21-600: The Ballroom Overhang is a large limestone outcrop on the Fox River in Paparoa National Park , in the Buller District of New Zealand. The Ballroom Overhang provides a sheltered place for resting or overnight camping. The overhang is 10 m (33 ft) at its highest point, 100 m (330 ft) long, and 30 m (98 ft) at its widest point. In suitable conditions, the 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) hike to
42-547: A bend in the river. There is a formed track downstream from the confluence with Dilemma Creek, on the true left of the Fox River. The track follows the gorge for 2 km, with some climbs around bluffs. There is a river crossing where the route moves to the true right of the Fox River. The route from this point follows the Fox River Caves Track. These caves were closed following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake because of
63-520: A large number of fallen trees. The storm caused widespread damage and led to the closure of parts of the Inland Pack Track for two years. Regeneration can be seen occurring in clearings left from the storm damage. The remaining part of this section of the track includes mature rimus and many ferns. As the track approaches the flat land of the former Bullock Creek Farm, there is a side trail of 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) to Cave Creek / Kotihotiho and
84-444: A ridge between Bullock Creek and the catchments of the Fox River and then descends to Fossil Creek. The route follows Fossil Creek downstream, and there is no formed path. The route then goes along Dilemma Creek, known for its forested limestone canyon, before meeting the junction of Dilemma Creek with the Fox River. After the widespread damage caused by Cyclone Ita in 2014, the section of the track between Bullock Creek and Fox River
105-527: A round trip of about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) that takes around 3 hours. From the junction of the Pororari River track and the Inland Pack Track, the route continues to the Lower Pororari Swing Bridge, where the shared-use ends. The remaining sections of the Inland Pack Track are for walkers only. The section of track to Bullock Creek was badly damaged during Cyclone Ita in 2014, with
126-705: Is a trail in the Paparoa National Park on West Coast of New Zealand. The full length of the trail commences at the Punakaiki River in the south, and ends at the mouth of the Fox River in the north. It takes two or three days to complete the track. There was no formed road along the Punakaiki coast until the late 1920s. Early European explorers navigating the coast encountered sheer cliffs at Te Miko, navigable only by climbing ladders totalling 46 feet high (or so Haast estimated) made of harakeke and rotting rātā vine . Charles Heaphy noted in 1846 that "…as several of
147-533: Is dual-use – shared between walkers and mountain bikers, and serves as the northern entry or exit point of the Paparoa Track . From the bridge across the Punakaiki River, the track climbs over a low saddle passing through mixed broadleaf forest before dropping into the Pororari River valley. Walkers who take the track down the Pororari River back to Punakaiki from this point will complete the "Punakaiki loop",
168-586: The Paparoa Range near Mount Dewar and flows north-west through the Paparoa National Park to the Tasman Sea at Woodpecker Bay . The river passes through a spectacular gorge. The northern branch of the river has limestone caves containing stalactite and stalagmite formations. The river was named after Bill Fox , a gold prospector. The Māori name Potikohua, comes from poti, a cooking basket, and kohua, steaming oven. The Fox River has its origins high in
189-681: The 12 km (7.5 mi) hike to the Ballroom Overhang and back can be made as return day trip from State Highway 6 . The Ballroom Overhang can be reached from the Inland Pack Track , and is approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) upstream from the junction of Fox River and Dilemma Creek. This part of the route requires several river crossings and has been classified by the Department of Conservation as an advanced tramping track. The Fox River caves, situated 3.7 km (2.3 mi) up from
210-441: The Ballroom Overhang and back can be made as return day trip from the coast road. However, it involves multiple river crossings, and these are likely to be impassable during or after heavy rain. The route to the Ballroom Overhang is classified as an advanced tramping track by the Department of Conservation . The Ballroom Overhang can be reached from the Inland Pack Track , and is approximately 500 metres (1,600 ft) upstream from
