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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 75

Physical Description

Physical Description.

The country generally is mountainous, the highest land being to the north-west, and culminating in Mount Aspiring, 9,960 ft. above the level of the sea.

The west coast mountains are remarkably rugged and grand; and of the thirteen sounds that pierce this coast, three are within the limits of the Otago Land District, the remaining ten being on the west coast of the Southland District. These three are Milford Sound, Bligh Sound, and George Sound. Milford Sound, though only eight miles in length, contains some of the grandest scenery in the world; and fourteen miles inland from its head is the great Sutherland Waterfall, 1904 ft. high, possibly the highest waterfall known. Bligh Sound is smaller than Milford, and not nearly so interesting; but George Sound is larger, and very picturesque.

A tourist track has been opened from the head of Te Anau Lake to Milford found, and a practicable route has also been discovered, and a track formed, from the north-west arm of the middle fiord of Te Anau Lake to the head of George Sound.

Te Anan Track.—A guide works on this track from December to April. He carries a fortnightly mail between Lake Te Anau and Milford Sound, and also meets each trip of the "Tarawera." There is ample accommodation for tourists who wish to make the journey in short stages, as there are huts erected at six different places on the track.

For nearly one hundred miles inland from the west coast the country is very mountainous, but at a distance of sixty or seventy miles from the south-east coastline it begins to get gradually lower, taking the form of rolling hills and downs along the sea-shore.