brought their wool as far as Quarry Hills Nau mai haere mai Niagara by road, where it was 04. Former Waikawa St To Gore and Invercargill then loaded onto the punt at Mary’s Anglican Church ki te Ara Tapu o the Falls and taken by river to the ships at Waikawa. Tokanui The Former St Mary’s Anglican Church is now owned by the To Balclutha ▼ Te Akau Tai Tonga Today descendants of the early 13. Waikawa Museum. From 1902 services were held in local homes Māori still use this place for the at Niagara and Waikawa, the dates dependent on “Paddy’s Fortrose gathering of food and cultural material (mahinga kai). A section of lantern”, the full moon, so that parishioners could see to travel Welcome to the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail! Situated in the South the riverbank remains a designated Māori campsite (nohoanga). 12. to the service. Niagara Catlins area of Southland, Te Ākau Tai Tonga, this trail provides a rewarding detour off the Southern Scenic Route. Covering The Māori name for the falls, Māngai Piri, refers to the manner in 01. The foundation stone was approximately 70 kms of road, part tar-seal part gravel, the Catlins which the lamprey eels (kana kana) wriggle up the falls in a mass, laid on 1 May 1930 and the 02. Coastal Heritage Trail runs between Niagara (189 kms from Dunedin) using their suckers to hang onto the rocks. This event is highly church was opened and and Fortrose (50 kms from Invercargill). It can be travelled in either seasonal, occurring only when the eels migrate upstream to breed. dedicated by Bishop Richards direction, thereby complementing your existing travel plans. on Thursday 10 March 1932. 03. 04. 08. The South Catlins is an area of isolated beaches, rugged coastline, The Vicar then was the Rev Waipohatu 02. Concrete Waikawa native forests and wildlife as well as sheep, beef and dairy farming. The WHS Hine. Sadly, with a ports at Waikawa and Fortrose each originally had a whaling station Horse Trough dwindling congregation, the church was closed in 1994. Haldane and throughout the years an interest in fishing. The area was also well Otara 05. known for its saw milling. Sadly today little evidence remains of those Circa 1890. The concrete horse trough was settlements, most of which were sited on what is now private farmland. situated close by the roadside allowing horse Porpoise Bay teams a welcome drink when they had completed 05. The Old The scenic beauty and rich history of the area unfolds along the Catlins the climb up Cemetery Hill. Coastal Heritage Trail. To fully appreciate all 13 trail sites, including the Coach Road 10. 06. short walks, be sure to allow at least 5 hours for the total experience. The trip down the hill however was often more The old Coach Road follows an ancient path (ara hikoinga) used by 07. Curio Bay Food is available at Fortrose, Slope Point, Curio Bay, Waikawa and perilous. It is known that the brakes failed at least 11. the early Southern Māori of the Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe and Waitaha Waipapa Point Niagara. If you have more time to spare, prolong your stay and enjoy once on the Waikawa-Fortrose coach on the tribes to travel to their many sites of cultural significance. It was some genuine South Catlins hospitality from the varying options of downhill journey. 09. later used as a bridle track by goldminers. Key: Slope Point country accommodation available. See website www.catlins.org.nz. Drive safely and have fun exploring this special part of New Zealand! The actual road was formed in 01. The Trail runs between Niagara and Fortrose, and 03. Waikawa the 1880’s so that the coach Heritage Trail Sites can be travelled in either direction Distance Time could run between Waikawa Museum and Fortrose (approximately Location Points Public Toilets Niagara Hall to Niagara Falls 300m 2min 01. Niagara Falls – Niagara Falls to Concrete Horse Trough 2km 3min 30 km). It was also used by The first people to live at Waikawa were Southern Māori of the Kāi Concrete Horse Trough to the Waikawa Museum 2km 3min Mangai Piri other horse drawn vehicles. Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail Southern Scenic Route Tahu, Kāti Mamoe and Waitaha tribes, who are known collectively Waikawa Museum to Waikawa Church – – The Waikawa end followed today as Ngai Tahu Whānui. They were extremely mobile people, Waikawa Church to the Old Coach Road 1km 2min The Niagara Falls was named by a surveyor the beach and was built up travelling the whole coast as far south as Stewart Island (Rakiura), The Old Coach Road to Porpoise Bay 7km 12min with an obvious sense of humour! He had by hand with stone quarried and inland through Southland to Central Otago, in search of food seen the large North American falls and locally. Porpoise Bay to Curio Bay 600m 2min and cultural material (mahinga kai). Curio Bay to Waipohatu 11km 22min named these small falls after them. By 1900 the alternative inland Dunedin Waikawa was established as a whaling station in the mid 1800’s. Te Anau Waipohatu to Slope point 7.5km 10min The section of river between Niagara and route, through Tokanui, was The first European settlers at Waikawa were the Haldanefamily Slope Point to Tararua Acre 22km 27min Waikawa flows through what was then used by the coach and other who arrived in 1858. The settlement was a busy port and service Tararua Acre to Waipapa Point 1.2km 5min bush country and became the settlers’ travellers. Gore township by the 1890’s, serving the gold diggers and saw millers Waipapa Point to The Smithy 15km 15min river-highway with houses built along its in the area. The museum is home to various displays that relate to A section of the old road near the Waikawa Harbour is a twenty- The Smithy to Fortrose Cemetery 1km 2min banks. Though small, the Falls could not be Balclutha the whaling, saw milling and goldmining industries of those early minute return walk, which should only be undertaken at low tide. Invercargill A project of South Catlins Promotions Incorporated www.catlins.org.nz negotiated by boat and so the river-highway settlers. The museum building was originally the Waikawa School, with support from... ended there. Settlers from the hinterland which opened in 1912 and closed in 1972. Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail Waikawa Township 1912 for transport. An easy access 06. Porpoise Bay – short walk explores typical 10. Tararua Acre 12. The Smithy, Fortrose Catlins coastal forest with a Whaka Aihe fascinating range of tree and fern species. This site became known as the Tararua Acre after many of the casualties This is the site of the remaining stone of the Blacksmith and Wheelright Porpoise Bay is home to Hector’s dolphins, which are distinctive of New Zealand’s worst civilian shipwreck at Waipapa Point were shop built in 1883 by Hugh and John Chisholm. The shop was expanded by their black and white markings. They are found only off New There is also a tramping track buried here in 1881. Other recovered bodies are buried at the Fortrose in 1891 and became a busy and thriving business. Originally gigs, drays Zealand shores. With a total population of only three to four which takes approximately 3 Cemetery. and wagons were built in their hours. This has been upgraded entirety on the property, however Catlins Coastal thousand, Hector’s dolphins are one of the world’s rarest dolphins. On 29 April 1881, the SS Tararua ran aground on Waipapa Reef. as a result of a joint effort from the business later concentrated These dolphins, especially when Attempts were made to get passengers and crew ashore by lifeboats, Heritage Trail the local Promotions group on the maintenance of these young, are shy and can be easily but they encountered difficulties because of the rising sea. George and the Toi Tois Lions Club. vehicles and, of course, the frightened. It is best to let the Lawrence successfully swam 300 metres from a lifeboat to shore and (Te Ara Tapu O Te Akau Tai Tonga) Two new bridges have been shoeing of horses. Water tanks dolphins come to you. Please do made it to the nearest building owned by the Bruntons. From there put in and new directional were also manufactured and not approach them! a man rode to Wyndham to raise the alarm. Of the 151 passengers, signs added. The Lions Club repaired here. Business eventually 131 lives were lost. Porpoise Bay, with its tranquil members undertake ongoing faltered with the introduction beauty, also provides a safe and maintenance on the track. of the tractor. popular swimming and holiday spot. 11. Waipapa Point 09. Slope Point – 13. Fortrose and the 07. Curio Bay – Mata Tonga The Māori spelling was originally Fortrose Cemetery Waipāpapa, meaning ‘basket of seafood’ (kai moana). Early Europeans changed the Tumu Toka Latitude: 46.40 min 40 sec South Fortrose is situated at the mouth of the name to Waipapa. Mataura River. The earliest records are Curio Bay is the site of one Longitude: 169.00 min 11 sec East The Waipapa Reef was the scene of New from 1834, when whalers established a of the world’s finest fossil The most southerly point on the South Island, Slope Point is 7 Zealand’s worst civilian maritime disaster station, which was later abandoned in forests. It is easily accessible kilometres further south than Bluff. Access is through private land, in 1881 when the SS Tararua sank with the 1836. The first settlement, known as the at low tide, or can be viewed which is closed from 1 September to 1 November due to the lambing loss of 131 lives.