Niagara: Heritage, Waterfalls and Music

In Niagara, the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail and the Niagara Falls Bluegrass & Roots Festival offer two different reasons to visit: a self-guided cultural route and a recurring music event in February. There are also Māngai Piri Falls, the history of river transport, and Niagara Falls Café, with its own produce and gallery.

Plan the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail

The Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail is a 70-kilometre self-guided route through the South Catlins. It connects 13 cultural landmarks between Niagara and Fortrose. You can start at any point along the route and choose your starting point to suit the section you want to explore. Allow at least five hours to explore the entire trail, including short walks and viewpoints.

A trail brochure includes maps, information about the stops and travel tips. It lets you explore the route through its individual cultural landmarks rather than focusing only on the overall distance. The self-guided format and option to start at different points give you a different timeframe from a visit organised around a single event date.

Māngai Piri and the history of river transport

Niagara Falls/Māngai Piri is accessible via a short walking track. The Māori name for the falls refers to lamprey (kana kana): in large numbers, they wriggle their way up the falls and cling to the rocks with their suckers. The meaning of the name therefore connects the falls with the behaviour of these animals.

The history of transport also helps explain Niagara as a place between land and water routes. Settlers brought their wool overland to Niagara, loaded it onto a punt at the falls and transported it downstream to the ships at Waikawa. The river between Niagara and Waikawa became a river transport route for settlers. However, it ended at the falls, which boats could not pass. The falls therefore marked the boundary of this historic water route.

Niagara Falls Café: house-made recipes and gallery

The buildings of Niagara Falls Café have been part of the landscape since 1895. The café bakes its own bread, slices and desserts using its own recipes. It also makes its own sauces and dips. It grows vegetables and smokes fresh salmon from Stewart Island. Meals are prepared using locally sourced, hand-picked ingredients.

The café also has a gallery featuring locally made art, local crafts and regional produce. Alongside food, it showcases art and products from the region.

Bluegrass & Roots Festival in February

The Niagara Falls Bluegrass & Roots Festival takes place every February at Niagara Falls Café. Musicians and bands from Southland and across New Zealand perform at the festival. There are food stalls, a selection of beer and wine, entertainment for children, and plenty of campsites.

For trip planning, the two highlights mainly differ in timing: allow at least five hours to explore the entire trail; the festival takes place every year in February.

Discover more destinations: Dipton, Garston, Mossburn, Otautau, Te Anau Downs, Papatotara, The Key, Stewart Island

For the broader travel overview: Southland District.