Jurassic Fossilized Forests at Curio Bay One of the most extensive and least disturbed examples of a Jurassic fossil forest in the world is exposed during low tide and stretches about 20 kms from Curio Bay to Slope Point. During this time, known as the middle Jurassic period , New Zealand was part of the eastern margin of the ancient super-continent known as Gondwana.
North of Curio Bay, most of future New Zealand was beneath the sea. Massive sheet floods of volcanic debris, perhaps triggered by heavy rain on a barren volcanic mountain destroyed the forest. The forest eventually grew back only to again be flooded by volcanic debris - at least four times in 20, years. In some places fern fronds and leaves have been preserved as fossils within the mudstone rocks.
A viewing platform and information panel has been provided. See the Gypsy Caravans in Papatowai.
Catlins Itinerary Map
Head back southwest on Chaslands Highway toward Waipati Beach. Park car at the end of the logging road and walk for about twenty minutes through popdocarp and kamahi forest over a metalled track.
- personal matchmaking service near Wanganui New Zeland;
- The absolute best waterfalls in the Catlins, New Zealand |;
- best online dating apps near Rotorua New Zeland;
- speed dating new in Mangere New Zeland;
Low tide is at AM. The uniqueness of the cave lies in the fact that the two caves are linked with each other within the cliff. One of the caves has a hundred foot ceiling. Enter through the door of one cave and emerge out of the other. The height of the caves makes your voice echo inside it. This is the best spot to test the pitch of your voice.
Purakanui Falls Several different tiers make up Purakaunui Falls, now considered to be the most photographed set of falls in New Zealand. Water cascades over each rock ledge until it reaches the bottom pools.
What they offer
Even at the bottom of the falls, there are smaller ledges that create little waterfalls across the width of the river that flows for about three miles until it empties into the Pacific Ocean on the southeast region of the South Island of New Zealand. From the top of the Purakaunui Falls to the bottom of the first three tiers, the falls drop about sixty-five feet in total over the moss covered rocks.
It is very quiet in the area around the falls. The blowhole is two hundred meters inland. It was formed when the roof of a large subterranean cave was eroded by the sea and fell in. This is an exposed coastline and heavy swells from the southern ocean can create an impressive display. The waves are compressed through the underground tunnel and explode into the blowhole. So how does Somerville, whose friendly disposition towards the hordes who visit belies the fact that he still pines for the days when the road was unsealed and tourists few and far between, cope with looking out the window of his house-bus workshop at not one but two neighbours?
The motorised hedge trimmer he bought a while back is playing up, and it'll take six hours to do the job by hand. Perhaps a coffee will help. Built into Ngamthura's lease agreement no-one appears to have a copy of it and it's doubtful if it even exists is a free flat-white-a-day for the laird, which Ngamthura cranks up on her gas-powered espresso machine.
Originally from Chiang Mai in the far north of Thailand, Ngamthura says that turning out a good coffee makes her happy and that the smiles she receives from customers are her tips. Predominantly a tea drinker, she was brought up in a region known for its arabica coffee yet it wasn't until her return home during the New Zealand winter of that she immersed herself in the local cafe scene. Ngamthura spent much of her time back home perusing this new scene, sampling coffees and discussing techniques with owner-baristas. On her winter ''to do'' list is a course in ''latte art''.
Papatowai Air Quality Index (AQI) and New Zealand Air Pollution | AirVisual
Comfortably turning out a flat white as good as any of Dunedin's best, Ngamthura is adamant she doesn't pine for the city. The Catlins is safe and peaceful. I've got supportive friends and neighbours and it's good to be around people who care about their environment. This is the cue for Dave Holland or ''Rough Dave'' as he's known to locals to extricate himself from the impromptu jam session happening round the cafe tables live music is a regular event at The Lost Gypsy and to draw the punters' attention to Somerville's wacky theatre. According to its creator, who has disappeared to do something tricky to the recalcitrant hedge trimmer, Holland who was a tour guide in a previous life is a great promoter, which may explain why the Winding Thoughts Theatre of Sorts has twice pipped Te Papa at the post to claim top place on the social consumers' web platform, ranker.
While Rough Dave is directing his backpackers towards the pathways that lead through the broom toward the theatre, and Ngamthura is whizzing up a smoothie for a caffeine-free client something Somerville keeps a close eye on due to the draw the blender makes on his solar-powered batteries , Hunt has eyes only for the road.
Hunt, who has worked as an outdoor adventure guide throughout the country, says that no words adequately describe the treasure the Catlins holds. Hunt's arrival in Papatowai was no accident, although it wasn't until the former Aucklander saw the place that she knew she wouldn't be leaving any time soon. She bought it when she was on holiday down here. You wind it and the petals open and shut. Mum always said that I should go to the Catlins and find the person who made it because she knew I'd like both the area and the artist.
So that's what I did. And I've stayed!
Purakaunui Falls
Looking for a source of local employment led Hunt, an entrepreneur with a business mind and the energy to make things happen, to set up Catlins Kayaks. But then I had to design a kayak trailer that could be used to get them down to the Catlins. I'd never designed anything like that in my life! It worked, however, and Rough Dave cruised up to Christchurch to tow the whole shebang home on the back of Somerville's struggling car.