We left Surat Bay with the morning sun already bouncing off the bonnet, the air warm and still, and that sense that something special was coming. The Catlins were calling.
The road curled and climbed until the coastline opened out and bam there it was. Nugget Point Lighthouse.
A tiny white tower clinging to the edge of a cliff, surrounded by the bluest ocean you can imagine. It’s one of those spots that steals your breath before you even realise you’ve stopped talking.
Sea lions barked and grunted far below, tiny black specks dotting the rocks. The path wound along the ridge, every step revealing another impossible view jagged islands, turquoise water, and that little lighthouse standing proud like it was guarding the end of the world. Honestly, I’ve never seen anything quite like it.
The weather couldn’t have been kinder: twenty degrees, no wind, and pure sunshine. We stood there a while, soaking it all in. The girls leaned on the railing wide-eyed, and for a few minutes the whole world felt perfectly still.
💦 Purakaunui Falls
From there we headed inland to Purakaunui Falls, hidden deep in a patch of lush forest that feels straight out of a fairy tale. The sign at the start said track closed a tree had come down in the wind but everyone was walking around it safely, and we weren’t about to miss it.
And wow. Layers of white water spilled over black rock in perfect rhythm, framed by moss and silver ferns. It’s one of those waterfalls that hums with energy, the kind that makes you grin like a kid. Georgia said it looked like “a wedding cake made of water,” and honestly, she wasn’t wrong.
🧰 Roadside Kindness
Back at the car park, the day threw us a curveball. Two young travellers had a flat tyrespare wheel, but no jack or iron. We decided to hang back just in case. Lunch came out, Dotty munched her sandwiches, and we watched as cars passed without stopping.
Eventually a local farmer rolled in, gave a friendly wave, and said, “Give me ten minutes.” He came back with a full socket set, and between his tools and our jack, the wheel was swapped in no time. Everyone smiling, everyone grateful. One of those small, good-hearted Kiwi moments that remind you why you love the road.
🌊 Jack’s Blowhole & Beach
Recharged, we drove on to Jack’s Blowhole a 55-metre-deep natural sinkhole hidden 200 metres inland from the sea. The walk across the farmland was gentle, but the view at the end hit like a thunderclap. You stand at the fenced edge staring into the earth while the ocean roars somewhere beneath your feet. Each surge sends a hollow boom echoing through the cliffs, like the heartbeat of the coast itself.
On the way, we met an elderly gentleman who shared the story behind Surat Bay’s name. His great-grandmother had been on the immigrant ship Surat, which struck the rocks on New Year’s Day 1874 after, as he put it with a grin, “the crew celebrated a bit too early with the rum.” No lives were lost, and his family had lived in the area ever since. It was one of those magical roadside encounters you never plan but never forget.
We ended the day at Jack’s Beach, soft sand underfoot and the wind curling off the sea. Ali and Georgia did wheelbarrows across the beach while Dotty dug with her hands, laughing every time the sand slipped through her fingers oh and a sea lion was just sleeping on the grass!
🍟 Evening in Owaka
We finished in Owaka, a small town with a surprisingly brilliant playground and an even better fish-and-chip shop. Veggie burgers, jacket spuds, and golden chips eaten on a wooden bench back at camp the perfect way to end a big day.
We’d set out planning to take it easy, but the Catlins had other ideas. By sunset, we’d seen world-class scenery, lent a hand, met a local legend, and watched the girls run wild on yet another empty New Zealand beach. Days like this remind you why you travel because even when plans go sideways, the story just gets better
About the Author
