Ferry to Stewart Island. It takes an hour to cross Foveaux Strait by ferry from Bluff, south of Invercargill on the South Island, to Stewart Island.
Foveaux Express uses high-speed catamarans, which can seat up to 100 passengers, to cross the strait. Car storage is available at Bluff and there's a connecting bus between Invercargill and Bluff.
Distances. Bluff is 27 kilometres from Invercargill and 20 minutes to a half hour by car. (A bus could take longer.) From Christchurch, Invercargill is some 500 kilometres away, with travel time by road of 5.5 to 8 hours depending on the time of day and how much traffic is on the road.
Flying in. There are daily flights between Invercargill and Stewart Island.
Population. Fewer than 400 people live on the island according to 2001 figures.
Visitor Information Centre. Located on Main Rd, it provides accommodation and other travel information. The Department of Conservation also has walks and tramping information, interpretive displays, hut tickets, maps, conservation products, hunting information, personal locator beacons for hire, storage lockers.
Buses provide transport on the island and offer tours.
General store. The only general store on Stewart Island is Ship to Shore which is open seven days a week and carries a wide variety of personal and travel necessities.
Banking. Full-service banking is not available on the island.
Accommodation. A variety of accommodation types is available.
- Photo courtesy of Tourism Southland, New Zealand
