Attractions

Is the 'end of the road' on the West Coast, leading onto the famous Heaphy Track. This is the gateway to Kahurangi National Park, with its unique flora and fauna including the Great Spotted Kiwi and short and long-tailed bats (New Zealand’s only native mammal).Take a leisurely walk through groves of Nikau Palms, embark on a tramping adventure on the famous Heaphy Track or explore the limestone caves and arches of the Oparara Basin.

Is steeped in history and has ever-changing scenery with its rugged beaches, untamed rivers and gentle streams. Historical mining sites in the area include Coaltown; a visit to Coaltown Museum will help you imagine life as it was for New Zealand's pioneering coal miners as you walk through a simulated underground coal mine.

Soaring cliffs and caves typify Westland’s rugged coastline, the best known feature being the 'pancake rocks' and blowholes at Punakaiki. The Pancake Rocks that Punakaiki is famous for, are limestone formations that began forming 30 million years ago, when lime-rich fragme nts of dead marine creatures were deposited on the seabed, then overlaid by weaker layers of soft mud and clay.