Ostriches, Windswept Seaside Cliffs and Cheese Rolls – Why New Zealand’s Southland Region Is a Magical Escape
The southernmost end of New Zealand’s South Island can be a bit overlooked – Queenstown to the north tends to draw the visitors. But the green, windswept, grassy cliffs along the blue waters of the moody Foveaux Strait around Invercargill and Bluff are the equal of anywhere.
There’s stunning scenery all along the coastline of a region that’s closer to the South Pole than the equator. And that scenery extends inland, where rolling fields full of cows and sheep give way to native, fern-filled forests. The small towns, among New Zealand’s oldest, and once heavily involved with whaling and gold mining, have an edge-of-the-world feel. The area’s also the spiritual home of cheese rolls, the perfect food to keep the energy levels up.
Stay
The Lands End Hotel’s name is apt for this charming boutique lodging that overlooks Stirling Point near Bluff. This is the very end of State Highway 1 and almost the southernmost spot on the South Island – the lodge looks out on the Foveaux Strait (beyond which is Stewart Island and eventually Antarctica). Part of the thrill here is just being in such a cosy place so far south, especially when rainy, windy storms lash the windows and sloped roof. The five king rooms each have ensuites, and the elegant decor (you’ll see a few chandeliers) gives off grand English country house vibes.
A few minutes up the road in the centre of Bluff, the art deco-inspired Foveaux Hotel is a charming bed and breakfast close to the ferry terminal (for adventures further south on sparsely-populated, wild Stewart Island) and local shops and restaurants (including an excellent fish’n’chip shop next door called Galley Takeaways). Owners Pam and Mike, who go by their first names, are assisted by Oliver the cat – and a ghost named Mary. Possibly a former caretaker, she’s a friendly ghost, with reported encounters involving things like helping clean up spills. She seems to prefer to make her presence known most around a room which…
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