Bluff Regional Information

Bluff is a port town on the southern coast of the South Island, located 30 kilometres south of Invercargill. To journey to Bluff is to visit the southernmost city in New Zealand and the home of the renowned Bluff Oyster. Oystering boats catch the succulent and tasty oysters in the waters of the Foveaux Strait. Bluff oysters are considered a delicacy throughout the nation.

The town has also gained a name through the Paua House, a bungalow home transformed into a paua extravaganza with all exterior walls covered in iridescent paua shells. The house's interior is also decorated extensively with paua shells, ornaments and trinkets. Now a museum, the Paua House was once the home and the creation of Fred and Myrtle Flutey.

At the Bluff Maritime Museum, a wide array of displays and exhibits provide information on whaling, oystering, shipwrecks in the area and the history of Bluff itself. The town is the oldest European settled community anywhere in New Zealand, established in 1824, and was known in its early days as Campbelltown. Beside the museum is the oystering boat the Monica, which can be boarded and explored by visitors.

While in Bluff, many enjoy the various walkways in the area, including a track which takes hikers out to Stirling Point, the southernmost point of the South Island. From there, you can soak up panoramic ocean views and embark on the coastal Foveaux Walk or the shorter Glory Track walk.

From Bluff, visitors can also catch a ferry to Stewart Island, a sanctuary for native birds such as kiwi, kaka, tui and bellbird. The blue penguin, along with the less frequently sighed yellow-eyed penguin, is also seen on the island.

Navigate with our great Bluff map to stay on the right track and find what you're looking for when traveling in the region. While you're on the road, be prepared for all seasons with weather forecasts, reports and current information on Southland weather.

For further information on Bluff, visit the Southland information site.