Photographing Waterfalls in Southern New Zealand

For years, I’ve read glowing accounts by photographers about New Zealand’s unparalleled landscapes. Iconic locations like Mt. Cook, the Moeraki Boulders, Mt Taranaki, the Wanaka Tree, Milford Sound, and a host of others. Well, this year Anita and I were finally able to visit and I can tell you now: Those reports are not exaggerated. New Zealand was everything I had hoped for.

With that said, my first blog about New Zealand isn’t going to be about any of those world-famous spots. I want to start off with something a bit less ambitious: recounting a half day in which Anita and I saw 5 memorable little waterfalls.

This might seem like an odd choice: none of these waterfalls were huge. There are no Niagara’s or Victoria Falls among them. But they were all gorgeous and set in lush rain-forest like settings. Plus there just aren’t that many places where you can see five decent waterfalls in as many hours.

But maybe the real reason that the day stands out in my memory because it was truly relaxing. Unlike most of our trip which involved hours of driving from one photo spot to another, this morning was relatively laid-back with all the locations pretty close to one another.

The Catlins

These waterfalls are found in the Catlins, which is a charming area at the very bottom south-eastern corner of New Zealand’s South Island. The Catlins are sparsely populated and a bit remote but easily accessible via New Zealand’s main road, SH1(only a little more than an hour south of the well-known city of Dunedin).

Our route took us driving south along the eastern coast of the South Island. If you happen to be coming from the Queenstown area instead, just reverse the sequence of stops/locations below.

But first a little detour…

If you make your way down to the Catlins and you are a photographer worth your salt, there is one location that you have to make time for: the Nugget Point Lighthouse. This is one of New Zealand’s iconic locations, and it lives up to the hype.

It is breathtaking, but the real challenge is crafting an image that doesn’t look like every other photo that’s been taken here (check out the internet and you’ll see what I mean). That pathway you see in the image below is your only access. The ground drops away steeply on either side of it, so photos are usually taken right from the path. The location begs for a drone to provide a unique viewpoint, but unfortunately, they are prohibited here.

There is a steep ridge behind and to the right of the path that can provide an elevated view (like the shot above). To reach it, you have to climb off-trail, and it is honestly a bit sketchy. Everyone’s risk tolerance is different, but no one in their right mind would try it if the ground was wet or there was high wind.

We stayed in a little hotel in Kaka Point, which was an easy 15-minute commute. Once you park, it takes no more than a ten-minute walk down a gravel path to the views shown above.

Back to Waterfalls

After the sunrise shot at Nugget Point, we drove back to Kaka Point, had a leisurely breakfast, and headed off to our first waterfall.

All these waterfalls are easily found on Waze or Google Maps; they are well-signed, and the roads are fine for any type of vehicle. Most of them are right off the Southern Scenic Highway, which cuts east/west across the Catlins.

Purakaunui Falls

Only 19 miles (31km) out of Kaka Point, we arrived at Purakaunui Falls. The five-minute hike wandered through a lush rainforest-like setting that Anita enjoyed every bit as much as the waterfall itself.

Purakaunui is an impressively wide 3-tiered waterfall with a 66′ drop (20M). It has a nice viewing platform that allows for an easy, straight-on shot.

But I particularly liked a spot a bit to the left off the path that allowed for an angled perspective.

We were lucky that the day was overcast, which was great for waterfall photography since it prevented over-exposed ‘hotspots.’

I used a polarizer and took long exposures (8-15 seconds), which gave the water a ‘silky’ look and also transformed drifting leaves into circular whorls.

I thought that my images made from just off the ground (less than 12″) were the most impactful.

Matai & Horseshoe Falls

A mere 12 minutes further down the road and a 7 minute hike was all it took to be standing on the wooden platform in front of Matai Falls.

Horseshoe Falls is on the same trail and only 5 minutes from Matai up a set of steps. It’s a bit smaller, and there aren’t a lot of options here for shooting, but it certainly is worth your time.

One note, we visited in February, which is at the tail end of the New Zealand summer. As you would expect, the water volume was not as intense as it would be earlier in the year when the rivers are full of snowmelt. Photos I’ve seen taken here in winter/spring have much more impressive water flow, but just the same, we certainly weren’t disappointed .

The next waterfall is about 30 minutes away, but right along the way, there is a must-see stop

Tautuku Beach at the Florence Hill Lookout

When you pull out of the Matai parking lot, the road will head south, and in ten minutes or so, you will see the coast on your left. After 6.7 miles (10.8km), you will see a large pullout on the left with a commanding view of the ocean. This is the Florence Hill Lookout. Pull into it and enjoy one of the best views of your trip.

I read a lot of blogs and articles from photographers who have previously explored the area I am going to visit. But none of them had even mentioned this spot. I don’t understand why. That wide, crescent beach, highlighted by big white rollers, is as photogenic as they come. The wildflowers were an added bonus and provided a nice foreground.

McLean Falls

Another 7 miles (12km) down the road, you arrive at McLean Falls (30 minutes from Matai Falls). An easy 15-minute walk got us to what I considered to be the most photogenic waterfall of the day.

McLean is a multi-level fall that is blessed with many dramatically different perspectives. You really should plan on at least an hour to explore and take full photographic advantage of all the potential viewpoints. Apparently, it is a local favorite too, because it certainly had more visitors than the other waterfalls we saw that day.

Koropuku Falls

Koropuku is only 9.5 miles (15.4km) down the road. Unlike the other waterfalls mentioned above, the trail to Koropuku is unofficial and not managed by the government. It is on public land, but for the past 15 years, a couple of locals have maintained the trail, allowing others to experience the falls. Bless them because Antia and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to see it otherwise.

With that said, this short (.2 mile) trail is a bit more primitive than the others we had seen earlier. If it has been raining and you are not sure on your feet, you might think twice about hiking it. But most folks would have no problems; just take your time.

There might not be a lot of different perspectives for photography, but even so, it’s an attractive 60′ (20M) waterfall.

The walk back to the car was memorable. There are few visitors compared to the other falls, and you feel immersed by the intensity of the forest while surrounded by native ferns, trees, and birdsong.

There are at least 140 waterfalls in the Catlins, so there is plenty more to explore if you have the time. But even if you only have a half day available, you will find those hours are well spent.

I’ve published a gallery with a selection of my best images from New Zealand. Check it out by clicking here.

Cheers!
Jeff

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