Reefton is a fabulous pioneer town that has lost neither its yesteryear charm, nor the spirit of endeavour that, in the 1880s, made it the first town in the southern hemisphere to reticulate its own electricity. Many of the towns' key buildings still date from this era.
Born on gold in the late 1860’s, Reefton has preserved much of the character and charm of it’s historic past and this alone makes for a fascinating visit. The township and the Victoria Conservation Park feature some of the region’s most memorable historic sites.
Reefton township is also situated in the heart of the Victoria Conservation Park (with 180,000 hectares NZ’s largest conservation park) which provides for some of the best back country hikes and walks in the country. The area is known for its diverse beech forests and variety of bird-life including tuis, bellbirds, kea, kaka and parakeets. In some places you can even hear kiwi calling at night!
Maruia Springs is located 50 min to the east, on the Lewis Pass road. It offers quality accommodation, natural thermal pools and a variety of walks.
Pristine rivers and excellent fishing are also a feature of the Lewis Pass area.
Reefton is supported by a wide range of visitor amenities including:
- guided tours
- fishing and hunting
- retail shops
- banking and service stations for motoring needs
- a fine selection of traditional and modern cafes, pubs and dining services
- a wide range of accommodation choices
Reefton/Lewis Pass/Maruia Must Sees
Maruia Springs
Soak away your worries in the natural thermal pools of Mariua Springs. Therapeutic and soothing, hot springs have always been considered medicinal wonders for a variety of ailments, not least ‘driving too much’ or ‘walking too many great scenic tracks’. Less than an hour from Reefton, in the Lewis Pass, the Maruia Valley also offers fantastic fresh water streams for brown trout fly fishing.
Reefton Heritage Walk
The Victoria Conservation Park around Reefton offers a number of walking tracks, however if you’re interested in finding out more about Reefton’s colourful mining history, take the Heritage Walk around the town.
|
REEFTON TO |
HRS |
KMS |
|
Maruia Springs |
0:50 |
59 |
|
Blackball |
0:40 |
51 |
|
Greymouth |
1:05 |
79 |
|
Westport |
1:05 |
77 |
|
Punakaiki (via Westport) |
1:50 |
128 |
|
Hokitika |
1:45 |
199 |
|
Franz Josef |
3:35 |
258 |
|
Haast |
5:30 |
401 |
|
Picton |
4:15 |
276 |
|
Nelson |
3:15 |
212 |
|
Christchurch (via Lewis Pass) |
3:40 |
249 |
|
Queenstown |
9:15 |
640 |
