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Friday, May 11, 2018

South Island by the Numbers

This will actually cover both South Island and Stewart/Ulva Islands, as we are too lazy to separate them out. So, here are some interesting statistics about travels through NZ's southern half.

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For an interactive map, visit this link: https://goo.gl/maps/qTYf8yXgF7n

  • Time
    • Time zone:
      • UTC+12:00
      • DOES participates in DST.
    • Day entered: 26-Dec-2017
    • Day left: 21-Apr-2018
    • Total # of days: 116
      • Nights slept in van: 107
      • Nights slept in tent: 3
      • Nights slept in hotel/etc.: 6
      • Nights paying for lodging: 21 (does not include places where purchased passes were used)
  • Distance
    • Driven: ~15,455 km (~9,659.5 miles)
    • Hiked: 424.1 km (290 miles)
      Date Location Description Distance (km) Distance (mi)
      12/27/2017 Nelson Lakes NP Pinchgut & Paddy's tracks 9.4 5.875
      12/28/2017 Nelson Lakes NP Murray Creek Goldfield Tracks 11.7 7.3125
      12/30/2017 Arthur's Pass NP Avalanche & Scotts Tracks 6.2 3.875
      1/1/2018 Cave Stream Scenic Res. Loop Walk 0.9 0.5625
      1/1/2018 Cave Stream Scenic Res. Reserve Lookout 0.11 0.06875
      1/1/2018 Hatarake Conservation Park Mt Sunday Summit 1.5 0.9375
      1/2/2018 Rakaia Gorge Lower Gorge Lookout 3.4 2.125
      1/3/2018 Lake Tekapo Mt John Summit Circuit Track 3 1.875
      1/4/2018 Ruataniwha Conservation Park Ben Ohau Summit 10 6.25
      1/5/2018 Clay Cliffs Walk 0.6 0.375
      1/13/2018 Cullen Point Scenic Res. Lookout 1.1 0.6875
      1/13/2018 Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary Loop Walk 2.5 1.5625
      1/16/2018 Pelorus Bridge Scenic Res. Totara Walk + River Access 1 0.625
      1/17/2018 Pelorus Bridge Scenic Res. Elvy Waterfalls 3.5 2.1875
      1/18/2018 Kaikoura Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway 3.4 2.125
      1/19/2018 Oaro Haumuri Bluff 10 6.25
      1/20/2018 Mt Fyffe Fyffe Track 8 5
      1/22/2018 Lake Sumner Forest Park Hope Kiwi Track 14 8.75
      1/23/2018 Lewis Pass National Res. Lewis Pass Tops Track 5 3.125
      1/25/2018 Goldsborough Goldsborough Track 3.5 2.1875
      1/25/2018 Goldsborough Tunnel Terrace Track 1 0.625
      1/25/2018 Arthur's Pass NP Dobson Nature Walk 1.5 0.9375
      1/26/2018 Cave Stream Scenic Res. Cave Walk 1 0.625
      1/26/2018 Kura Tāwhiti Cons. Area Kura Tāwhiti (Castle Hill) Access 1.4 0.875
      1/27/2018 Mt. Thomas Forest Cons. Park Summit & Wooded Gully Tracks 2.8 1.75
      1/29/2018 Peel Forest Park Scenic Res. Big Tree Walk 0.8 0.5
      2/2/2018 Dunedin Tunnel Beach Walk 2 1.25
      2/2/2018 Catlins Coastal Area Nugget Point/Tokata Lighthouse 1.8 1.125
      2/2/2018 Catlins Coastal Area Jack's Blowhole 1.48 0.925
      2/3/2018 Catlins Rain Forest Park Catlins River Track (Frank Creek to Wallis Stream) 7 4.375
      2/4/2018 Catlins Coastal Area Picnic Point 1.2 0.75
      2/4/2018 Catlins Coastal Area Kings Rock 3.32 2.075
      2/4/2018 Catlins Coastal Area Slope Point 1.6 1
      2/6/2018 Clifdon Caves 0.2 0.125
      2/7/2018 Fiordland NP Lookout Bluff 2.9 1.8125
      2/8/2018 Fiordland NP Mt Burns Tops 5 3.125
      2/9/2018 Fiordland NP Circle Track 6.9 4.3125
      2/11/2018 Mavora Lakes Cons. Park Mavora Walkway 4 2.5
      2/12/2018 Caples Conservation Area Caples Track: Greenstone Car Park to Mid Caples Hut 9 5.625
      2/13/2018 Caples Conservation Area Caples Track: Mid Caples Hut to McKellar Hut 22 13.75
      2/14/2018 Greenstone Cons. Area Greenstone Track: McKellar Hut to Greenstone Hut 18 11.25
      2/15/2018 Greenstone Cons. Area Greenstone Track: Greenstone Hut to Greenstone Car Park 12 7.5
      2/17/2018 Mt Aspiring NP Rob Roy Glacier 10 6.25
      2/18/2018 Mt Aspiring NP Blue Pools Walk 1.5 0.9375
      2/22/2018 Southern Paparoa Range Croesus Track: Smoke-Ho Creek Car Park to Ces Clark Hut 8 5
      2/22/2018 Southern Paparoa Range Croesus Track: Smoke-Ho Creek Car Park to Ces Clark Hut 8 5
      2/23/2018 Southern Paparoa Range Croesus Track: Ces Clark Hut to Moonlight Track 10 6.25
      2/28/2018 Buller Gorge Swingbridge Loop Walk 1.5 0.9375
      2/28/2018 Buller Gorge Swingbridge Forest Gold Walk 1 0.625
      3/1/2018 Cape Foulwind Walkway 3 1.875
      3/2/2018 Kahurangi NP Moria Gate/Mirror Tarn Loop Track 4.1 2.5625
      3/2/2018 Kahurangi NP Oparara Arch Walk 2 1.25
