Last month, I covered the trip down from Geraldine to Mossburn overnight then out to Walter Peak Station. So here’s the rest of this epic trip, visiting Mavora Lakes, Milford Sound, Manapouri, Borland Road, Lake Monowai and Lake Hauroko.
After a very enjoyable and scenic drive out to Walter Peak Station, we returned to the Mavora Lakes turnoff.
Turning off the Mount Nicholas Road we are enveloped in dense beech forest. At 1.5km we asrrive at South Mavora Lake outlet with a big swing bridge over it leading to tramping tracks. The bridge gives views up to the head of the lake. The road follows through the trees with the lake visible through the trees to the side. There are camping areas on both sides of the road until North Mavora Lake at 7km.
Continuing, we reach turnaround beside North Mavora Lake. From here, a rough track leads around North Mavora Lake, winding in and out of the bush, sometimes taking to the gravel on the foreshore, heading to two huts – Careys and Boundary. We looked at the camping spots here but decided we would continue to Te Anau.
We booked into the Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park and set up the tent on a non-powered site right up the back surrounded on two sides by native bush and a short walk down to the showers, toilets and kitchen which were on the ends of the single room dormitories. After tea and a walk along the lake front, we settled in for a quiet night’s sleep. Nah! The temperature dropped to about four degrees. Then the possums started to cackle. About 1am we went down to the toilets. When we got back, a meeting was called. I deferred a decision to the morning and pulled the sleeping bag up over my head.
Next morning, we set off for Milford Sound. We did not realise how many tourists there were but we soon found out. They were stopped in their hoards everywhere and there was a stream of rental cars, SUVs, and camper vans on the road to Milford along with endless coaches. At the Eglinton Flats photo spot, there were five coaches stopped and people spread out taking selfies. It was not worth stopping at Mirror Lakes (I could not see any parking) but we did stop by Lake Gunn to catch the reflections in the lake. By the time we came back the wind had got up and there were no reflections. At the Divide, the car park seemed full. We had to stop before Homer Tunnel as there was road works going on to clear rock falls, but I managed to get a photo of the waterfalls coming down the rock face beside the tunnel before the traffic lights changed and we had to move. The tunnel itself was fascinating. Single lane with some strip lighting (you had to put your headlights on before entering the tunnel) and quite a downward slope. I stopped just out of the tunnel to get a photo of the switchback road leading down the valley towards Milford which was tourist-packed.
So much for strolling along the waterfront and enjoying the vista across the sound to Mitre Peak!
We stopped at Tutoko Bridge to have something to eat and a coffee. Several small tour vans stopped, crossing the road to park facing into the traffic, letting tourists off to walk across the old bridge to get photos up the cascading stream before heading off towards Milford. Once through the Homer Tunnel again we did not stop until we got back to Henry Creek campsite. The long drop dunnies at Henry Creek looked like every car and van had stopped there – they were a mess.
When we got back to Te Anau Lakeview Holiday Park, we managed to secure one of the block-booked motel units for the remaining two nights. Small with two bedrooms, each with a double bed and (very) limited room up the sides of the bed. One room you could not fully open the door as it hit the bed! However, it was quiet and warm. The weather packed in and it rained overnight and for the next two days. The expected fine/cloudy weather window of four to five days had shut at three.
Next day we drove to Manapouri and stopped at the Wee Bookshop. It consists of two small huts and a snug, with new and pre-loved books. It is run by Ruth Shaw, author of The Bookseller at the end of the World and Bookshop Dogs who had a book launch recently in Geraldine. Well worth a visit. From here we drove down to Borland Road and out to Borland Lodge and the gateway to South Arm. This road follows the pylons – it was put in to build the transmission line from the Manapouri power scheme. Turning round at the gateway, we went back to Lake Monowai where we had morning smoko off the tailgate. Drizzly rain and a few sandflies so a quick stop. The camping sites were in amongst the trees, gravel based and more suited to camper vans than our sized tent. A quick stop at the Monowai Power Station then off to Clifden and a stop at the historic Clifden Suspension Bridge.
Lilliburn Valley Road out to Lake Hauroko (deepest lake in NZ) travelled through the beech forest and was an interesting road. We stopped at the boat ramp at the end of the road and as soon as we stepped out of the BT-50 the locals arrived. Sandflies. While we had lunch in the shelter there, they swarmed around us, getting in the coffee cups and around the food. Great views across the lake with mist covered hills. Well worth the drive.
Day five was the drive from Te Anau back to Geraldine. It was a lot quicker to pack up a motel than a tent, so we were on the road before 8am. Already the road was busy with tourists heading for Milford. At the public toilets at Mossburn there were seven coaches parked and a queue right across the car park. We counted 42 coaches between Te Anau and Kingston heading for Milford. Queenstown was chaos, AJ Hackett’s bungee car park was full, Lake Pukaki car park was nearly full, there were tourists everywhere.
Glad to get home in Geraldine in time for afternoon tea with no holdups this time. In total 1857km in five days, averaged 10.4l/100km in the BT-50 even with a lot of camping gear on board.
A great trip with some very interesting scenery, spoilt a bit by the excess of people in places.
