Tautuku Bay

 

Tautuku Bay is minutes away from The Catlins Whistling Frog Cafe and Holiday Park.

Within a short 7 minute drive from the camp site, just some of the many attractions awaiting you include: The Florence Hill, Tautuku Beach Lookout and walk to the “ Spouting Caves”, followed by a walk in the solitude of the spectacularly scenic, five mile long, pristine white sand, of Tautuku Beach will shake off the driving blues.

Here you may encounter one of the large, noisy and reclusive, “Hooker” Sealions or do some beachcombing and find a piece of washed-up ambergris from a passing whale. Alternatively, an easy hike along the well maintained Tautuku Beach walking track will reward you with the song of the native Tui and melodic Bellbird. You will then emerge onto the pristine white sand dunes of the Tautuku Beach ready for a walk in unspoiled solitude.

Next to Tautuku, big wave surfers are often found, in September, surfing the Catlins Skeleton Reef Big Wave. I personally prefer to “Boogy” Board the safe waves at the gently sloping Tautuku Beach! For the not so adventurous, a short walk to Lake Wilkie Interpretive Eco lake, will give a labelled history of this ancient ‘dune lake’ slowly returning to rainforest.

The Tautuku River Estuary “Boardwalk”, which has it’s origins at our own McLean Falls farm, provides an opportunity to see the varied waterfowl, unique water plants and wind-sheared trees unique to this part of the country, while keeping your feet dry! For the more adventurous a Fleming River Kayak trip originating near the campground will provide a gentle scenic trip down to the estuary through enclosing virgin native forest, terminating at the remote estuary at Tautuku Beach near the old Whaling Station. The quiet “Glow worm” Bush walk will cap off a perfect day. The Morepork (little native owls) with their unique call and the occasional chirp of our tiny native bushfrogs will lull you off to sleep.