Day 72 - Saturday 16th March 2024

Awake well before the alarm this morning, I was all packed away and ready to depart well before 08:00 and before I had my weekly video chat with Mum. Multiple checks of the room as usual to ensure that I'd not forgotten anything .... and this time I had. The teabags rescued (can't be leaving them!) and away just after 08:00. A stop off for fuel before leaving town, and then onto State Highway 6 which I'll be following today. 

I have a long list of potential stops, and the first of these was for the Lake Hawea Lookout just a few kilometres up the road. The lookout provided some fantastic views of the lake and the southern alps beyond.

Then onwards to the first waterfall of the day at Neck Creek waterfall; a bit disappointing this one after pulling off the state highway and onto a gravel road for two kilometres. The waterfall was a little way back in a gorge with no way of getting closer.

After rejoining the state highway, the road ran along the side of the top of Lake Wanaka and I stopped off at the Lake Wanaka Lookout where the views were stunning.

Onwards once more, and the targeted locations kept arriving with just a few minutes between. I had planned to stop off at the Blue Pools, but on arrival at the car park there was a notice to say that a swing bridge had reached the end of life and was therefore closed and there was no access to the blue pools. This was a shame as I was looking forward to going there, but just a little up the road was a short hike that made up for it.

I pulled off the side of the road, and the entry onto the dense forest had a sign that said the Haast Pass Lookout was 30 minutes. I was unsure whether this was each way or for the return, but set off. I was surprised by how steep the track was, and soon I'd gained enough altitude to break through the canopy of the forest. Fifteen minutes, and I reached the lookout with provided some great views of the valley after I'd regained my breath.

Back down to the car, the return took 35 minutes and I enjoyed the way up far more than coming down as usual. Next into the Satnav was Fantail Falls, and trouble finding a parking space. The car park is also the start point for a 3 hour hike to a hut, and it was full of people heading off on that. I found a space beside the road a couple of hundred metres along, and I'm so pleased that I did. The waterfall was a good one, and someone had been busy with the rocks with loads placed on top of each other.

The waterfalls just kept coming as I crossed the Southern Alps via the Haast Pass. Next up was Thunder Creek Falls; just a couple of minutes walk from the car park and I was in front of a very impressive waterfall. Down some steps onto the rivers flood plain but this may have been a mistake as the sandflies descended in force. A couple of bites on the hand, so I got the hell out of there rapidly.

Along the road for a few more kilometres, and I'd entered Roaring Billy Falls into the Satnav. I arrived at the location and the car park was coned off and closed. The car in front of me had pulled off the side of the road opposite the car park, so I followed suit and started the walk leading from the car park. About 20 minutes of walking through a beautiful forest bought me to the view of the fall, quite a way across the valley. I picked my way across the pebbles and cobbles to get a better view of the fall, but it turned out that the initial spot provided the best view, albeit from a distance.

The next and final falls of the day was Depot Creek Falls. I spotted this in Google Maps while planning, and I was instructed to leave the road along a short gravel road into a recessed car park that was totally unmarked. I wondered whether I was in the right place, but the comments in Google Maps seemed to match the location. I found a path behind a pile of gravel, and within a minute I was at the falls viewpoint, totally alone. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

As I returned to the car someone else pulled off the road and looked a tad confused, so I asked whether they were after the falls, and pointed them in the right direction when they were. I cannot believe that this waterfall isn't signed in any way, but I'm not complaining as I had it all to myself. 

It was now approaching 13:00, so I keyed my accommodation in Franz Josef into Satnav and discovered that I still had over two hours of driving ahead of me. A stop off at Haast township for a coffee, and a couple of stops at coastal viewpoints which didn't offer much, I arrived in Franz Josef at 15:45, and saw a sign to Franz Josef glacier. 

I think I'm doing this tomorrow as part of a trip, but thought I may as well have a look today in case the weather is horrible tomorrow. Parked up and it's a 30 minute return walk, so I made the trip up to the viewpoint 3 kilometres away from the glacier; the path was closed beyond this as it was too dangerous due to falling rocks. 

Then back to the car and time to check in to my penultimate New Zealand accommodation for two nights. A quick dash back into town for a roast pork belly dinner before returning to base for the evening. It has been a fantastic day, and a little odd in that the majority of things to see were in the first half of the journey.

Don't forget the video Bryan! The week 10 video is now live and can be found here. It's been a week with a couple of epic days, so it's a little longer than usual. I hope you enjoy it.