The West Coast serves up many delights for Mike Yardley as he explores the Buller district.
The brilliance of Buller is amplified in spring, as the sun-splashed countryside and lush pastures positively vibe with the vivid lime greens of new and verdant growth. Like a frisky spring lamb, I was itching to frolic far and wide, while exploring the wonderful West Coast.
Point the car north from Westport and venture over the vast bush-clad heights of the twists and turns of Karamea Bluff, thickly robed in rimu and matai forests.
Untethered from the daily grind, time slows down and nature’s full splendour rules supreme.
Expansive vistas of the pounding Tasman Sea unfurled before me, before I descended into the coastal lowlands of Little Wanganui.
It’s so far north, Karamea’s subtropical maritime climate is warmer and drier than what most Coasters are served up, sharing the same latitude as Nelson.
Relaxed and unhurried Karamea amplifies the sweeping sense of idyllic, blissed-out solitude. A smattering of art and craft studios grace the West Coast’s northernmost settlement, along with a fabulous new marketplace precinct on the main street.
Surrounded by the Kahurangi National Park on three sides, Karamea’s soul-soothing natural landscapes are a trusty font for artistic inspiration.
With some of the oldest known cave systems in the country, the district was once the domain of giant moa and Haast’s eagles.
The local caves at Honeycomb Hill have been a treasure trove of eagle bones. (Guided tours are available.) More Haast’s eagle bones have been salvaged from these caves than anywhere else in New Zealand.
Don’t miss the extraordinary Haast’s eagle sculpture that adorns Waverly St, with it’s three-metre wingspan. This enormous bird had claws as big as a tigers, and could strike its prey with the force of a concrete block dropped from the top of an eight-storey building.
Unveiled two years ago, by iwi and locals in Karamea, the life-sized bronze sculpture of an extinct hōkioi or Haast’s eagle, (the largest eagle in the world prior to its extinction) is considered the spiritual guardian of the Karamea Estuary.
As the warm spring sun blazed down, I took the short drive to the Karamea end of the Heaphy Track.
A sublime little taster of one of our Great Walks can be enjoyed by taking the Nikau Grove walk. Starting from the fabulous swing bridge that guides you over the Kōhaihai River, the 40-minute walk ushers you into a lush, heart-stealing forest of palms, headlined by thousands of Nikau palms. With rigid fronds forming a uniform fluted shape, they’re my all-time favourite New Zealand tree.
An additional spectacular walking option is the two-hour return romp to sun-kissed Scott’s Beach, delivering a splendid taste of the Heaphy track’s coastal section. From the Kōhaihai River, continue over the Kōhaihai Bluff to the first palm-fringed beach. A short side track at the top of the bluff leads you to a sizzling viewpoint.
Karamea locals are particularly excited that the full traverse of the Heaphy Track, one of the country’s Great Walks, is about to reopen after sustaining colossal storm damage in February 2022, destroying three bridges including the Heaphy River bridge. Finally the repairs are nearing completion, with considerable built-in resilience, and the multi-day track will be back in business for Labour weekend. Hut bookings can be made.
Another essential experience to add to the hiking checklist is a rendezvous with the world-acclaimed Ōpārara Basin. Close to the Heaphy Track carpark, McCallum’s Mill Rd is the route you’ll need to take. The 15km-long access road has been receiving a very welcome upgrade. Vehicle access is subject to restrictions while the work continues, particularly on weekdays, so check with the information centre about access – otherwise join a guided tour.
The surrounding karst landscape is mantled in primeval rainforest and is home to a beguiling network of caves and spectacular limestone arches.
From the carpark, an easy 45-minute return leads you to the big-gun attraction, the Ōpārara Arch, New Zealand’s largest natural arch, spanning 200 metres in length and 37 metres in height.
It’s a celestial spectacle, dry and roomy inside, with stalactites and stalagmites. This glorious limestone creation towers above its namesake river, which slinks through its wondrous limestone landscape, wrapped in magnificent podocarp forest, particularly kahikatea trees — the food basket of the forest, prized by native birds for its fruit and seeds. Additional short walks take in the Moria Gate Arch (taking its name from the Lord of the Rings trilogy) and the Box Canyon Caves.
Where to stay? The Last Resort Karamea is a delightful retreat, with an extensive selection of great-value accommodation options, from fully self-contained cottages and en-suite studios to a backpackers dorm. Qualmark-rated and magnificently landscaped with room to roam, the resort edges the banks of the Karamea River. As I was drinking in the expansive views from the mountains to the sea, three gorgeous kererū flapped their wings, flying around me, before frolicking in the resort’s 25 metre-high rimu tree. How very Karamea.
With a fully licensed restaurant, cafe and bar, whether you’re staying in-house or not, definitely tuck into their superb dining, from delicious breakfasts to stylish dinners. How could you possibly say no to a plate
of super-fresh, hyper-local whitebait
fritters, to celebrate the season? Check
out www.lastresortkaramea.co.nz
Strike out on a wonderful escape to the untamed natural wilderness of the West Coast this spring and summer.
For more trip inspiration, head to https://westcoast.co.nz