57-567: The Darran Mountains are a prominent range within New Zealand's Fiordland National Park , the country's biggest national park. They contain the park's highest peak, Mount Tūtoko (2,723 metres (8,934 ft)). The range lies between Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) and the valley of the Cleddau River (to the west) and the broad valley of the Hollyford River to the east at the northern end of
114-492: A World Heritage Site , and in 1990, together with three other national parks to the north, as part of the Te Wāhipounamu World Heritage Area. The park's protected area includes all of the islands along its coast, as well as the remote Solander Islands . Although the park's seaward-boundary is at the mean high water mark, a total of ten adjoining marine reserves protect large areas of water in several of
171-554: A biotite from volcanic diorite dated to 138 ± 2.9 Ma and with younger intrusion dykes of say quartz monzodiorite dated at 136 ± 1.9 Ma. These rocks are part of the Median Tectonic Zone that separates the Western and Eastern provinces of Zealandia rocks. They cover an area of about 740 km (290 sq mi). The mountains also have components to their north of rocks such as metamorphosed sandstone and gneiss from
228-693: A British explorer, circumnavigated the South Island with his crew of HMS Endeavour in March 1770. They advanced towards the south-west coast of Fiordland but sailed away since it was late. Although they did not enter Dusky Sound on their first voyage to New Zealand, Cook noted the presence of a promising harbour here, and giving it the name "Dusky Bay". They managed to shelter at Dusky Sound during their second voyage aboard HMS Resolution and Cook met some Māori families while they were sheltered here. Andreas Reischek , an Austrian naturalist explored Fiordland in
285-483: A flourishing deer farming industry this has reduced the impact of aerial hunting over the national park. Market helicopter-based hunting in Fiordland continues today in a reduced fashion, with the largest market being Germany. The Department of Conservation also uses helicopters to poison the invasive possum population with aerial dropping of 1080 poison , despite some public opposition. The scenic, rugged landscape
342-959: A former owner in memory of their position and authority. The most prized taonga are those with known histories going back many generations: these are believed to have their own mana and were often given as gifts to seal important agreements. Pounamu taonga include tools such as toki ( adzes ), whao ( chisels ), whao whakakōka (gouges), ripi pounamu (knives), scrapers, awls, hammer stones, and drill points. Hunting tools include matau ( fishing hooks ) and lures, spear points, and kākā poria (leg rings for fastening captive birds); weapons such as mere ; and ornaments such as pendants ( hei tiki , hei matau and pekapeka ), ear pendants ( kuru and kapeu ), and cloak pins. Functional pounamu tools were widely worn for both practical and ornamental reasons, and continued to be worn as purely ornamental pendants ( hei kakī ) even after they were no longer used as tools. Pounamu
399-470: A hazard, and being stranded for a day or two due to flooded river crossings is not uncommon on tracks like the Dusky Track. Trampers on these remote tracks also face three-wire bridges, tree falls, and rough terrain where mud can be knee-deep. Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, Te Houhou / George Sound , Doubtful Sound / Patea, and Dusky Sound / Tamatea are the only fiords accessible via tracks or routes. Inland,
456-630: A major part of the Te Wāhipounamu a UNESCO World Heritage Site established in 1990. The park is administered by the Department of Conservation . The southern ranges of the Southern Alps cover most of Fiordland National Park, combined with the deep glacier-carved valleys. The park is a significant refuge for many threatened native animals, ranging from dolphins and bats to reptiles, insects, and endangered species of birds endemic to New Zealand such as
513-624: A number of programmes by the Department of Conservation. The Takahē Recovery Programme ensures the survival of the last wild population of takahē. This unique bird, the largest living member of the rail family, was once thought to be extinct. After rediscovery of the takahē in the Murchison Mountains in 1948, a special area of 500 square kilometres (190 sq mi) was set aside in Fiordland National Park for its conservation, with
570-551: A prodigious amount of rainfall, exceeding seven metres in many parts of the park. This supports the lush temperate rainforests of the Fiordland temperate forests ecoregion . Fiordland National Park contains the majority of the largest area of unmodified vegetation in New Zealand. The dense forests, often clinging to steep valley sides, comprise mostly silver beech and mountain beech , but also podocarps . A large variety of shrubs and ferns , often dominated by crown fern , make up
627-451: A rich understory of plants, with the forest floor covered in mosses and liverworts . The abundant vegetation is supported by the high rainfall, but continues to be damaged by introduced species such as red deer and possum . The park is also a significant refuge for many threatened native animals, ranging from dolphins and bats to reptiles, insects, and birds. Among the birds are several endangered species endemic to New Zealand such as
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#1732852754005684-534: A small jetty in Doubtful Sound. Light aircraft and helicopter services link with Milford Sound, which also has a small boat marina . Parts of Fiordland National Park are a designated Wilderness Area and aircraft landings are not permitted. The Wilderness Areas award special protection for large tracts of wild land containing natural features of such significance that they are preserved in their natural condition, without any man-made structures or facilities. Entry
