Walking around Oban on Rakiura, Stewart Island
Located on Rakiura, Stewart Island, the township of Oban offers a variety of walking opportunities that showcase the island's stunning natural beauty. This includes an attractive coastline, with a mix of beaches, fishing and other boats, and sections of gorgeous native forest, rich with birds.
Accessing these tracks is straightforward, with most starting points reachable by a short walk along Oban's safe roads. For added convenience, you can rent a bike or a small car to explore the area and save some time connecting tracks.
Named walks include the Golden Mound at the start of the Rakiura Track, Fern Gully and Ryans Creek near the airport, and the Golden Bay and Petersen Hill tracks to the south.
The Ackers Point Track leads to Fisherman Point and the historic Ackers Point Lighthouse, offering scenic views along the way. For those interested in a slightly longer walk, the Horseshoe Point Track connects Bragg Bay to Horseshoe Bay, following a coastal route.
Overall, these walks can be comfortably explored in one to two days and provide a full experience of island life.
Exploring the Rakiura Track
For a longer day walk, consider the first section of the Rakiura Track, one of the NZ Great Walks. This section of the track provides a glimpse of the island's diverse landscapes, including beautiful coastlines, native forests, and abundant birdlife. Keep an eye out for seals basking on the rocks. To reach the start of the Rakiura Track, head to Lee Bay, which is 5 km north of Oban along Horseshoe Bay Road.
How to Get There
Oban is the main settlement on Rakiura and is directly accessible by ferry from Bluff or plane from Invercargill.
There are also mult-day options with the full Rakiura Track loop taking 3 days. For the truly adventurous, there is the challenging North West Circuit. This follows the coast before cutting back across the island to Oban at Mason Bay. It takes seven to ten days, and is famous for its mud!
