Driving Route : Christchurch - Fiordland - Christchurch

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Day 4 : Invercargill to Stewart Island

Travel time is approximate only, based on an average driving speed under normal road conditions.

	Travel Time	Km	(Miles)
Invercargill - Stewart Island	1 hr	72	45
Totals for Day	1 hr	72	45

Invercargill - Stewart Island

72 km (45 miles)
Approximately 1.5 hours
Road Conditions: State Highway/By Sea

Invercargill is Southland's principal centre and the country's southernmost city. It is known for its elegant old department stores and wide, easy-to-navigate streets.

Local food specialties include Bluff Oysters and blue cod. The museum has a tuatara house and an excellent exhibition about New Zealand's subantarctic islands. Take a stroll around the gardens, aviary and duck ponds of Queens Park.

Air and ferry services bridge the gap across Foveaux Strait. The flight to Stewart Island takes only 20 minutes. The ferry trip, which at times can be rough, takes about an hour.

Much of Stewart Island (in Māori, Rakiura) was recently declared New Zealand's newest national park. Visitors come to the island to enjoy nature at its wildest.

Highlights include spotting kiwis on Ocean Beach, walking amidst the birds on Ulva Island and hiking the tracks through the park.

Oban, the only major town, offers a variety of accommodation from hotel rooms to lodge retreats. For a potted history of Stewart Island, visit the local museum.

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Directory Information

Invercargill, Southland:
Accommodation, Attractions and Activities, Tours, Transport, Visitor Information

Stewart Island, Southland:
Accommodation, Attractions and Activities, Tours, Transport, Visitor Information

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