Mike Yardley: South Westland's World Heritage wilderness

"One of my favourite Kiwi road trips can be mistaken as an unsung feeder route in South Westland, stitching the West Coast’s Glacier Country to the glittery allure of Wanaka and Queenstown.

Rushing is the problem. Anyone who races through the ravishing Haast Pass Highway is unwittingly short-changing themselves. Set aside the time to devour its epic glories. As the last mountain pass to be constructed over the Southern Alps and only fully chip-sealed in 1995, this 140km-long panoramic alpine pass still exudes a “final frontier” sense of escapism as it threads its way through South Westland’s primeval forests.

The route had long been used by Māori warriors and greenstone (pounamu) gatherers, as they traversed the Main Divide."

Read Mike's full article here.

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