Last updated November 2026
Behind the Catlins coast, forest rolls back into a complex series of ridges, and much of it lies in Catlins Conservation Park, the Department of Conservation’s inland forest in the Otago and Southland regions.
DOC’s hunting page calls it “a challenging area” of parallel ridges, and describes the wider Catlins hunting area, most of it inside the park, as beech, podocarp and kāmahi-rātā forest with a cool, moist climate.
Camping, hunting, walking and tramping are the activities DOC lists, including an overnight trip along the Catlins River. The inland road ends are reached from the Owaka Valley, while from Invercargill the Southern Scenic Route leads east into the Catlins.
Practical Information
- Location
- Inland Catlins, in the Otago and Southland regions; road ends off Chloris Pass Road (from Owaka Valley Road) and Morris Saddle Road (from Catlins Valley Road)
- Distance from the city
- Reached from Invercargill along the Southern Scenic Route; Owaka is the nearest town to the inland road ends
- Walking times
- Catlins River Track: 5 to 6 hours one way; Wisp Loop Walk: 4 to 5 hours
- Facilities
- Tawanui campsite (DOC, standard, bookings required); picnic area with a toilet at the end of the Wisp Loop Walk
- Fees
- Tawanui campsite: adults $10, children (5–17) $5, infants free, per night
- Managed by
- Department of Conservation (Murihiku / Invercargill Office)
- Status
- Department of Conservation: Catlins Conservation Park page
About Catlins Conservation Park
The shape of the land explains a lot about this park. Across the Catlins as a whole, DOC says the ridges and valleys run northwest to southeast, and that the mainly sandstone hills were lifted and folded about 150 million years ago into a structure known as the Murihiku Syncline.
DOC’s hunting page describes the inland park as dominated by a complex series of parallel ridges, while the hunting area’s coastal blocks are gentler but still heavily forested.
For the Catlins as a whole, DOC says most of the hills are covered in rimu, kāmahi, rātā and silver beech, the largest area of native forest on the east coast of the South Island. The Catlins hunting area, most of which lies inside the conservation park, is described as more than 50,000 hectares of beech, podocarp and kāmahi-rātā forest.
DOC lists bellbirds, kererū, fantails and grey warblers among the forest birds of the Catlins, and says the rare mohua (yellowhead) lives in the hills. The Catlins River Track is one place DOC names for seeing mohua, and rifleman may be seen there too.
In the silver beech at the Tawanui end of the river track, the mistletoe Peraxilla colensoi flowers scarlet in December and January. Goats, pigs and red deer are the animals hunters come for, and kea may turn up too: DOC reminds visitors that kea are endangered and that harming them is illegal.
A Short History of the Catlins
People have used this coast and its forest for a long time. DOC records seasonal Māori camps (kāika) along the coast, especially at Papatowai, and ovens and middens dated from about 1000 to 1700 AD that hold the bones of eight moa species as well as extinct native geese and swans. The town name Owaka means “place of the canoe”.
Whaling bases at Port Molyneux, Tautuku and Waikawa brought the first mixed-race settlements, which later disappeared. The region’s name is a misspelling of Captain Edward Cattlin, who in 1840 bought more than 5,000 square kilometres of land from the Ngāi Tahu chief Tuhawaiki.
Timber followed: DOC says that in 1872 more timber left the Ōwaka River than any other South Island port. The railway from Balclutha reached Owaka in 1896 and its final railhead at Tahakopa in 1915, with sawmills, schools and farms growing up along it.
Main Areas and Road Ends
DOC’s park page invites visitors to stop at the campsite and explore the inland Catlins on a 1 to 2 day tramping track, reached by Chloris Pass Road (off Owaka Valley Road) or Morris Saddle Road (off Catlins Valley Road). Those are the road ends of the Catlins River Track and Tawanui campsite. In brief:
- Catlins River Track: a tramping track, graded Advanced by DOC, between The Wisp (via Chloris Pass Road) and the Tawanui camping ground (via Catlins Valley Road and Morris Saddle Road). DOC allows 5 to 6 hours one way and describes exotic forest giving way to silver beech, with four wire-rope suspension bridges, waterfalls and rapids along the river. Forestry roads give many entry and exit points, so sections can be walked on their own. The 4 to 5 hour Wisp Loop Walk climbs higher and returns on forestry roads.
- Tawanui campsite: an isolated DOC campsite in a clearing beside the Catlins River, reached by narrow gravel road. There are no set sites, you book in advance for your party size, and there is no mobile coverage.
- McLean Falls: a waterfall on the Tautuku River, which DOC places within the conservation park.
Hunting in the Park
DOC manages the Catlins as an open hunting permit area, with goats, pigs and red deer the main animals. Its hunting page notes the climate is cool and moist and the watersheds are especially exposed to wet weather, so plan for rain.
DOC also links guidance on hunting in kea habitat, covering how to keep kea away from campsites and gear and how to reduce their exposure to lead.
Where to Learn More
Department of Conservation: Catlins Conservation Park: park information, access and status. Park information: Crown Copyright: Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai 2026. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Department of Conservation: Catlins coastal area: the landscape, wildlife and history of the wider Catlins, and the Catlins River Track and Tawanui campsite pages.
Department of Conservation: Catlins hunting: the open hunting permit area, terrain and kea guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Catlins Conservation Park?
Inland in the Catlins, in the Otago and Southland regions. DOC gives Chloris Pass Road and Morris Saddle Road, both reached from the Owaka Valley, as the access routes. From Invercargill, the Southern Scenic Route leads into the Catlins.
Who manages the park?
The Department of Conservation. Its Murihiku / Invercargill Office is the contact listed on the park page.
What kind of forest is in the park?
Beech, podocarp and kāmahi-rātā forest. DOC names rimu, kāmahi, rātā and silver beech on the Catlins hills.
Can I camp in the park?
DOC’s Tawanui campsite sits beside the Catlins River at one end of the Catlins River Track. It must be booked in advance, and fees are $10 a night for adults and $5 for children aged 5 to 17.
How long is the Catlins River Track?
DOC allows 5 to 6 hours one way between Tawanui and The Wisp, and lists it as an overnight or multi-night trip.
What birds might I see?
DOC lists bellbirds, kererū, fantails and grey warblers for the Catlins, plus the rare mohua and rifleman along the Catlins River Track.
Can I hunt in the Catlins?
Yes. DOC treats the Catlins as an open hunting permit area for goats, pigs and red deer, and asks hunters to follow its kea guidance.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.