small islands remaining above sea level. New Zealand is now emergent. In the last 20+ million years the limestone has been uplifted and eroded - exposing the baleen whale and other fossils.You are looking at the remains of an ancient baleen whale. Some baleen whales are over 15 metres long. This one was probably five to six metres long. Baleen whales are filter feeders, they sieve a lot of sea water each day to collect small animals to eat (these prey animals are only a few centimetres long). The fossil whale is distantly related to modern baleen whales and died millions of years ago.With views over picturesque farmland this was the scene for Aslan's Camp in the film - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It’s a beautiful photo opportunity.Anatini is on private land. Please respect this special place and take care not to cause damage. Please go quietly if animals are present and remember to shut the gates. You can help care for this site. Please pick up any rubbish. Tread lightly and leave no trace.Please be aware the following hazards include: narrow pathway, steep drop-off by fossil site, slippery surface when wet, uneven surface and steps, pipe at the bottom of the gate leading to fossil, falling debris / rocks/ blocks from above, and farming activities.
Ōamaru Public Gardens
Suggested visit time: 1 hourCarpark off Chelmer Street, Oamaru.The Ōamaru Public Gardens are among the oldest in the country, opened officially in October 1876. The beautiful gardens distinctly reflect the unique style and heritage of Ōamaru and the Waitaki through Ōamaru stone and other features.The Ōamaru Creek gently wends its way through the garden. Canopies of mature trees create a variety of intimate spaces filled with themed plantings and linked by pathways that meander around streams and ponds providing a tranquil experience for visitors.The gardens are registered as a ‘Garden of Significance’ and have welcomed, entertained and inspired people for more than a century. They are well worth a visit for people of all ages. The gardens have something for everyone.Check out the Wonderland Garden with sculptures of Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland and fairy-tale toadstool picnic tables. The Wonderland Garden is a magical space that includes one of the garden’s finest and most delightful features - the Wonderland Statue created by Scottish Sculptor Thomas J. Clapperton and gifted in 1926 by former Mayor Robert Milligan. The garden also includes an ornamental stream flowing past the gracious Swan Fountain.By the Chelmer Street carpark is a children’s playground.The stunning Craig Fountain donated by James Craig JP and erected in 1915 near the main entrance is one of many charming features. Made of Italian marble, this magnificent fountain is surrounded by a colourful profusion of bedding plants. Restored in 2018 it now displays a dazzling light show every evening.The Display House, a greenhouse alongside the rose garden, is home to a beautiful array of exotic plant specimens.Other unique features include the Band Rotunda, Aviary and Peacock House. A large glade by the Band Rotunda and Aviary surrounded by magnificent trees provides the ideal venue for events including Victorian Heritage Week tea parties.The film clip for the classic Crowded House song “Four Seasons in One Day” was largely shot around Ōamaru, and in particular the Ōamaru Public Gardens.The Gardens are open seven days per week and entry is free. Ōamaru Public Gardens gardens are smoke-free. Dogs on leashes are welcome. Public toilet facilities available.
Steampunk HQ
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1 hour1 Itchen Street, Ōamaru 9400Steampunk HQ is a unique museum of art, sound & light showing an alternate universe set within in the Victorian Precinct of Oamaru.Immerse yourself in this industrial world of steampunk – crazy, quirky and unlike any other visitor attraction in New Zealand.Steampunk HQ is well known for its full scale train engine outside that spits fire and billows smoke. Inside is a museum of contraptions & bizarre machinery involving copper, gears, pipes & gas cylinders, as well as an ensemble of skeletal sculptures that are lit by flickering lights & accompanied by film, projection & sound. A back door leads to a large yard with projects in various stages of being steampunked.Don’t miss The Portal, a retro-futuristic mirror and lighting installation with original glowing light sculptures.Steampunk HQ must be experienced rather than explained.Open everyday (except Christmas Day): 10:00am - 4:00pm. (Last entry 3.30pm)Prices:Adult - $10.00Child - $2.00 (under 16)Family - $20.00 (2 adults, 2 children)Tickets can be booked online at Steampunk Oamaru website or in person at our ticket counter.Onsite parking available.Steampunk HQ is wheelchair accessible.
