Wheelchair Holidays : New Zealand

Milford Sound, Icon of New Zealand

Too many years ago my wife chanced upon a photograph of Mitre Peak at Milford Sound, on the South Island of New Zealand. The casual glance became a fascination, and the fascination evolved into a determination to see this striking piece of geology for herself. And so, when it came to planning a trip to the "Land Of The Long White Cloud" Milford was placed at the very top of the list.

As with all plans, there is always a down side, and in this case it was that the region is known for its storms and average rainfall levels of 7m per year! Advertising material for Milford informs one that during a storm on the Sound one can see the waterfalls blowing UP rather than gushing down! We decided to build some fat into our itinerary and allocated three days to the region, believing that at least one would be kind to us. We landed in Christchurch, and drove down through Mt.Cook to Te Anau, our home for the fiordland region.

There are three ways to Milford in Fiordland National Park, by road, by plane and on foot, with over 400 000 people visiting each year. The journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound and return is 240 km and will consume an entire day. The Milford Road is one of New Zealand's great scenic routes and is worthwhile on its own, even if one doesn't go onto the Sound. Started during the Great Depression in 1929, it was not completed until 1953. This was largely due to the challenges posed by the Homer Tunnel, a 1.2km long, 1:10 gradient, unlit, unlined hole through the mountain. The sheltered harbour of Te Anau Downs is the departure point for Milford Track walkers, famous for their mountain reflections the Mirror Lakes are a calm day attraction, Lake Gunn is a wonderful picnic spot, the views of The Divide are breathtaking, as are the Chasm's spectacular waterfalls.

Milford has its own runway and scenic flights lend fresh perspectives to the majestic landforms. It is possible to bus in and fly out. For the more adventurous, guided coral dives can be undertaken, and organised sea kayaking and fishing trips are all possible. Experienced "trampers" will know of the Milford Track, originally commissioned in 1888, it is one of the world's great walks. Maori people arrived here from the Pacific Islands around 1000 years ago. They travelled to Milford overland via the same route the Milford Track now follows to gain access to the bowenite at Anita Bay. Milford Sound is actually a fiord, rather than a sound since the erosive effects of a glacier, not a river, formed it and subsequently flooded by the sea. Some of the smaller side valleys now contain lakes in their basin-like floors and spectacular waterfalls have formed where the overflow of the lake plunges down the sheer wall into the main valley. These 'hanging' valleys are particularly noticeable in the area, such as Sinbad Gulley. The most noticeable of such falls are the Bowen Falls, a sheer 160m drop from a hanging valley in the Darren Range. Mt.Pembroke, at 2000m is one of the highest mountains in Fiordland and is permanently snow-capped and covered by a large thick glacier.

In Milford Sound, the original rocks have been recrystallised in chaotic fashion. Sedimentary rocks containing fossils occur in few places. Gold, iron, copper, bowenite and garnets are found here in mine able quantities. Overlaying the sea water in the fiord is a layer of fresh water, the result of high annual rainfall in Fiordland. This combined with the narrow shape of the fiord cause a phenomenon known as 'Deep Water Emergence'. This creates a similar environment to the deep ocean, but at a much shallower depth in the fiord, allowing visitors the chance to see deep-sea species close up.

The first day dawned misty and cold, but with every kilometre that we neared Milford the sky cleared, until on arrival we were presented with a picture postcard scene of the 1692m Mitre Peak basking in the sun against a clear blue sky. The scale of Milford Sound is truly breathtaking. Untouched and pristine. The sheer cliffs slice down into the waters of the Sound at such acute angles one almost feels they are overhanging the boat. The cliffs do not retain water well, with the result that after a couple of dry days the waterfalls stop running, but even in our glorious weather there were waterfalls around every bend. The angles of the cliff faces allow skippers to bring their boats right up to the rock faces, so close one can fill an outstretched cup with the water showering down from the Stirling Falls 146m above. With such fine conditions we spent the entire 2h30 seated right at the bow! Wild horses couldn't have prized us away! It was dramatic scenery, put into perspective when a visiting ocean liner ventured into the Sound and was dwarfed by the surrounding cliffs.

Fiordland Travel handled our bookings via their website www.fiordlandtravel.co.nz, a fast and efficient booking free of any hassles. Mitre Peak also run cruises on the Sound. In New Zealand try an alternative style of accommodation. "Holiday Parks" is the term used to describe centres that offer facilities ranging from tent space, to campervan, to freestanding en-suite cabins. HAPNZ (www.holidayparks.co.nz) is an umbrella body that brings dozens of them together across the country. A more selective group is Top 10 (www.topparks.co.nz) which sets high standards for its members.

I am permanently confined to a wheelchair through spinal muscular atrophy. My wife and I have repeatedly proved that travelling in a wheelchair is neither daunting, nor limiting, and hope our experiences will be of benefit to others. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require any additional information.

Reproduced with kind permission of Hilton Purvis
P O Box 371,
Noordhoek, 7979,
South Africa.

Wheelchair Holidays : New Zealand