Oreti Beach Track

Walking this section

Introduction

Oreti Beach Track - 30.2km

At the eastern end of the bridge on SH99/Palmerston St, continue on to walk the main street of Riverton where you'll find a shop and a handful of cafes.  After 600m you'll take a right on Princess St, which you'll follow for 1km to turn left onto Oreti Beach

About 4 hours (12km) into the journey, walkers need to ford the mouth of Waimatuku Stream. This crossing can be difficult at high tide but is straightforward at mid to low tide. Plan your approach accordingly.

It is then a further 10km walk along the beach to the Dunns Road exit, which becomes visible at a gap in the dunes. There is a power pole here with a streetlight attached. Follow Dunns Road for 7km towards Invercargill and another 2km once Dunns Road becomes Stead Street, which crosses the estuary towards Tweed Street, and the start of Invercargill’s CBD where you'll find accommodation, shops, etc.

The section ends over the road bridge where the Rotary Club’s Stead Street Wharf Walkway begins on the right-hand side.

Getting there

Northern Start: Junction of SH99 Princess Street, Riverton

Southern End: Stead Street, Invercargill

Track conditions

Potential hazards

• Vehicles on road or track
• Tides, waves and rivers – safer at low tide
• River crossings – never cross flooded rivers
• Track exposed to sun, wind or cold
• Weather extremes
• Few water sources

Transport

Invercargill - Getting there/away 

• Invercargill Airport - Flights to all main centres.  Approximate $25 taxi fare from city centre
• Riverton Freight - slack packing for north bounders. If you would like a lighter pack for the walk from Invercargill to Riverton ODF Transport run a truck from Invercargill to Riverton, Monday to Friday, leaving Invercargill each day at 12:30pm. Also the Riverton Freight Van runs from Invercargill to Riverton, Monday to Friday, leaving Invercargill at 10.30am and 3.30pm. Danyon Cleaver,  027 236 9753

Bus options to Dunedin, Te Ānau and Queenstown:

All buses arrive and depart from Tuatara Lodge

• InterCity - P: 03 365 1113 
• Atomic Shuttles - P: 03 349 0697
• Catch a Bus South - www.catchabussouth.com - offer transport options from Invercargill to/from Bluff, Queenstown and Dunedin, 7 days per week, with multiple times to/from Bluff each day. We also offer personalized tours of the idyllic Catlins area, which really is our third “Jewel in the Crown” for Southland, along with Stewart Island and Milford Sound. These are on request with booking in advance.

Accommodation

Riverton

• Maggie Dawson. We have a 7 bed dorm room, 5 double rooms, bathroom and kitchen facilities with coin-operated laundry facilities available, outside smoking/vaping area, barbecue area, off-street parking. Situated on the main Street in Riverton. M: Maggie on 022 329 1564

Invercargill

• Oreti Beach House, Foveaux St, Invercargill (sth end of Oreti Beach) - M: 027 211 7170 - E: beachouse@woosh.co.nz

• Mountaineer Chalet - P: 027 211 7170 - E: mountaineerchalet@gmail.com - Includes: 2 bedroom cottage with kitchen, bathroom, laundry 

• Tuatara Lodge - 30-32 Dee St, Invercargill - P: 03 214 0954 Book online: tuataralodge.co.nz  A registration point for those starting, and celebration/meeting point for those finishing. Art deco building with 26 rooms, shared or private. Sleeps up to78 people. Connected to the Tuatara café/bar and onsite Gadoochi brewery.  Supplier of Te Araroa medals. All busses arrive and depart from the door. Bag storage available for those walking to Bluff and returning to Tuatara.

• Southern Comfort Backpackers (BBH) - 30 Thomson St, Invercargill - P: 03 218 3838 

There are also many other options in all levels of accommodation available within Invercargill.

Food and supplies

Pak N' Save Supermarket - 95 Tay St, Invercargill - P: 03 214 4864 

New World Supermarket - 244 Elles Rd, Invercargill - P: 03 218 6811 

Countdown Supermarket - 172 Tay St, Invercargill - P: 03 218 6716 

Night and Day - 55 Dee st, Invercargill - P:03 422 186