Harbour Street
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1hourHarbour Street, ŌamaruThe beautiful heritage buildings in the Harbour Street precinct house a variety of galleries, shops, new and traditional crafts. The intact limestone buildings are unique to Ōamaru.Take a journey through time as you explore the fascinating heritage of Ōamaru. It’s like taking a step into the past. Get a photo of yourself on a Victorian penny-farthing bicycle and visit The Victorian Wardrobe to dress yourself up in old-time clothes.Make sure to visit Whitestone City, an immersive, interactive heritage experience where you can explore and play with Victorian exhibits that bring history to life.Or eat and shop your way down the street and back again. There’s a lot packed into this beautiful street.You can also take a 90-minute easy-paced Ōamaru Heritage Walking Tour through Ōamaru's Victorian Precinct. Contact Helen Stead, your guide, on helenstead18@gmail.com to book. $25/person
Campbells Bay
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1 hourHarbour Terrace, Kakanui.Just 10 minutes south of Ōamaru via Beach Road.Kakanui is a beachside village and the surrounding area is well-known for its rich and fertile soils with many market gardens in the local area. You'll find a good selection of seasonal produce available for purchase on roadside stalls. Local talk has it that Kakanui potatoes and tomatoes are among the best in the world.Campbells Bay is immediately south of the headland in Kakanui and provides a surf-able break and a safe swimming beach.The beach is around 2km long and the Southern end is known as All Day Bay and provides a more sheltered spot for swimming.Hector's dolphins will often be seen playing in the waves and can be spotted right along the Kakanui coastline. There are occasional leopard seal sightings as well. They are large and pale-coloured and can be fairly aggressive. So if you see one, keep your distance!An impressive geological sequence is also visible at Campbells Bay. Here you can see the Ototara Limestone dipping impressively down beach. The outcrop is heavily cemented. The interesting holes in the limestone are actually shrimp burrows that were further eroded and enlarged around 30 million years ago.Walking further up-beach you can see older underlying material including volcanic tuff.Public toilets available.Please be aware the following hazards include: tides, wildlife, sharp and slippery rock underfoot, and falling debris from cliffs. Tsunami risk – if an earthquake is strong or long, get gone.
Te Kaihīnaki / Moeraki Boulders
Suggested visit time: 0.5 hour - 1 hourMoeraki Boulders are signposted on State Highway 1, three kilometres south of Hampden.Stroll along the beach from Moeraki Boulders Scenic Reserve carpark and picnic area. Alternatively, take the track directly to the beach from the cafe at the end of a private road. Or take a short loop track (150 metres) from the cafe to view the boulders from above. These tracks are suitable for pushchairs but not wheelchairs, as they start with several steps.Walk amongst geological marvels, exposed by the erosion of surrounding mudstone laid down around 60 million years ago.Local Māori oral history explain these strangely large and spherical boulders as the remains of eel baskets, calabashes, and kumara washed ashore from the wreck of Ārai-te-uru, a large sailing canoe. The rocky shoals that extend seaward from Matakaea Shag Point are the petrified hull of this wreck and a nearby rocky headland is the body of the canoe's captain.The Moeraki Boulders are a famous attractive destination for a reason. These striking round rocks can reach up to 3 metres in diameter and weigh several tones whilst the smaller boulders can resemble an over inflated football. These boulders have formed backdrops to photographs for over a century. Beyond the immediate visual appeal is a fascinating geological story.The boulders at Moeraki and Matakaea Shag Point formed in ancient seafloor muds between 55 and 70 million years ago. Each boulder started life as a pebble or fossil on an ancient seafloor. Over time these 'grew' by mud accretion and calcification. These boulders have been exposed through coastline erosion from coastal cliffs. Even today, there are still boulders remaining in the mudstone that will, sooner or later, fall on to the beach as they come loose due to erosion!These striking spherical rocks have formed a spectacular backdrop to photos, so don’t forget your camera. Early in the morning is a good time to visit as the beach can get crowded later in the day. It can also be the best time to photograph the boulders as the light from the sunrise hits these striking formationsThe Moeraki Boulders Cafe offers takeaway or sit down meals with beautiful ocean views, and there is a gift shop featuring souvenirs, clothing and jewellery from New Zealand artists and crafts people. Open 7 days a week, 8.30am – 3pm. Toilets are available.The Moeraki Boulders are best to be visited at low tide. Check out the tide times on the Metservice website.
