The Catlins: waterfalls, wildlife and a slow coastal drive

The Catlins is what the South Island coast looks like when nobody has built on it. Rolling farmland drops to forest, then to empty beaches, sea caves and headlands where seals sleep on the rocks. There are no big towns and no big attractions, just a string of short walks and wildlife stops along a quiet road. It is the slow way between Dunedin and Invercargill, and it is worth every extra minute.

This guide covers the route, the waterfalls, the wildlife, the best walks and where to stay. Details are as at November 2026 and come from DOC, the Cathedral Caves operator and NIWA.

The Catlins at a glance

The route

Most people drive the Catlins as part of the Southern Scenic Route, turning off SH1 at Balclutha and rejoining the main roads near Invercargill. Here are the legs on our routing estimates, without stops:

Nugget Point is a short detour from the coast road near the northern end, and the waterfalls and Cathedral Caves sit between Owaka and Curio Bay. Services are spread thinly, so fill up with fuel and buy supplies in Balclutha or Invercargill before you start. The road winds through hills and forest, so allow more time than the distances suggest.

Which direction you drive matters less than the tide. Cathedral Caves only opens around low tide, so check its gate times first and build the rest of the day around them.

Waterfalls

The Catlins forest is full of waterfalls, and two are easy enough for almost anyone.

Purakaunui Falls. The best-known Catlins waterfall is set in native forest a short drive inland from the coast road. DOC rates the walk at 20 minutes and wheelchair accessible, so it is one of the easiest waterfall walks in the south and a good one for families.

McLean Falls. McLean Falls is a little further in: a 2.1 km, 40-minute return walk on DOC’s figures, through forest to the falls. Wear shoes with grip, as forest tracks can be muddy after rain.

Insider tip: look up the Cathedral Caves gate times the night before. The operator posts the coming week’s times on its homepage, and the walking track gate closes an hour before the road gate, so the caves set the timing for your whole day.

Wildlife

The Catlins is one of the best places in New Zealand to see marine wildlife without a tour.

Nugget Point/Tokatā. DOC’s short walks out to the Tokatā lighthouse take 10 to 20 minutes return, with views over the rocky “nuggets” offshore. DOC says to look for seals, penguins and seabirds here.

Curio Bay and Porpoise Bay. DOC says Hector’s dolphins (papakanua) can be seen at Curio and Porpoise bays. From the petrified forest platform, DOC suggests watching for Hector’s dolphins, fur seals, New Zealand sea lions and yellow-eyed penguins. DOC also lists a 20-minute Penguin Walk at Curio Bay.

Watch from a distance, follow signs and barriers, and keep dogs away. Give sea lions and seals plenty of space, and never get between a penguin and the sea.

Walks and caves

Cathedral Caves. At the northern end of Waipati Beach, two sea-formed passages run together for about 200 m and rise up to 30 m high, according to the operator. The caves are 15 km south of Papatowai and 2 km off the highway, then a 1 km walking track down through coastal forest to the beach.

Check the gate times on the morning you go. The walking track gate closes earlier than the road gate, so arrive with time to walk down and back.

Curio Bay petrified forest. DOC’s Petrified Forest Walk is just 150 m, 10 minutes return to a viewing platform and is wheelchair accessible. DOC describes the fossilised remains of an ancient forest here, on the rock platform below the lookout. Combine it with the Penguin Walk and a look along Porpoise Bay for dolphins.

Weather and when to go

The Catlins is cool and changeable all year. NIWA does not publish tables for the Catlins itself, but nearby Invercargill gives a fair idea: January averages a high of 18.7°C and July 9.5°C, with about 1,147 mm of rain a year, spread fairly evenly through the months (NIWA, 1981 to 2010 averages). Pack a warm layer and a rain jacket even in summer.

Summer has the longest days for fitting everything in, and the wildlife stops are good all year. Winter is quiet and moody, but days are short, so plan fewer stops.

A one-day Catlins drive

If you only have one day, this order works from Dunedin, with the walking times from DOC and the caves operator. Swap the order of the middle stops if low tide at Cathedral Caves falls earlier or later.

1. Leave Dunedin early. Drive about 1 hour 10 minutes to Balclutha and turn onto the coast road towards Owaka.
2. Nugget Point/Tokatā. Walk out to the lighthouse, 10 to 20 minutes return, and look down on the seals.
3. Owaka. Stretch your legs in the main village before heading south.
4. Purakaunui Falls. 20 minutes return on an easy, wheelchair-accessible track.
5. Cathedral Caves. Allow about an hour for the 1 km track down to Waipati Beach, the caves and the walk back up, inside the posted gate times.
6. McLean Falls. 40 minutes return.
7. Curio Bay. The petrified forest platform (10 minutes) and the Penguin Walk (20 minutes), then a look for Hector’s dolphins in Porpoise Bay.
8. On to Invercargill. About 80 km and 1 hour 10 minutes.

That is about four hours of walking and looking on top of the driving, so it makes for a long day. If you can, stay the night near Curio Bay or in Owaka and split it in two. You will enjoy the wildlife far more without watching the clock.

Where to stay

Owaka is the main village and the most central base for Nugget Point, the waterfalls and the caves. Papatowai and the Curio Bay area are smaller and closer to the caves, waterfalls and dolphins. You can also do the Catlins as a day trip from Dunedin or Invercargill, but you will spend more time driving.

Beds are limited, so book ahead in summer.

For campervans, our campsites guide and best South Island campsites list explain how to book. Freedom camping is for self-contained vehicles only; check our freedom camping rules before you park outside a campsite.

Linking the Catlins with the rest of the south

The Catlins joins up neatly with Dunedin and Stewart Island. Spend a day or two on the Otago Peninsula first with our things to do in Dunedin guide, drive the Catlins, then continue to Invercargill and Bluff for the ferry to Stewart Island. From Invercargill, Te Anau and Fiordland are the next step west.