741-439: A type of serpentine , known as tangiwai . The collective term pounamu is preferred, as the other names in common use are misleading, such as New Zealand jade (not all pounamu is jade) and greenstone (a generic term used for unrelated stone from many countries). Pounamu is only found in New Zealand, whereas much of the carved "greenstone" sold in souvenir shops is jade sourced overseas. The Māori classification of pounamu
798-460: A visitor centre. A handful of other roads provide access to various entry points into the national park: A gravel road not connected to the rest of the public road network links Doubtful Sound / Patea with the western edge of Lake Manapouri via Wilmot Pass . That road is only used by shuttle buses for Doubtful Sound tours from Manapouri, which include a boat transfer across Lake Manapouri and bus transfer over Wilmot Pass to tour boats awaiting at
855-642: Is also a popular destination for alpine climbers and especially for trampers, with the multi-day Milford , Kepler and Hollyford tracks, and half of the Routeburn Track within the park. The latter three can also be walked in and out as day walks, whereas access to both ends of the Milford Track is only via boat and is regulated and must be pre-booked, in particular during the summer peak season. Aside from these major tramping tracks, which also offer guided walks, dozens of lesser known tracks are maintained by
912-474: Is by colour and appearance; the shade of green is matched against a colour found in nature, and some hues contain flecks of red or brown. Jade is formed from two different stones: jadeite and nephrite . Jadeite (sodium aluminium silicate) has interlocking granular crystals, while nephrite (calcium magnesium silicate) has crystals that are interwoven and fibrous. Jadeite is mostly found in Myanmar , while nephrite
969-533: Is found along the eastern and northern edge of Fiordland. The Anita Bay Dunite near Milford Sound is a small but highly prized source of pounamu. In the Southern Alps, the Pounamu Ultramafic Belt in the Haast Schist occurs as isolated pods which are eroded and found on West Coast rivers and beaches. One source of īnanga pounamu at the head of Lake Wakatipu is possibly the only jade mining site in
1026-593: Is found in Europe , British Columbia , Australia , and New Zealand . New Zealand nephrite contains varying amounts of iron, which account for its range of shades, richness of green, and translucency. Pounamu is generally found in rivers in specific parts of the South Island as nondescript boulders and stones. Pounamu has been formed in New Zealand in four main locations; the West Coast , Fiordland , western Southland and
1083-569: Is found only in the South Island of New Zealand, known in Māori as Te Wai Pounamu ('The [land of] Greenstone Water') or Te Wahi Pounamu ('The Place of Greenstone'). In 1997 the Crown handed back the ownership of all naturally occurring pounamu to the South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu (or Kai Tahu), as part of the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement . Pounamu was of such value to Māori that peace
1140-645: Is known for its natural beauty, making it a very popular sight-seeing and filming location. Milford Sound and areas of Fiordland National Park were used to depict the Misty Mountains during filming of The Lord of the Rings . The area was again used extensively in The Hobbit Trilogy . Parts of the 2017 film Alien: Covenant were filmed in the park, as well as X-Men Origins: Wolverine , Mission: Impossible – Fallout , and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion,
1197-489: Is usually restricted to foot travel, there are typically no tramping tracks, and in some cases, special permits are required, such as for several offshore islands and the Takahē Specially Protected Area in the Murchison Mountains. Fiordland National Park is the most popular national park in New Zealand for international visitors. Well over half a million people visit the national park every year, however,
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#17328527540051254-672: The Nelson district. It is typically recovered from rivers and beaches where it has been transported to after being eroded from the mountains. The group of rocks where pounamu comes from are called ophiolites . Ophiolites are slices of the deep ocean crust and part of the mantle . When these deep mantle rocks ( serpentinite ) and crustal rock ( mafic igneous rocks ) are heated up ( metamorphosed ) together, pounamu can be formed at their contact. The Dun Mountain Ophiolite Belt has been metamorphosed in western Southland and pounamu from this belt
1311-572: The takahē , mōhua (yellowhead) , and the critically endangered kākāpō , the only flightless parrot in the world. The vulnerable Fiordland crested penguin and southern brown kiwi are also almost exclusively found within the park. The special nature of the Fiordland area for conservation was recognised in the late 1890s by Richard Henry , pioneering the transfer of threatened species such as kākāpō and kiwi to islands in Dusky Sound. Conservation work and management of endangered species continues via
1368-665: The takahē , mōhua , kākāpō , and southern brown kiwi . One of the earliest settlers on the South Island were the Waitaha people, who are believed to have settled directly to the South Island from Hawaiki on the Uruao canoe. Later migrations of Kāti Māmoe from the North Island. Similarly, Ngāi Tahu later migrated from the North Island and joining the Kāti Māmoe iwi. The Māori history of Fiordland can be traced for more than 1000 years with