Kātiki
Suggested visit time: 1 hourArrive via Lighthouse Road in Moeraki Village. Kātiki Point is the southern part of the Kātiki Peninsula.See the historic Katiki Point Lighthouse, which still operates today, and wander up the hill to the Te Raka a Hineatea Pā site. A pā is a terraced Māori hill-fort; a very important settlement site for local Māori. The reserve is vested in Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu who manage the reserve in conjunction with Te Rūnanga o Moeraki. For more information about Māori settlement and management of this area, visit the Ōtākou Runaka website.Kātiki is a breeding ground for marine wildlife including fur seals and the critically endangered yellow-eyed penguin. A variety of sea and shore birds breed here: little blue penguin/kororā, yellow-eyed penguin/hoiho, sooty shearwater/tītī, diving petrel, red-billed gull/tarapuka, spotted shag/koau pāteketeke, white-fronted tern/tara, and the variable oystercatcher/tōrea pango. When viewing the wildlife, please maintain your distance, do not use flash photography and be respectful at all times.The reserve is closed overnight.
Trotters Gorge
Suggested visit time 1h - 2hTurn off SH1 onto Horse Range Road around. 2.4 km south of Te Kaihīnaki / Moeraki Boulders. After 4.2 km turn onto Trotters Gorge Road and follow this for a short distance to the end.Grab the hiking boots and enjoy the views at Trotters Gorge! Take one of the 3 tracks at Trotters Gorge and listen to many of New Zealand’s bush birds such as the karearea/NZ falcon. Also, look out for native fish (galaxiids) in the streams. A small uphill path will be rewarded with amazing views from mountains to the sea!This impressive gorge showcases some of the geoparks most ancient terrestrial sediments. These sediments – mainly breccias and conglomerates were deposited during a period when Zealandia was still separating from Gondwana. During this time, faulting within the basement rock created graben-like features. Braided rivers draining what is now modern day inland Otago reworked and eroded exposed basement rock, depositing the resulting sediments in thick masses. These deposits are called the Horse Range Formation. Today these deposits are exposed in huge cliffs in Trotters Gorge.Please be aware following hazards include: the tracks are mostly well formed, but some sections may be steep, rough or muddy, open water (creek)
Puketapu
Suggested visit time: 1.5 hourStart your journey up the hill from the old railway station or the lookout carpark, just off State Highway 1, Palmerston.Puketapu means “sacred hill” in Māori and offers stunning 360 degree vistas over Palmerston township, rolling farmland down the Shag Valley and out to sea. It’s easily visible as you arrive because of the standing stone monument on top of the hill.Puketapu is a short and sweet uphill climb. Choose from a couple of routes - clamber up the face or follow the posts which mark an easier route - winding around the back of the hill. Although it can be steep, the track is well formed and you will be rewarded with stunning views at the top!Enjoy a picnic lunch on the benches at the top or climb the stairs and stand atop the monument. The monument is a memorial to Sir John McKenzie, a local agricultural figure from the 19th century.Every year in October, locals run a race called “Kelly’s Canter” where they run up Puketapu and down again, with record times sitting at around 20 minutes to get up and back. The race is in remembrance of local constable Bert Kelly, who during World War II would regularly run up Puketapu on coastal watch for enemy ships.While you're welcome to try and beat that heroic time of 20 minutes, we suggest a good hour to enjoy it at a leisurely pace.The track is open all year except during lambing season (September - November).
What's next
Well done. That’s the end of the tour. We hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of the great Geo-Vistas the Waitaki has to offer.If you’d like to learn more about what's in the Waitaki, including places to stay and to eat, go to Tourism Waitaki website.
