St Anne’s Lagoon

CONTENTS WELCOME TO A PLACE LIKE NO OTHER… Welcome 3 A place where rugged coastlines and breath-taking clifftops District Map 4 meet lush forests and alpine retreats. A place where you can get heart‑pumping adventure or your culinary fill at award-winning Alpine Pacific Touring Route 6 wineries. And that is just the beginning. The will Wine & Dine 7 thrill and surprise you … offering you everything you expect in a Walking & Biking 8 holiday, plus more. Adventure 10 A gem of the Hurunui district is ’s alpine spa Relaxation 12 village, . Enjoy the thermal pools, hydroslides, Family Fun 13 spa treatments and a lovely range of boutique shopping. Play mini golf, enjoy incredible walking and biking tracks or get an Hanmer Springs 14 adrenaline boost with countless adventure activities on offer. Valley 15 If you are a lover of food and wine the Hurunui will be sure to Amberley & 16 delight, producing some of the country’s best food, wine and beer. Cheviot & Gore Bay 17 The North Canterbury Wine Region is home to more than 20 cellar & Coastal Hurunui 18 doors and incredible vineyard restaurants. Waiau & Mt Lyford 19 Or meander through the region’s stunning routes, finding hidden Hurunui & 20 gems on the way – the natural phenomenon that is the Cathedral & Hawarden 21 Cliffs near Gore Bay, Mt Lyford Lodge (with spa pools on its decks!) and historic villages dotted along inland roads. Listings 22 So start your journey, explore the Hurunui and discover one of the best little getaways in the world!

2 Share your experience #hurunuidistrict VISITHURUNUI.CO.NZ 3 RELAXATION FAMILY FUN

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The ultimate alpine SuperBowl Aquatic escape Thrill Ride

Award-winning Hanmer Springs natural thermal pools Animal Park

World class spa Nostalgic treatments playgrounds for kids young and old Just 90 minutes from

NEW ZEALAND’S ALPINE SPA VILLAGE MAKE A SPLASH Hanmer Springs has a long history in wellness with its The Hurunui is the perfect place for water babies of all ages. thermal waters central to its fame. Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa is a water Recent research tells us that the water is nearly 200 years old! wonderland with two enormous leisure pools, hydroslides It starts as snow and rain, seeps through rock and comes to and the SuperBowl (an aquatic thrill ride). Add to that grassy rest in a reservoir some two kilometres underground. Here, it picnic areas and a lazy river and you’ll keep the kids happy is warmed by heat radiating from the earth’s core – a process all day. that takes 173 years. Or if playing in the waves is more your thing, head to Gore Hanmer Springs Village exudes relaxation and recuperation. Bay – one of the safest surf beaches in New Zealand. Some visit for a soak in the thermal pools, others to enjoy the forests and open spaces but many come for the thriving GET INTO NATURE health and beauty sector. Hurunui is the perfect place to put down the screens and get There is a wide range of body treatments available and the family into some old fashioned fun. suitable for all budgets… from a traditional massage Explore the creatures living along the sandy coastlines, hit to increasingly popular treatments like aromatherapy, the forest trails or take a hike up Mt Grey for 360-degree reflexology and Thai massage… the list is almost endless. panoramic views. So whether you’ve come alone, with your partner or have the family or friends tagging along, a spa treatment is a definite DELIGHT THE KIDS must do. They’ll love feeding the wallabies and meeting all the animals at Hanmer Springs Animal Park. The cob cottages are a charming look at history in Amberley and Rotherham, while Waiau and Culverden’s playground (complete with tractor) is always a hit.