      3/2/2018 Kahurangi NP Box Canyon & Crazy Paving Caves 0.2 0.125
      3/6/2018 Abel Tasman NP Coast Track: Totaranui to Waiharakeke 4.4 2.75
      3/7/2018 Abel Tasman NP Coast Track: Waiharakeke to Onetahuti Bay 5 3.125
      3/8/2018 Abel Tasman NP Coast Track: Onetahuti Bay to Observation Beach 19 11.875
      3/9/2018 Abel Tasman NP Coast Track: Observation Beach to Marahau 10 6.25
      3/11/2018 Paparoa NP Inland Pack Track: Fox River Mouth to Ballroom Overhang 15 9.375
      3/11/2018 Paparoa NP Punakaiki Cavern 0.26 0.1625
      3/11/2018 Paparoa NP Pancake Rocks 1.1 0.6875
      3/12/2018 Hokitika Gorge Scen. Res. Hokitika Gorge Walk 1.3 0.8125
      3/12/2018 Westland Tai Poutini NP Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere Walk 5.4 3.375
      3/13/2018 Westland Tai Poutini NP Ōkārito Wetland Walk 1 0.625
      3/13/2018 Westland Tai Poutini NP Franz Josef Valley Glacier Access 3.88 2.425
      3/13/2018 Westland Tai Poutini NP Fox Glacier River Walk 1.2 0.75
      3/13/2018 Ship Creek Swamp Forest Walk 0.7 0.4375
      3/13/2018 Ship Creek Dune Lake Walk 0.95 0.59375
      3/14/2018 Mount Aspiring NP Haast Pass Lookout Track 1.36 0.85
      3/16/2018 Fiordland NP Borland Nature Walk 1.6 1
      3/17/2018 Fiordland NP Green Lake Walk (lost boots after) 5 3.125
      3/22/2018 Fiordland NP The Chasm 1 0.625
      3/23/2018 Fiordland NP Key Summit 7.24 4.525
      3/23/2018 Fiordland NP Lake Marian 3.96 2.475
      3/24/2018 Fiordland NP Gertrude Saddle 8.6 5.375
      3/26/2018 Oban (Stewart Island) Ackers Point 7.54 4.7125
      3/26/2018 Oban (Stewart Island) Bathing Beach 6 3.75
      3/27/2018 Rakiura NP Ulva Island 4.05 2.53125
      3/28/2018 Mt Aspiring NP Invincible Gold Mine Track 4 2.5
      3/30/2018 Mt Cook NP Blue Lakes Track 0.84 0.525
      3/30/2018 Mt Cook NP Tasman Lake Track 2.84 1.775
      3/30/2018 Mt Cook NP Hooker Valley Track 9.82 6.1375
      4/7/2018 Lewis Pass Lake Daniells Track 16.8 10.5
      4/8/2018 Takaka Hill Hawkes Lookout Track 0.4 0.25
      4/8/2018 Canaan Downs Scen. Res. Harwoods Hole 4.4 2.75
      4/9/2018 Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm Park Farewell Spit Viewpoint 0.2 0.125
      4/9/2018 Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm Park Beach walk 2 1.25
      4/9/2018 Farewell Spit & Puponga Farm Park Wharariki Beach 2 1.25
      4/9/2018 Te Waikoropupū Springs Scen. Res. Te Waikoropupū Springs 0.705 0.440625
      4/10/2018 Kahurangi NP Pupu Hydro Walkway 6.42 4.0125
      4/10/2018 The Grove Scenic Res. Walkway 1 0.625
      4/12/2018 Kahurangi NP Tableland Circuit: Flora Car Park to Salisbury Lodge 14 8.75
      4/13/2018 Kahurangi NP Tableland Circuit: Salisbury Lodge to Mt Arthur Hut via Potholes 10.4 6.5
      4/13/2018 Kahurangi NP Tableland Circuit: Mt Arthur Hut to Flora Car Park 3.6 2.25
      4/15/2018 Marlborough Sounds Cableway Walkway: Glenduan Loop 4.1 2.5625
      4/17/2018 Marlborough Sounds Mt Stokes Track 6 3.75
      4/18/2018 Blumine Island Scen. Res. Oruawairua Track 2 1.25
      4/20/2018 Marfell's Beach Cape Campbell Route 2 1.25
      Totals: 424.1 290
    • Fuel fill-ups: 31
  • Money
    • Total spent: $5,555.80 USD ($7,610.69 NZD) 
      • Consists of the costs of traveling full time in the South Island, Stewart Island, and Ulva Island
      • Does not include gear or van conversion costs
      • Does include 1 ferry crossing
    • Average cost per day: $47.89 USD ($65.61 NZD)
    • Average cost of diesel: $1.238 NZD per liter ($3.420 USD per gallon)
  • National Parks visited: 9
    • Nelson Lakes
    • Arthur's Pass
    • Fiordland
    • Mt Aspiring
    • Kahurangi
    • Abel Tasman
    • Paparoa
    • Westland Tai Poutini
    • Rakiura (Stewart Island)

Interesting observations about the South Island:
  1. Although it is the largest island (more than half of the total landmass), the South Island has less than a quarter of the population, only having about 1.116 million residents.
  2. The population density is about 7.4 /km2 (19.2 /sq mi).
  3. It is the 12 largest island in the world.
  4. It houses 8 of NZ’s 14 national parks, and Stewart Island houses another.
  5. It has all 15 of NZ’s fiords (glacier-carved valleys that run into the sea).
  6. It is also home to the tallest mountain in NZ (39th in the world): Aoraki/Mt Cook (3724m or 12,349ft above sea level).



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