231-483: The Fox River carpark, were an early tourist attraction in the area. The caves were receiving visitors in guided tours from around 1900. The caves have been well known for their stalactite formations. Following the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake , the Department of Conservation closed the Fox River caves because of the discovery of a large rockfall over the cave entrance. Inland Pack Track The Inland Pack Track
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#1732875829273252-734: The Paparoa Range, and flows in a north-west direction through the limestone syncline. The river passes through deep limestone canyons on its way to the coast. One of the main tributaries is Dilemma Creek. The river valley is characterised by limestone escarpments, with steep sloping faces beneath. The forest type on these slopes is variable in height and composition. Common species include the nīkau palm ( Rhopalostylis sapida ), and tree ferns (especially mamaku ( Sphaeropteris medullaris ), pigeonwood ( Hedycarya arborea ), māhoe ( Melicytus ramiflorus ), kamahi ( Weinmannia racemosa ), and hīnau ( Elaeocarpus dentatus ), but nīkau and mamaku are often
273-432: The Punakaiki River in the south, and the mouth of the Fox River in the north. It takes two or three days to complete the track. The Ballroom Overhang is a large limestone outcrop on the Fox River that provides a sheltered place for resting or overnight camping. The overhang is 10 m (33 ft) at its highest point, 100 m (330 ft) long, and 30 m (98 ft) at its widest point. In suitable conditions,
294-525: The chains instead, or jammed sticks into the links. The cliffs and headlands between Fox River and the Punakaiki River were the greatest obstacles to travel, and many miners died as a result of falls, or from drowning. To mitigate the on-going risks, the Nelson Provincial Council arranged for the construction of the Inland Pack Track in January-February 1867. The route was not popular with
315-462: The diggers, because it involved many river crossings, it was difficult to travel along valley floors and proved time-consuming for the diggers and their laden pack horses. The track eventually fell into disrepair. The trail commences from the south at Waipori Road, where there is a suspension bridge across the Punakaiki River. The section of the trail from the Punakaiki River to the Pororari River
336-503: The junction of Fox River and Dilemma Creek. This part of the route requires several river crossings. [REDACTED] Media related to Ballroom Overhang at Wikimedia Commons This West Coast Region (New Zealand) geography article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Fox River (Buller) The Fox River (originally the Potikohua River ) is a river in the Buller District of New Zealand. It arises in
357-406: The most common. Above the steep slopes there are some large northern rata ( Metrosideros robusta ) and rimu ( Dacrydium cupressinum ), with occasional miro ( Prumnopitys ferruginea ). Rimu and miro are mainly present on the more gentle slopes, while northern rata is the only emergent tree on the steeper slopes below escarpments. The full 25 km (16 mi) length of the trail goes between
378-618: The resurgence. This is the site of the Cave Creek disaster in 1995 when a viewing platform above the chasm collapsed, leading to the deaths of 14 people. There is a memorial on the side of the track to those who died. This section of track was renamed the Cave Creek Memorial Track/Kotihotiho in 2020, as part of the 25 year remembrance of the disaster. From the intersection with the Cave Creek Memorial Track,
399-420: The rotten steps gave way under our feet, our position was far from being pleasant. A number of cormorants and other marine birds, too, that had their nests in the crevices of the rock were screaming and wheeling about us at the intrusion." During the gold rush of the 1860s these were replaced by chain ladders, soon known as " Jacob's Ladder ", but the wooden rungs were destroyed by overuse, and travellers slid down
420-447: The route of the Inland Pack Track follows an old farm road to Bullock Creek. The Bullock Creek road is a 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long gravel road that provides an exit to State Highway 6 on the coast for those not wanting to complete the full distance. This 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) section of track follows an old farm road before the route becomes a single track around a swamp in mixed rimu and beech forest. The trail then climbs
441-458: Was closed for two years, and this led to complaints. It was eventually re-opened in 2016, after the clearance of around 400 fallen trees. The route to the Ballroom Overhang is a short side-trip upstream along the bed of the Fox River, from the confluence with Dilemma Creek. Crossings of the Fox River are required. The Ballroom Overhang is a limestone half-dome shape, formed by erosion at
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