Other Activities
Night Sky Tours
On a clear night the starry skies of the West Coast are nothing short of stunning. Come with us and explore the Milky Way and discover the southern constellations. View the planets, nebulae and star clusters through our computerised 260mm Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope, or lie back with a pair of binoculars. With naked eye visibility of magnitude 5 - 6 and over 40,000 celestial objects in our database there’s lots to see. And if you’re a seasoned astronomer away from your scope, bring along your list of celestial objects and use ours. And while you’re star gazing you may be serenaded by great spotted kiwi, morepork or weka calling from nearby rainforest.
Hot tea, coffee or chocolate and a light snack is provided.
Start times: Approximately one hour after sunset on any clear night.
Please contact us for the latest tour times.
Tour duration: Two hours
Maximum tour size: 8 persons
Warm clothing and a hat are recommended. Due to the late starting hour, and the possibility that it may get cold, this tour is not suitable for children younger than 10 years of age.
See our Contact & Bookings page for more details.
Paparoa National Park
If you enjoy natural history then indulge yourself. The Paparoa National Park and its environs provides endless opportunities for broadening your knowledge of geological diversity, landforms, forest types and wildlife.
Whilst the Coast Road between Greymouth and Westport is one of the finest scenic routes in New Zealand, where sandy beaches give way to a wild rocky coastline, towering limestone cliffs and lush sub-tropical rainforest, they are just the frontage to an outstanding karst landscape.
The Park’s lowland geology is dominated by limestone laid down about 30 million years ago when the landform that was to become New Zealand had been reduced to a low lying archipelago. Since then the major rivers have carved their way through the uplifted landscape to create spectacular limestone gorges and a myriad of caves and sinkholes.
If the Westland Petrel whets your interest in birdlife then the lowland forests of the Paparoa National Park are also home to many other fascinating species, such as great spotted kiwi, parakeet, kaka and falcon.
And for the more adventurous a two day tramp will take you into the heart of the rugged Paparoa Range and the solitude of a wilderness experience.
For more information:
PAPAROA NATIONAL PARK
Punakaiki Promotions | www.punakaiki.co.nz
Punakaiki iSite | www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/
WEST COAST iSites
Hokitika | Greymouth | Westport |
BIRDING WEBSITES
The Ornithological Society of New Zealand