Cape Palliser - Southernmost Point of the North Island

Kia Ora and Howdy! Its Madison with Queen of the South Co. Here to bring you some tips and personal insight on immigrating and living in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Today I want to share some things to do around Cape Palliser, which is the southernmost point on the North Island of New Zealand!

Cape Palliser is roughly 2 hours from Wellington, depending on your starting point. It is located in the Wairarapa Region - home to wine, a fake Stonehenge and James Cameron! Its definitely off the beaten path, with parts of the road at the final stretch being gravel! (4 wheel drive would be handy in some areas, but not a necessity). It's semi-remote with no gas stations or grocery stores, so stock up appropriately in Featherston or Martinborough before heading down!

Here are some highlights from our trip in and around the area which I'll detail below! Other than buying some ice cream at the food truck or a cold drink at the "only bar for miles", all of these were free! 

• Cape Palliser Lighthouse

• The Putangirua Pinnacles (Lord of the Rings film site!)

• Kupe's Sail rock formation 

• Fur Seal Colony

• Fishing tractors in Ngawi 

• Black sand beach

• "The only bar for miles" 

• A "secret" swimming hole and hidden waterfall in the foothills of the Aorangi Ranges

Cape Palliser Lighthouse 

The iconic Cape Palliser Lighthouse. Built in 1897, the beautiful red and white candy striped lighthouse stands around 256 feet above sea level. Although no longer "manned" as of 1986, it is still in use and shines across the Cook Straight every night! 

You can't miss it as its easy to spot and at the very end of the road (as in you can't go any further if you wanted to!). There is a small toilet, but no sink or water fountain. Pro tip - wear a hat with a drawstring or hold onto it at the top! It can get pretty windy!!

You'll get some different numbers on the internet, but there are roughly 250 wooden steps up to the lighthouse platform. Not only is that a lot, but after about half way up, they get steeper! There is railing on both sides and a nice little resting platform, so it's really not too bad if you take it slow (like I didn't). 

Best times to go: Sunrise is going to be a quieter and less crowded. We went in the morning and were the only ones there with the place to ourselves the entire time. However, golden hour is going to afford you some phenomenal views of the sun setting behind the Kaikoura Ranges on the South Island! 

 

Putangirua Pinnacles

The Putangirua Pinnacles are worth the trek to see! They are truly otherworldly and were appropriately featured in the Lord of the Rings films as the Dimholt Road to the Paths of the Dead. The formations are sometimes called "Earth Pillars", "Tent Rocks" or "Hoodoos" and are essentially pillars of eroded earth, topped by a capstone, which protected the weaker, softer layers below. 

There are 3 main tracks to view them. A ridge track, the riverbed track or a loop track.

If you're on the Department of Conservation's website, it might  say that there is no access to the Pinnacles via the riverbed. Don't worry - it has literally said that for years. People still do the track no problem, and you won't get in trouble.  

(You'll come across this a lot in NZ. Sometimes the closed track actually is a big deal, and other times it isn't. Always good to do a little digging around on the internet as to why the trail is closed. Often its as simple as just asking someone leaving the trailhead. It could be just a fallen tree easily scampered over, or an old rock slide impeding a bit of the trial. You can proceed at your own risk, which most of the time is not a risk at all. They just have to put that up as a "CYA" until they can properly fix the trail to safety standards. And it goes without saying but... going on a public trail that is temporarily closed because of a natural hazard is very different than ignoring signs warning to stay off something like a glacier, private property or swimming in protected, sacred waters. Don't do that!)

The riverbed trail is the one that takes you right up to the pinnacles and allows for exploring up close and personal. The trail is a little more strenuous than it might appear on paper. It's not super steep, but it is a gradual uphill climb with a lot of the trail being on unsteady river gravels. Depending on the time of year and weather, the streambed might be completely dry or have rushing water. It is also pretty exposed, and that NZ sun can get HOT. Once up to the pinnacles, they provided us with some shade to rest and eat our snacks. If you wanted, you could definitely spend a fair bit of time traversing around as there's lots to explore (especially if you're into rocks!). 

The ridge track is not super technical, but you'll be puffing from the elevation gain. It is a bit more shaded through, and offers some fantastic views of the pinnacles from above. On a clear day (especially in the winter) you'll be rewarded with a view on your way back to the parking lot of the snow covered Southern Alps across the Cook Straight!

As always in NZ, take a picture of the map at the trail head, brig plenty of water, good walking shoes, UV protective clothing/sunscreen, sunglasses and a good hat!! 

Kupe's Sail

Kupe's Sail is an uplifted geological rock formation that can be viewed easily from the road on your way to and from the lighthouse. "Kupe" is the legendary Polynesian voyager who is often credited in Maori traditions as the first person to discover Aotearoa New Zealand. The rock formation, especially when viewed from the eastern side, is very reminiscent of the sails used on traditional Polynesian boats. All of that rock used to be flat! It's a beautiful reminder of the forces of nature and the shifting plates beneath our feet. GPS coordinates for an area to pull off the road to view: -41.605854, 175.266342

Fur Seal Colony

Cape Pallier is home to the North Island's largest fur seal colony! The seals can be viewed all over the coastal area, but a large concentration can be easily found in the stretch between Kupe's Sail and the lighthouse. Especially the parts where the road is quite a bit higher than the rocks along the shore, giving the seals a protected nook to rest in. We went in early February and got to see lots of babies playing in the water and a few nursing! Its always best to give them plenty of space. Keep a weathered eye out if you're exploring any rocky beach areas! This guy popped up and surprised me, but I was able to just back away to a safe distance. 

