Invercargill to Dunners?

Invercargill to Dunners?

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Omerta

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

258 months

Thursday 16th August 2012
quotequote all
Any route and interesting stops / detour suggestions for a drive from Invercargill to Dunedin?

A mate and I are heading for the ABs match in Dunedin next month and decided to fly into Invercargill and rent a car to see some local scenery (and avoid the eye watering direct flight prices)

GravelBen

15,914 posts

237 months

Thursday 16th August 2012
quotequote all
There are a fair variety of reasonably interesting routes.

Best option would be heading around the Catlins (go east from Invercargill and follow the coast), that will hit SH1 again at Balclutha. Follow SH1 north a bit from there and if you like gravel turn east at Milton and follow back roads up the coast (take a map!), or if you aren't a gravelbasher then turn east at Waihola, pop over the hill to Taieri Mouth and follow the coast road up to Dunedin from there.

This is a section of the main road through the Catlins: http://vimeo.com/15896697 , heaps of places to stop like Curio bay and McLean Falls:



Also Slope Point if you want a 10min walk to the southernmost point of the mainland.

The most direct way is follow SH1 north to Mataura (boring first half hour) then take the Old Coach Road (nice drive) through to Clinton from there, where you'll be back on SH1 and still have the option of the coastal detour from Milton or Waihola.

Bit more roundabout follow SH1 north to Gore, then north via Tapanui to Raes Junction (or detour over Moa Flat road (Ettrick-Heriot) which is fantastic), from Raes Junction head east through Manuka Gorge to rejoin SH1 at Milton.

Edited by GravelBen on Thursday 16th August 12:11

Omerta

Original Poster:

2,013 posts

258 months

Friday 17th August 2012
quotequote all
Cheers for that Ben. Ive been most places around NZ but never that far south - I really like the idea of hitting the southern tip, and will take in the rest of your suggestions when we plan the trip details. thumbup

GravelBen

15,914 posts

237 months

Friday 17th August 2012
quotequote all
No worries - feel free to flick me a PM if you're gonna be stopping for a beer in Gore.

If you have time to scoot through to Milford Sound its well worthwhile, but it is 3 hours going the other way.

Edited by GravelBen on Friday 17th August 12:08

GravelBen

15,914 posts

237 months

Friday 17th August 2012
quotequote all
The sad geek in me notices a remarkable consistency of posting times... in whatever time zone PH is telling me, 8:06 - 12:03 - 8:16 - 12:03