12 Share your experience #hurunuidistrict VISITHURUNUI.CO.NZ 13 Amberley & Cheviot & Leithfield Gore Bay

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Amberley Farmers’ The Cathedral Cliffs Market (every Saturday) Daffodils in the Cheviot Hills Domain Boutique & eclectic shopping

AMBERLEY IS A RURAL TOWNSHIP FRIENDLY AND GENUINE ARE TWO WORDS THAT WITH A LOT TO OFFER. SPRING TO MIND WHEN YOU VISIT CHEVIOT. Beaches, walkways, an excellent golf course, and high quality At the top of the Hurunui, the township is the ideal place cafés and shopping, this is a place which offers plenty. to peruse an eclectic mix of shops, and indulge in food and wine tastings at the distinctive Mt Beautiful Café & Wine Every Saturday, you can see, taste and buy the Hurunui’s Tasting Room. delectable range of authentic and award-winning produce at the Farmers’ Market – a food lovers delight. The rich soils and array of microclimates in the area mark it as a truly unique wine experience, which sets it apart from Walkways are also abundant around here. You can walk for anywhere else. A must try! miles on Amberley and Leithfield Beaches while enjoying views that stretch from Christchurch to the ranges Gore Bay along Cheviot’s coastline is one of New Zealand’s on a clear day. safest surfing beaches, while the Gore Bay Tourist Drive takes you past the spectacular Cathedral Cliffs. This is one Amberley emanates old country charm, and is a great place to of the region’s most photogenic attractions. explore coastal gems, or indulge in some retail therapy.

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Fishing Skiing, snowboarding and iceskating at Annual Spring Flower Mt Lyford Festival Photo stop at Leader Road, overlooking Waiau

TUCKED AWAY IN A QUIET CORNER OF WAIAU IS A PICTURESQUE VILLAGE WITH A THE HURUNUI ARE GRETA VALLEY AND RICH HISTORY AND A LOVE OF THE OUTDOORS. MOTUNAU BEACH. Well known as a great holiday spot for families, at its heart is The Greta Valley is a relaxed farming community where you a charming village green which includes an historic jail and can really get away from it all. With green rolling hills and a some village stocks (great for a photo stop!) uniquely kiwi way of life, you can’t help but relax here. A great spot for salmon and trout fishing, this area is truly The coastal settlement of Motunau Beach is a great place picture perfect. to retreat and enjoy the quiet seaside ambience and local seafood. It’s also the gateway to Mt Lyford village and skifield, a stunning alpine environment, which will have you reaching The much sought after blue cod is among the catch on for the mulled wine and skis during winter, and hiking shoes offer so the beach is a popular fishing spot, while the and camera over summer. experienced diver can enjoy an abundance of crayfish along this rugged coastline. The village is super quiet with limited cellphone coverage, making it the perfect place to get away from it all.

18 Share your experience #hurunuidistrict VISITHURUNUI.CO.NZ 19 Hurunui & Waikari & Culverden Hawarden

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Camping at Balmoral Pass Railway Recreation Reserve Hurunui Lakes Area Fishing along the Hurunui River

STEEPED IN CHARACTER AND CHARM, CULVERDEN DRAMATIC OUTCROPS AND GORGEOUS SWEEPING AND HURUNUI ARE SURROUNDED BY RIVERS, LUSH VALLEYS MAKE THIS ONE OF THE MOST SCENIC PLAINS, AND HISTORY. ROAD TRIPS IN NEW ZEALAND. Travel along State Highway 7 and you’ll soon come across Vivid limestone cliffs punctuate the hillside along the the Hurunui Hotel and village. Once a reprieve for weary highway… keep an eye out for Frog Rock – the name is sheep drovers travelling to Christchurch, it remains an self-explanatory – and the rock towers over the roadside. iconic landmark in the region today. Emerging through the valley and dropping into Waikari, The Balmoral Recreation Reserve across the Hurunui River is you’ll immediately be mesmerised by panoramic views of a favourite camping spot for those in the know. It provides the Puketeraki and Kaikoura ranges. abundant space and seclusion to escape the crowds (the This is the stopping point for the historic Railway fishing’s outstanding too!). – a 12.8km journey on steam and diesel locomotives While Culverden, a delightful country town with a variety through the unique limestone beauty of this area. of bed and breakfasts and farm-stays, is an ideal setting for Hawarden is home to the famous Flaxmere Gardens, it’s travellers seeking a true rural New Zealand experience. also the gateway to the pristine high-country Hurunui lakes, The area’s residents have a reputation for creativity and which reward those who make the journey with unbridled you’ll find plenty of locally made arts and crafts here. landscapes and pure New Zealand vistas.

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