Last updated November 2026
This list brings together six walks in Invercargill, Southland and the Catlins for anyone using a wheelchair or pushing a pushchair. Every one is rated by the Department of Conservation (DOC) on its own walk page, from a boardwalk through the Awarua wetlands to a lighthouse on the Catlins coast and a fossil forest at Curio Bay.
DOC’s ratings differ, so each entry says what it is rated for and how far the rating goes. Five are rated for wheelchairs only, and one, the Petrified Forest Walk at Curio Bay, names buggies as well. Several ratings stop at a viewing platform or a waterfall, and we say where.
How We Chose These Walks
A walk made the list only when DOC’s own walk page says it suits wheelchairs or pushchairs, and each entry gives DOC’s words. Where DOC names only wheelchairs, we don’t stretch the rating to pushchairs, and where it rates only part of a track, we say where the rated part ends.
We also looked at Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa’s national tracks data, but a walk needed DOC’s own rating to be included. Conditions change, so check DOC’s page before you go.
East of Invercargill
Waituna Lagoon Boardwalk
DOC says the first part of the Waituna Lagoon Loop Track “is a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk leading to a lookout”, and grades the boardwalk an “Easy access short walk, suitable for wheelchairs”. That rating is for wheelchairs. It starts at the car park at the end of Waghorns Road, 40 km south-east of Invercargill by DOC’s count, and winds through low mānuka and shrubs to a viewing shelter over the lagoon.
DOC gives 500 m and 10 minutes return. The 5 km loop that branches off about 50 m in is not rated. No dogs. DOC names a toilet and picnic table at the car park but doesn’t say if the toilet is accessible. Be prepared for exposed southern coast weather.
Kingswood Bush Scenic Reserve
DOC rates this a “Wheelchair accessible short walk”, a rating for wheelchairs. The 670 m loop takes 20 minutes through mixed podocarp forest, where DOC picks out the birdsong and large tōtara as highlights. DOC’s directions from Invercargill: east on State Highway 1 for 16 km, right onto Flemington Road at Woodlands, then 1.8 km along Woodlands-Morton Mains Road.
The reserve is on the right, with parking on the roadside next to it. DOC doesn’t describe the track surface. Dogs on a leash only. There is a picnic table in the grassy reserve near the track entrance; DOC names no toilet.
Hokonui Hills
Forks Flat Track, to the Waterfall
DOC says “The first section of track to the waterfall is accessible to wheelchairs. Return the same way as track further on is unsuitable for wheelchairs.” The rating is for wheelchairs only. The track follows the Dunsdale stream through mataī and kahikatea.
DOC gives no length to the waterfall; the full loop is 3.6 km. It starts at the Dunsdale camping area, via forestry roads from State Highway 96 east of Winton. There are toilets and water; DOC doesn’t say if the toilets are accessible.
Dogs on a leash only. Southland District Council says: “The Dunsdale Recreation Reserve closes for a period each year from late April until Spring. The reopening is dependent on the weather and ground conditions.”
Catlins
Waipapa Point Coastal Walk
DOC says “The track is suitable for families of all ages including wheelchairs”, a rating for wheelchairs; DOC doesn’t name pushchairs. That covers the track from the car park at the end of Waipapa Otara Road to the lighthouse. DOC doesn’t say whether the 50 m side track to where the lighthouse keepers’ house stood is included.
DOC gives 700 m and 30 minutes return; its description says the track follows the coast before returning slightly inland. No dogs. Sea lions can be aggressive: keep at least 10 m away. Parking is limited. There are toilets, a kiosk and seating; DOC doesn’t say if the toilets are accessible.
Curio Bay Petrified Forest Walk
DOC says “The track is wheelchair/buggy friendly to the viewing platform”, so this walk is rated for wheelchairs and pushchairs, as far as the platform. The short sealed track runs from the roadside parking area through mature flax to a viewing platform over the fossilised remains of an ancient forest, where sign panels explain its history.
DOC gives 150 m and 10 minutes return, back the same way. At low tide you can explore the petrified forest down the steps from the platform, which is beyond the rating.
Curio Bay is signposted from the Southern Scenic Route. No drones at the fossil forest. Yellow-eyed penguins nest around the bay. DOC’s walk page gives no dog rule and names no toilets.
Purakaunui Falls Walk, to the Top Viewing Platform
DOC says the track “is suitable for wheelchair users to the top viewing platform”: a rating for wheelchairs, to that platform only. The track runs through mature beech forest, then beech and podocarp. From the top platform it descends to the view of the three-tiered falls often seen on calendars and postcards, which is not part of the rating.
DOC gives 20 minutes but no distance. Two signposted roads lead off the Papatowai Highway: Purakaunui Falls Road, 6.3 km south of Owaka, or Warnock Road, 10.8 km south. There is a car park, toilets and a picnic area; DOC doesn’t say if the toilets are accessible. Dogs on a leash only.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which walk is rated for pushchairs?
Only the Curio Bay Petrified Forest Walk, which DOC calls “wheelchair/buggy friendly to the viewing platform”. The other five are rated for wheelchairs only.
Do the ratings cover the whole track?
Not always. At Waituna only the boardwalk to the viewing shelter is rated, not the 5 km loop. Forks Flat is rated to the waterfall, Purakaunui Falls to the top viewing platform and Curio Bay to the viewing platform. At Waipapa Point, DOC doesn’t say whether the 50 m side track is included.
Which is the shortest walk?
The Curio Bay Petrified Forest Walk: 150 m and 10 minutes return, by DOC’s figures. The Waituna Lagoon boardwalk is 500 m and also 10 minutes return.
Can I take my dog?
Dogs on a leash only at Kingswood Bush, Forks Flat and Purakaunui Falls. No dogs at Waituna Lagoon or Waipapa Point. DOC’s Curio Bay walk page gives no dog rule.
Are there accessible toilets?
DOC names toilets at the Waituna Lagoon car park, the Dunsdale camping area at Forks Flat, Waipapa Point and Purakaunui Falls, but doesn’t say whether any of them is accessible. It names none at Kingswood Bush or on the Curio Bay walk page.
Is Forks Flat open all year?
No. The track starts in the Dunsdale camping area, and Southland District Council says: “The Dunsdale Recreation Reserve closes for a period each year from late April until Spring. The reopening is dependent on the weather and ground conditions.”
What wildlife might I see on the coast?
DOC says sea lions are found near the Waipapa Point lighthouse and in the coastal tussock, and to stay at least 10 m away. At Curio Bay, Hector’s dolphins play in the surf in summer, yellow-eyed penguins nest nearby, and fur seals and sea lions haul out along the coast.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Department of Conservation: Invercargill area: DOC’s walks around Invercargill, including Kingswood Bush, with track pages and alerts.
- Department of Conservation: Catlins coastal area: DOC’s pages for the Catlins walks, from Waipapa Point to Purakaunui Falls.
- Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa: the Outdoor Access Commission: national maps and guidance on public access to walking tracks.