Papatotara: Discover Coastal Tracks and Port Craig

Both the South Coast Track and the Hump Ridge Track begin at Rarakau Car Park in Papatotara. Nearby is Port Craig, with its historic sawmill site. So planning your trip is not just about coastal scenery, but also about whether you want to focus on a single section or a multi-day hike.

Coastal walks with different levels of difficulty

The South Coast Track follows Fiordland’s rugged south coast to Port Craig and on to the more remote Big River. From Rarakau Car Park, it crosses several swing bridges and passes beaches and headlands on the way to Blowholes Beach. Its first section, to Port Craig School Hut, is 20 km long and takes seven hours. It is considered an easy, family-friendly walk and can be done as an overnight trip.

Access to Blowholes Beach on the South Coast Track is possible only at low tide; check the tides for your planned outing. The sections beyond Port Craig require good to above-average fitness and strong backcountry experience, including navigation and survival skills. This makes them very different from the first section, which is rated as family-friendly.

The Hump Ridge Track is on a different scale: this three-day loop track also starts at Rarakau Car Park and follows the coast of Te Waewae Bay. On the first day, the 22 km section leads from the car park to Okaka Lodge and takes six to eight hours to walk. The Hump Ridge Track requires moderate to high fitness. It is best suited to people with experience of multi-day hikes in New Zealand.

The distances for the first South Coast Track section and the first day of the Hump Ridge Track are similar, but the demands differ: one is described as easy and family-friendly, while the Hump Ridge Track requires fitness and experience with multi-day hikes. Tides should be considered on the coastal sections of the Hump Ridge Track. Also check the latest track updates and conditions before setting out.

Port Craig: traces of the timber industry

Port Craig is an archaeological site and New Zealand’s most complete surviving sawmill complex. Preserved features include old wharf piles, a baker’s oven, the first sawmill, the chassis of a Lidgerwood cable winch and a Priestman crane at the wharf. Port Craig School is now a DOC hut; visitors can stay overnight and take a 20-minute self-guided walk. The information panels and walk can offer insights into the history of the timber industry in the region. A short interpretive walk from Port Craig Lodge also loops around the historic sawmill site.

The tracks themselves also preserve traces of working history: the South Coast Track follows an old logging tramway for 15 km before reaching the Sandhill and Percy Burn viaducts. The Hump Ridge Track also crosses historic timber viaducts. Nearby, the Hump Ridge is made up of sandstone, siltstone and conglomerates of Tertiary age—another perspective on the landscape these routes cross.

Choose accommodation to suit your hiking plans

If you are looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Papatotara, your planned hiking itinerary can offer a practical guide. An easier, family-friendly section with time to explore Port Craig’s history calls for a different focus than the three-day Hump Ridge loop, which requires a higher level of fitness.

Explore more destinations: Stewart Island, Athol, Garston, Otautau, The Key, Monowai, Te Anau Downs, Niagara

For the broader travel overview: Southland District.