Buller District: Coast, Forest and Walking Tracks

In the Buller District, limestone and surf at the Pancake Rocks, forests around Ōpārara Arch and historic mining sites each tell very different stories. There are also long trails through tussock highlands and river flats. The accommodation that suits your trip also depends on whether you want to focus on short nature walks, cycling, a track or cultural history.

The district stretches from Punakaiki in the south to Kahurangi National Park at the northern tip of the West Coast, and includes places such as Karamea and Reefton. Its attractions range from coastal landscapes to forest and mining regions. The following places and trails offer different starting points for planning your trip.

Coastal Walks, Rocks and Wildlife

The Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes Walk leads through a limestone landscape of pancake-shaped rock formations, blowholes and surge pools. The track is open year-round and is suitable for wheelchairs with assistance; check conditions before your visit. The landscape itself shapes the experience: rock formations, water and surf are all along the same walking track.

Nature and history also meet at Cape Foulwind. The seal colony there is home to New Zealand fur seals year-round, known in Māori as kekeno. Information panels along the Cape Foulwind Walkway also tell the stories of Māori history, sea voyages and early explorers. If you enjoy combining landscapes with historical stories, you’ll find both along this named walkway.

Nature takes centre stage in the Ōparara Basin. The protected area is home to the great spotted kiwi and rare short-tailed bats, giant snails, cave spiders and whio, also known as blue ducks. A 1.1-kilometre, easy, family-friendly track leads to Ōpārara Arch through beech and podocarp forests; the Arch is about a 30-minute walk away. This makes it easy to distinguish a short forest walk from the region’s extensive track landscapes.

Vast Landscapes on the Tracks

The Heaphy Track passes over extensive tussock highlands, through lush forests and nikau palm groves, and on to the West Coast. There are six huts and nine campsites along the track. These must be booked well in advance year-round, an important point when planning a trip. Mountain bikes are permitted on the Heaphy Track from 1 May to 30 November. Check current conditions before setting out.

The Old Ghost Road offers a different succession of landscapes: native forest, open tussock highlands, river flats and forgotten valleys in the Buller District. It is a walking and mountain biking trail. Bookings are required for the Lyell Saddle, Ghost Lake, Stern Valley and Specimen Point huts along the Old Ghost Road, which are managed by the Mokihinui Lyell Backcountry Trust. Planning for huts is therefore just as much a part of choosing your trip as deciding whether to travel on foot or by mountain bike.

Cycling and Excursions in the Buller Gorge

The Kawatiri Coastal Trail is a 50-kilometre, family-friendly bike ride. Together with the family-friendly track to Ōpārara Arch, it offers two clearly different options: a 50-kilometre cycling route and a 1.1-kilometre forest walk with an estimated walking time of about 30 minutes. Both routes offer concrete starting points when choosing activities for a shared trip.

The Buller Gorge is a valley about a 40-minute drive from Westport. At Hawks Crag, the road passes through the rock face. Activities in the Buller Gorge include fishing and whitebait fishing. This lets you combine a scenic excursion with riverside activities, without every trip needing to have the same focus.

Mining History and Cultural Insights

In Reefton, the School of Mines and Oddfellows Hall have particular historical significance. Oddfellows Hall was the site of the first installation of electric lighting in a public building in New Zealand. The Denniston Historic Area encompasses the core of the original mining operations and the subsequent mining activities in the Buller District. Both places offer a distinct perspective on mining history.

The Kawatiri Experience Centre and the Pounamu Pathway bring the region’s coal-mining history and Māori heritage to life. In Charleston, Underworld Adventures offers an experience featuring glowworm displays; check in advance whether it is available during your visit. There is a Cometline ride at the Buller Swing Bridge. If you plan these activities, it’s a good idea to check the current details.

When choosing a base for your trip, you can weigh up the different options: short forest walks, coastal landscapes, cycling, river activities or mining history. If you’re planning a trip on the Heaphy Track, you’ll need to book huts and campsites well in advance; bookings are also required for the listed huts along the Old Ghost Road. These specific requirements set track planning apart from shorter walks and excursions to historic places.

Discover more places: Westport, Punakaiki, Charleston, Maruia, Granity, Little Wanganui.

Discover more destinations: Grey District, Greymouth.

Back to the main travel overview: West Coast.