Punakaiki is a small settlement which is located on the rugged west coast of the South Island, and lies between Westport and Greymouth on the scenic ‘Coast Road’, that runs along the edge of the turbulent Tasman Sea. It stands on the southern boundary of the Paparoa National Park which protects a limestone karst area and is known especially for its unusual rock formations, the Punakaiki Pancake Rocks and Blowholes. The tourist village of Punakaiki maintains a Department of Conservation Visitors Centre which supplies information about the Paparoa National Park and its rock formations, and offers a variety of accommodation from camping to hotels plus a cafe, craft shop and parking for visitors.
The west coast is known for its many artistic individuals who have, through their activities, created a region which produces a variety of colourful handmade objects from jewellery, to carving and pottery, much of which is available for purchase in the local craft shops.
The Paparoa National Park is comprised of 30,000 hectares of luxuriant coastal forest, limestone cliffs, canyons, caves and underground streams, and an absolutely spectacular, rugged coastline with wild beaches. Established in 1987, the park is well known for its unusual limestone formations which can be seen at Dolomite Point. These rocky outcrops were created 30 million years ago when lime rich fragments of dead marine creatures were deposited on the seabed and were themselves overlaid by weaker layers of soft mud and clay. Later the seabed was raised by underground activity which created coastal cliffs that have been weathered by the heavy seas, wind and rain. Due to the different hardness of the layers within the rock, erosion has caused the rock to erode at different speeds thus forming this ‘pancake’ style formation. At the bottom of the cliffs, undersea currents have eroded the rock into arches, caves and blowholes which, when conditions are right, force the pounding sea through these holes and fissures causing thundering blasts of water which spurt upwards into huge spouts. Visitors beware that if you visit these blowholes during windy conditions that a strong gust of wind can carry the water from these blowholes long distances and it’s easy to be soaked!!
The area also offers the opportunity to enjoy short walks through virgin rainforest on the Truman Track, and the Pororari River Track that links up with longer trails which connect into the inland track system.
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