Southern Scenic Route

A U-shaped, signposted touring route across the lower South Island, stitched together from state highways and quieter local roads.

Time to Drive: Allow at least several days if you want to include detours and short walks, rather than just linking the endpoints.

Best Time to Go: Late spring to early autumn is the easiest window for settled weather. Outside summer, expect shorter days and more changeable conditions, especially on coastal sections.

Getting there: Most people start in Queenstown (major visitor hub and flight connections) and finish in Dunedin. The route is designed to be followed in either direction, using the Southern Scenic Route road signs.

Costs: Budget for fuel, accommodation and food in small towns where options can be limited. There are no tolls noted on the route itself.

Road conditions: A mix of state highway and secondary roads - generally straightforward, but some stretches are narrow and slower with coastal exposure and variable surfaces, particularly through The Catlins and on the back roads approaching Dunedin.

The Southern Scenic Route links Queenstown to Dunedin, initially tracking State Highway 6 along the southern edge of Lake Wakatipu before turning west to skirt the eastern boundary of Fiordland National Park. From there it reaches the coast at Te Waewae Bay and swings east through Southland towns, then on to the forests and rugged shoreline of The Catlins.

It is also a piece of modern New Zealand road-tripping history. The concept was devised by Tuatapere residents John Fraser and Les Hutchins in November 1985, confirmed at a public meeting in January 1986, and officially opened on 6 November 1988 (initially between Te Anau and Balclutha). The route was extended to Dunedin in 1998 and to Queenstown in 2010.

The appeal is the variety packed into one signposted drive: lake country, the edge of a national park, quiet beaches and small settlements. In 2008, an Australian travel magazine called it “one of the world’s great undiscovered drives”, and in many sections it still feels that way because you are often on secondary roads rather than a single famous highway.

• Queenstown to Te Anau (via State Highway 6 and Lake Wakatipu) - Follow the signed route along the southern coast of Lake Wakatipu before heading toward Te Anau, a practical base for nearby scenic roads.
• Te Anau to Manapouri (short detour leg) - A worthwhile side run to see another edge-of-Fiordland National Park lake setting before continuing the main route.
• Manapouri to Tuatapere (skirting Fiordland National Park) - The route runs along the park’s eastern boundary; expect a quieter, more rural feel as you near Southland’s western settlements.
• Tuatapere to Te Waewae Bay (coast reached) - This is where the drive meets the sea and the character changes to exposed coastal landscapes.
• Te Waewae Bay to Riverton (via Orepuki, Colac Bay) - Follow the coast east through small beach towns, with frequent short stops for sea views.
• Riverton to Invercargill (via Lorneville and a short stretch of State Highway 6) - Rejoin the state highway network near Lorneville and run south into the region’s main city.
• Invercargill to Fortrose - Head east out of Invercargill as the route turns toward the more remote roads leading into The Catlins.
• Fortrose to Owaka (through The Catlins) - One of the signature legs: slower, more winding local roads through forest and coastline.
• Owaka to Balclutha - Leave the Catlins hinterland and roll into Balclutha, a key junction town on the original 1988 route.
• Balclutha to Milton to Lake Waihola (via State Highway 1) - The Southern Scenic Route uses State Highway 1 here rather than the rugged, poorer roading coastal alternative via Kaitangata.
• Lake Waihola to Taieri Mouth (via Otago Coast Forest) - Turn off the highway at Waihola and climb through Otago Coast Forest before dropping back to the sea.
• Taieri Mouth to Dunedin (via Brighton, Green Island and ending at Caversham) - Follow secondary roads along the coast and suburbs, finishing where the route meets State Highway 1 again at Caversham.

The easiest seasons are the warmer months when daylight is longer and road conditions are more predictable. Coastal Southland and The Catlins can be exposed to fast-changing weather at any time of year, so allow slack in your schedule for slower roads and photo stops.

In cooler months, expect shorter days and more frequent wet or windy stretches, particularly around Te Waewae Bay and the Catlins back roads. If you plan to add side trips around Fiordland National Park, build in extra time for weather delays.

The usual start is Queenstown, with flights and services geared to visitors, and the signed route begins by following State Highway 6 along Lake Wakatipu. Many travellers finish in Dunedin, where the Southern Scenic Route ends at Caversham when it meets State Highway 1 again.

Car hire is straightforward in both Queenstown and Dunedin. Most people drive west to east (ending in Dunedin) to build from alpine lake scenery into the Catlins coast and then into a larger city, but the route is signposted and works in either direction.

No special permit is needed to drive the Southern Scenic Route itself. It is made up of public roads including stretches of State Highway 6 and State Highway 1 as well as secondary roads.

Plan for normal New Zealand driving rules and rural conditions: keep fuel topped up between larger towns (notably between Invercargill and Balclutha via The Catlins), and expect slower speeds on narrow, winding sections. No tolls are noted on the route as described.

For convenient overnight bases, consider Te Anau (good for access to the Fiordland edge), Invercargill (largest centre on the southern leg), and Catlins towns such as Owaka for a quieter stop between the coast and Balclutha. On the eastern end, Dunedin has the widest range of accommodation.

Because several stretches run through small settlements (for example around Te Waewae Bay and through The Catlins), it is sensible to book ahead in peak summer when options can fill quickly, especially if you want specific types of lodging or need campervan-friendly sites.