Guide

The Waitutu Forest & Fiordland’s Wild South Coast

Where the Wairaurahiri River meets the sea, the Waitutu Forest runs along Fiordland’s Wild South Coast: the largest remaining tract of unmodified lowland forest in New Zealand, and some of the oldest podocarp forest in the country.

It’s remote, beautiful and rich in history. Here’s what makes it special, and how to get there by jet boat, on foot or by helicopter.

Native Fiordland forest with tree ferns beside a bush stream

The Forest

Ancient forest on the marine terraces

The Waitutu Forest grows on a series of ancient marine terraces, old shorelines lifted above the sea, between the mountains and the coast. Beech, rimu, rata and totara grow thick here, with native orchids and moss-draped trees along the Wairaurahiri.

Waitutu Forest Lodge sits on one of these terraces on the west bank of the river, close to the river mouth: the base for our day trips and overnight stays.

Southern rata blossom above native tree ferns

History

Port Craig & the viaducts

A century ago this was a working coast. Port Craig was a timber town of over 200 people in the 1920s, its sawmill fed by logs hauled along a 14km bush tramway. Four wooden viaducts carried the tramway over deep gullies.

The largest, the Percy Burn Viaduct, is 125 metres long and stands 36 metres above the creek, one of the largest wooden viaducts in the world. The tramway route is now part of the South Coast and Hump Ridge tracks, and the viaduct is a stop on our Heli Jet trip.

October 1928: the collapse. High operating costs and isolation bankrupted the company. The 140 residents were evacuated overnight, and the booming settlement became a ghost town.
November 1930: the final whistle. A ten-month attempt to revive the mill failed under the weight of the Great Depression, and production stopped for good.
1938: mostly demolished. The worker huts and the huge mill buildings were dismantled and salvaged, leaving concrete ruins for the forest to reclaim.

Aerial view of the historic Percy Burn Viaduct

Wildlife

What you might see

Native birds – listen for bellbirds and tūī in the forest, and bird song at every stop.
Hector’s dolphins – often spotted off the coast near Port Craig.
Kea – regular visitors at Teal Bay Hut on Lake Hauroko.
Game and fish – red deer and wild pig in the forest, brown trout in the river and crayfish on the coast (see Hunting & Fishing).

Small native bird perched on the Percy Burn Viaduct railing

Huts & Lodges

Places to stay

Waitutu Forest Lodge – sleeps 21, on the west bank near the river mouth. Book through us.
Wairaurahiri Hut – a DOC hut beside the river, and a popular jet boat pick-up for trampers.
Port Craig School Hut – a former schoolhouse turned 20-bunk DOC hut at the old timber town. Book with DOC.
Teal Bay Hut – a 12-bunk hut on the shore of Lake Hauroko, and one of our drop-off points.

Guests inside the Waitutu Lodge dining room

Getting There

By jet boat, on foot or by air

By jet boat – across Lake Hauroko and down the Wairaurahiri River: the Full Day trip, a night at the lodge, or one-way transport.
On foot – along the South Coast Track from Bluecliffs Beach via Port Craig (walk & jet boat package).
By helicopter – fly in over the Hump Ridge on our Heli Jet trip.

Jet boat loaded with passengers on the Wairaurahiri River

See it for yourself

Get to the Waitutu Forest

The easiest way to the Wild South Coast is by jet boat. Call Roffy on 027 672 4222 to plan a day trip or a night at Waitutu Lodge.

Full Day Trip Stay Overnight