'''Buller''' district lies to the northern end of the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand.
Regions
Cities
Westport
Other destinations
Karamea - start, or end, of the Heaphy Track
Understand
Buller gets its name from the Buller River that drains the district and flows into the Tasman sea at Westport.
Talk
Get in
Regular flights are scheduled between Westport and a limited number of Centres. At time of writing (Nov 2006) it costs approximately $600 NZD for a return flight between Auckland and Westport.
Get around
See
'''Visit the Buller River Bar'''- Watch the fishing boats come in and enoy the wild seas. Site of a number of accidents.
'''
Cape Foulwind'''- Windy and wild place with rough seas and walking tracks
Do
'''Buller Gorge Swingbridge''' - you can walk across a swing bridge, or go on a flying fox, and on the other side there are nice walks, some to the epicentre of a huge earthquake.
'''Visit the Denniston Incline''' - Drive to the top and marvel at the near vertical rail incline. This is where they used to load up the coal wagons and send them down for processing.
Eat
'''Eating out'''- Classic Kiwi places to eat such as the RSA and Workingmens club. Quality food available at a number of restaurants. One of note is located at Cape Foulwind.
Drink
'''Lots of pubs in Palmerston St'''- This is the main road of Westport. Try a pub crawl with a pint at each.
Sleep
Wangapeka Backpackers Retreat/Farmstay. angapeka Valley Road, Little Wanganui. pproximately 1 hour north of Westport; turn right off the main road to Karamea and follow the Backpacker/Farmstay blue signs. 4 3 7826 663. tawhai@wangapeka.co.nz. 20 dorm, $35 farmstay single, $55 farmstay double. ttp://www.wangapeka.co.nz/. Set in 40 acres of rainforest and 20 acres of farmland, this is a small and personal family-run backpacker farmstay at the start of the Wangapeka Track and close to the Heaphy Track. Facilities are shared with the family, and meals are available on request.
Stay safe
Get out