Ngawi Fishing Tractors 

Ngawi is home to the worlds highest concentration of tractors... per capita that is haha! They're used to launch the fishing boats and you can't miss them as they are all lined up at the beach right off the road. Ngawi is also home to the Captain's Table Food truck which is one of the few places to get food and drinks in the area! 

Black Sand Beaches

Much of the coast is rocky, but there are a few choice beach spots with beautiful black sand! This picture doesn't do it justice at all, because the water was such a bright blue in person it looked like mouth wash! My only complaint was the sandflies did get a little bad. (I also have a blood type that seems to attract buggies, so hopefully you'll fare better than me!)

When we went, the weather was pretty calm, but this coast line is known for good surfing and pretty powerful waves so take care!

Places to Eat

Your choices of where to eat are slim pickings, but I’ve got you covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Although it's not in Cape Palliser proper, "Land Girl" is on the way in, just a little north in Pirinoa. Even though it would appear to be in the middle of nowhere, this place can get busy! They have a retail store, coffee, food, dessert and very importantly - a toilet! I really liked that they had some healthy, fresh options, a nice outdoor seating area, and a place for the kids to play. 

For dinner, we ate at Cape Palliser Bar and Grill, which proudly proclaims itself as "The only bar for miles!" Even though we were staying at the campground where it's located, I'm glad we made reservations because it was a Friday night and popping! It has indoor seating as well as a lovely outdoor area adjacent to a playground for the kids, and overlooking the breathtaking mountain and ocean scenery! 

As mentioned above, Ngawi also has a food truck: The Captain's Table. They had milk shakes, ice-cream popsicles, coffees, and lots of fried seafood options. We stopped here for a much deserved reward after our long hike out to the waterfall!

Hidden Waterfall and Swimming Hole 

About to take the plunge!

If you do the coastal walk to Stonewall Reserve, then follow the river up into the gully between the foothills, you will find a magical hidden waterfall and swimming hole! 

Getting there: 

It’s roughly 3.2km (2 miles) from the start of the trailhead at the lighthouse carpark to Stonewall Reserve.

It took us about 1.5 hours each way. (You might move faster if you don't have a baby and toddler in tow!)

Here are the GPS coordinates for Stonewall Reserve: -41.603594, 175.327687

Here are the GPS coordinates for the approximate waterfall and swimming hole location: 41°36'03.5"S 

You get there by following a 4-wheeling "paper road" / path that leads to Stonewall reserve (and further on if you fancy, White Rocks). 

Bicycles (including e-bikes), riding horseback and hiking on foot are all welcome! Although public 4-wheel vehicles used to be allowed in, they are now restricted.

On the map, it looks like just one road, however there are actually several weaving 4-wheeler tracks with some veering down by the water, and others up by the hills. We just tried to take the most straight-forward path. You'll be hiking on the flatlands between the hills and the ocean, so you can't get too lost!

Tiny little lighthouse on the edge of the hill in the distance!

You might make some sheep friends along the way!

Early on, be prepared for a wet-foot creek crossing. We were spared as it was bone-dry when we went. 

Although I didn't see any signs marking the Stonewall Reserve, it would be hard to miss! There is an old cobble-stone wall running from the hills down to the beach, and a loud, rushing river that you're going to follow up into the gully just a short distance. You won't need to cross over it if you're just looking for the swimming hole. You'll follow faint path in the grass heading up between the hills, duck though a few scrubby trees, scamper up some boulders, and *harp music* there it is. A gorgeous, cascading double waterfall and clear turquoise-blue water. The boulders were warm, the water ice cold and spots of both sunshine and shade to enjoy. The swimming hole directly under the double waterfall is the deepest part, but there were lots of little nooks and kiddy pools to explore and enjoy. One spot further down from the main pool had a shallow, wide waterfall you could sit under and get a back massage with a view of the ocean!

The the map below shows the private Iwi land in yellow and the public DOC (Department of Conservation) land in white. You are allowed on the land, as long as you're sticking to the general path.

On our way back, we actually ran into the Iwi family that owns it, harvesting kina (sea urchins) and paua (abalone) off the rocky shore! They were very kind and we chatted for a bit about the waterfall and memories of going there to swim as kids. They were so happy we were enjoying the beautiful land and we felt very welcomed!

The kids absolutely loved it!

If you're willing and able, there was a rope for climbing just to the left of the falls

Give me a shout if you have any questions regarding the post or recommendations for the area!

Thanks for reading, y'all!

Make sure to check out Queen of the South Co. for vintage treasures from the wilds of New Zealand!

Cheers!
- Madison