Attractions
64 Main Road, Whataroa, New Zealand
White Heron Tours
Here, you will be greeted by the extraordinary sight of the country's sole White Heron colony - approximately 50 pairs of these rare and majestic birds, interacting and nesting together in their untouched natural habitat.
Be captivated by the ethereal beauty and grace of the Kōtuku. Witness elaborate plumage displays, endearing courtship rituals, stick gathering, nest building, egg incubation, and chick feeding - all behaviours seen only here, at their Sanctuary and ancestral nesting site, during their breeding season.
Explore the ancient Kahikatea rainforest with its abundant seasonal wonders, and on clear days, take in breathtaking views of Mount Cook, Mount Tasman, and the Southern Alps
31 Cron Street, Franz Josef / Waiau, New Zealand
West Coast Wildlife Center
The West Coast Wildlife Centre is an exciting public-private partnership with the Department of Conservation. It is the official indoor home to the on-demand hatching and incubation programme of the Haast tokoeka and the rowi kiwi. The rowi is found only in the South Okarito Forest near Franz Josef. The Haast tokoeka kiwi inhabits the Haast Range, between the Waiatoto and Arawhata Rivers. These are 2 of the rarest kiwis on the planet!.
Ross, West Coast Region, New Zealand
Ross Goldfields
The Ross Goldfields Information & Heritage Centre is located at the southern end of Aylmer Street and is the one-stop spot for gold mining history and regional information.
You can hire or buy a gold pan and head up to the DOC fossicking area at Jones Creek, where gold was first discovered in 1865, and the creek still glitters.
Or, if time is short or the weather wet, you can pan undercover at the centre where your fortune will be discovered with gold flakes and a bit of Jade to take home.
Explore and Learn with our Ross Goldfields Heritage Trail Quiz. Ask one of our friendly staff in the center about the quiz sheets.
29 Main Rd, Franz Josef / Waiau, New Zealand
Franz Fox Heli Services
Glaciers are one of nature’s most breathtaking spectacles. Fox Glacier and Franz Josef are internationally-renowned glaciers that attract visitors from around the world every year. Fly up over the ice, and see pinnacles, crevasses, seracs, and the deep blue ice of glacier country.