Glacier Country

No prizes for guessing Glacier Country is so-named because it contains glaciers. Although not as visible nor accessible as they used to be (unless you can afford a helicopter flight), the Franz Josef and/ or Fox glaciers will be on most West Coast tourist itineraries. Lake Matheson is likewise well known to photographers for its famous reflections, but perhaps fewer visitors will seek out Ōkārito Lagoon and Gillespies Beach—both of which we would recommend.

Coordinates

Whataroa area

En route towards Whataroa we stopped at Lake Ianthe/ Matahi—a potential overnight spot (first photo). However, the water level was high enough to have flooded the jetty and this DOC campsite is little more than a small car park—which was well-used by motorists making toilet stops. We drove on.

Another stop in Whataroa township, considered the gateway to Glacier Country, to investigate options for seeing kōtuku/ white herons (known as great egrets in Europe) at the permit-only Waitangiroto Nature Reserve. This is the only nesting site in NZ, but a sign in the tour operator’s window said breeding over and the birds had dispersed. Onward then, past Lake Wahapo (second photo) and down to Lake Mapourika for a brief look, which happened to be hosting a fishing competition (third photo).

Ōkārito Lagoon

We’d arrived at Ōkārito in the rain, but it lifted later in the day to encourage an exploratory walk around the settlement. This contained a number of historic buildings and interesting backyards—as per these examples:

That evening in the rain, and next morning in the sun, we did see more of NZ’s 120–150 kōtuku wading for food on the lagoon. The lagoon reserve is 3,240 hectares and part of a greater wetlands area sitting between the mountains of the Southern Alps and the Tasman Sea:

Franz Josef Glacier

It wouldn’t be Glacier Country without a glacier or two. First up was Franz Josef/ Waiau, a petite tourism-oriented township named for the glacier it keeps getting further from. Glacier and town were named after Emperor Franz Josef of Austria. The Māori name is far more poetic and a lot longer: Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere, literally “the tears of Hine Hukatere” (the avalanche girl, who cried over the death of her lover).

Having arrived late in the day, we had time for a shorter walk only. We took Callery Gorge Walk but it didn’t impress; due to track damage it now ends at a bridge across a small gorge and you can’t make it part of a circular walk (as our topo map had suggested). Not one we’d recommend.

Next morning we enjoyed an easy cycle up the Waiho River to the car park for visiting the glacier. We were somewhat shocked by the diminished extent of Fanz Josef Glacier, as seen from the viewing platform at Sentinel Rock:

The West Coast glaciers used to be touted as being unique in that they extended from the mountains down into rainforest. The walking track continues only a short way beyond Sentinel Rock. As of early 2023, you can’t get any closer than 3km for slightly improved views, as the changing river course has taking out the original tracks. Here’s the view from the current track terminal:

A closer shot confirms the dramatic retreat to alpine regions:

For comparison, here is a photo we took during our previous visit in 2005:

While Franz Josef Glacier is the main event, making a short detour to Peter’s Pool is worthwhile. This kettle lake formed via a gigantic ice block left by the retreating glacier, which then melted into a depression in the debris field:

The engaging Roberts Point Track will get you bit nearer to the glacier (5h return); we made it to Arch Creek before the deteriorating weather made it too slippery to continue safely (and ended the thrum of helicopter rotors):

Fox Glacier

Fox township is even smaller than Franz Josef. Here is Fox Glacier, seen from the first viewpoint along the South Side Walkway/ Cycleway (accessed just after the bridge on the south side of town):

Keep walking further to the extent of the current track for a different angle and better view of Cone Rock (540m) and the extensive/ sinuous debris field:

A zoom shot will bring the steep ice river closer, but it’s still quite some distance away (and somewhat hazy in the drizzle!):

Again, for comparison, here is a photo we took during our previous visit in 2005 (from a viewpoint on the track across the river, which has now closed):

If you didn’t do it on the way out, on the way back take the Moraine Walk detour for a dose of greens (moss galore!); all up it’s about 5km return to/ from the car park.

Lake Matheson

Lake Matheson is a kettle lake created by Fox Glacier; it makes a popular photographic subject, as it’s waters reflect Mt. Cook and Mt. Tasman—when conditions are right! Here are some evening shots from the circuit around the lake: Jetty Viewpoint (first photo), View of Views (second photo), and from Reflection Island (last two photos) as sunset arrives:

We got up at 0630h in the dark and began a hike at 0.5+ degrees to reach Lake Matheson’s viewpoints before sunrise. The following pictures are in reverse order to last night’s. As the morning light colours the sky, both Mt. Tasman (left) and Mt. Cook/ Aoraki (right) can be seen clearly from Reflection Island (first two photos). A flax foreground works well to frame the view from a lakeside position below the View of Views viewpoint (third photo). Further around the lake, we are beginning to thaw and the sun is properly up at Jetty Viewpoint (final photo):

Glacier Lookout

If you continue from Fox township past the Lake Matheson turnoff, soon after Cook Flats Road becomes Gillespies Beach Road, there is a glacier lookout in the form of a stylised waka/ canoe (first photo). The prow points across farmlands towards the Southern Alps:

Here are the views from the lookout, starting with Fox Glacier (first photo), Mt. Tasman, which peaks at 3497m (second photo) and Mt. Cook/ Aoraki, which stands taller at 3724m (third photo):

While you are busy observing, you may find yourself under observation by the locals (kea, or Nestor notabilis, are native alpine parrots):

Gillespies Beach

Gillespies Beach Road is totally fine for a 7.2m coachbuilt motorhome; don’t be put off by the “Unsuitable for campervans” sign! The DOC camp is adjacent to a long pebble beach that is overlooked by the Southern Alps.

There are several trails in the vicinity; we took the one to the seal colony at Galway Beach. The first point of interest was the gold dredge that had seen service from 1932–45 (first photo). From there a pretty-but-loud pebble path (second photo) deposits you on a driftwood-strewn beach (third photo), which you walk along to reach Gillespies Point/ Kōhaihai (final photo). During this part of the walk, with one eye scanning the sea, we were lucky to spot a small pod of Hector’s dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hectori), with their distinct rounded fins).

Gillespies Lagoon (on the Waikowhai Stream) is just inland from Gillespies Point. There’s seating built into the bridge across the lagoon, making it a good place to rest/ eat lunch with great views before continuing the walk:

The track leads on to the Miner’s Tunnel, a short passageway creating a window in the cliff:

After rejoining the main track, you’ll notice it gets rough and wet underfoot from here. There are also several slips to traverse and the odd tannin-rich creek to negotiate:

The track eventually descends onto Galway Beach. No seals were present for our visit, but with a sense of achievement we began the 6km/ 1.5h walk back:

In terms of bird life, we were accompanied on our tramp by yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella; first photo), piwakawaka/ fantail (Rhipidura fuliginosa; second photo) and silvereye (Zosterops lateralis; third photo):

Often heard rather than seen, here’s a sample of the tūī chorus that added ambience to our walk:

Back at camp, the light of golden hour was magic on the Alps (which quickly clouded over to dramatic effect). Some campers lit fires on the beach to ward off the autumn chill, but as the afterglow of a glorious sunset faded, those flames couldn’t arrest the onset of a dark sky illuminated by the stars of the Milky Way and a bright half-moon:

In the morning we were treated to a crisp view of the mountain chain, and another opportunity to ensure we could tell what we were looking at:

Next up, South Westland.

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