Bluff is a small port town and the southernmost town on the South Island of New Zealand. It is 30 km south of the city of Invercargill.
Get in
By car
It's a 20–30 minute drive from Invercargill.
By boat
Stewart Island Experience runs a scheduled passenger ferry service from Stewart Island, with 2-4 departures per day. They run buses from Invercargill to connect with their ferries.
Get around
Bluff is a small place. Find a place to park along the main street or at the viewpoint at the south end of town and walk.
See
- Good views can be had from lookoff hill, a short drive or hike up from the main street in town. On a clear day, you can see Stewart Island as well as a couple of other minor islands off the south coast.
- Bluff Maritime Museum, 241 Foreshore Road. M-F 10:00 - 16:30, S-S 13:00 -17:00. Museum about whaling and oyster fishing, featuring the oyster boat Monica which was in use from 1909-1998. $3.
Do
Hike the coastal walkway from the parking area and viewpoint at the south end of town around the southern point.
Buy
- Four Square, 54 Gore Street (near the Stewart Island ferry ferminal). Mon - Fri: 7:00am – 7:00pm, Sat: 8:00am – 7:00pm, Sun: 9:00am – 7:00pm. Small supermarket (if you are going to Stewart Island, the Four Square on the island is a similar size).
Eat
Bluff's famous oysters - if you visit at the right time of year!
Drink
Sleep
Connect
Go next
- Stewart Island, most of which is a conservation area, is accessible by ferry. The trip takes an hour and can be very rough if the wind is strong, which it often is. There are many hikes on the island and the chance to see kiwis (the bird, that is) because they can be seen during daylight hours here.
Routes through Bluff |
Invercargill ← | N S | → END |