1425-452: The 2016 animated movie Moana the central premise is to return the stolen heart of Te Fiti which is manifest in a pounamu stone amulet. Fossicking for Pounamu is a cultural activity in New Zealand and allowed on designated areas of the West Coast of the South Island ( Te Tai o Poutini ) and is limited to what can be carried unaided; fossicking elsewhere in the Kai Tahu tribal area
1482-662: The Department of Conservation, ranging from tracks requiring intermediate skills, such as the Hump Ridge Track and the Lake Marian track to advanced multi-day hikes like the Dusky Track and several routes that should only be attempted by experienced trampers. Fiordland is a challenging tramping destination, and given the size of the national park, there are few tracks. Off-track travel by expert trampers often relies on following deer trails. Sandflies, flooding and poor weather are
1539-550: The Eglinton Valley contains significant populations of long-tailed bats . In addition to these sanctuaries, there are also three sizeable possum-free islands in the fiords of the national park: Cooper Island and Long Island in Dusky Sound / Tamatea, and Great Island in Taiari / Chalky Inlet . However, these islands are still occupied by stoats, rats or mice, compromising their suitability as bird sanctuaries. Fiordland became
1596-616: The Fiordland Park area. By the 1920s, the large herds of wild deer in the NZ back country competing with sheep and cattle for feed resulted in pressure on the NZ government from the farming community, and deer cullers were employed by the Internal Affairs department to indiscriminately shoot deer in an effort to reduce the population. Costs were recouped from the sale of deer hides. During the early 1960s, an international market for wild venison
1653-583: The Milford Road from Te Anau there are also camping grounds and several short walks, some of which are even accessible by wheelchair. Popular stopping points along the road are at the Mirror Lakes , the Homer Pass area immediately to the east of the tunnel, and The Chasm. Te Anau, situated on the shore of Lake Te Anau, is the closest town to the national park and provides many accommodation options as well as all
1710-452: The Milford Track, are among the world's highest waterfalls . Other tall waterfalls in the park include Browne Falls , Humboldt Falls , Lady Alice Falls , and Bowen Falls , as well as countless temporary waterfalls in the fiords that come alive following rainfall. Prevailing westerly winds blow moist air from the Tasman Sea onto the mountains; the cooling of this air as it rises produces
1767-692: The United States, Barack Obama with a wahaika (a type of Māori weapon) created from pounamu carved by New Zealand artist Aden Hoglund . An exhibition curated by Te Papa in 2007 called Kura Pounamu showcased 200 pounamu items from their collections and linked New Zealand and China through both the geographical location of nephrite and also the high level of artistry achieved in ancient China and then thousands of years later amongst Māori. The exhibition marked 40 years of diplomatic relations between countries when it toured to five venues in China in 2013. In
Darran Mountains - Misplaced Pages Continue
1824-464: The Western Province. In the south eastern tip is found quartz diorite . Many of the mountains have known mountain climbing routes. Fiordland National Park Fiordland National Park is a national park in the south-west corner of South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest of the 13 national parks in New Zealand , with an area covering 12,607 km (4,868 sq mi), and
1881-757: The Witch and the Wardrobe . Pounamu Pounamu is a term for several types of hard and durable stone found in the South Island of New Zealand. They are highly valued in New Zealand, and carvings made from pounamu play an important role in Māori culture . The Māori word pounamu , also used in New Zealand English , refers to two main types of green stone valued for carving: nephrite jade , classified by Māori as kawakawa , kahurangi , īnanga , and other names depending on colour; and translucent bowenite ,
1938-477: The amenities expected of a small town. The only other settlement close to the park is the much smaller Manapouri. Doubtful Sound also offers boat tours. These day-long tours depart from Manapouri and include return boat transfer across Lake Manapouri and bus transfer over Wilmot Pass to get to Doubtful Sound. From Te Anau, boat trips across the lake to the Te Ana-au Caves are available. Fiordland National Park
1995-399: The arrival of Ngāi Tahu in the South Island in the middle of the 18th century, the production of pounamu increased. Pounamu crafting and trade was important to the economy of Ngāi Tahu. Pounamu taonga increase in mana (spiritual power or prestige) as they pass from one generation to another. Pounamu is believed to absorb the mana of its past owners, and some heirloom pieces are named after
2052-508: The coastline to make it habitable. But habitation in Fiordland has always been thin. Although, Māori made seasonal visits here to fish, hunt and to collect greenstone from Milford Sound , and tribal groups found sanctuary here, living amid the penguins and seals . In Māori mythology , a legend named Hine-nui-te-pō created sandflys to keep people from becoming idle in Fiordland to protect people from its "beauty". Captain James Cook ,
2109-415: The creation of Ngāi Tahu. Its waterways that make up the fiords were intended to provide havens along its rugged coastline, which had plenty of forests and birds to sustain travellers. Fiordland offered many other resources to sustain groups on their expeditions such as, kākāpō and shellfish. In Māori mythology , the fiords are created by the workmanship of Tū Te Rakiwhanoa , who carved indentations into
2166-579: The edge of the park before entering the park as the highway joins the valley of the Eglinton River just north of Te Anau Downs. From there the road continues to the northwest corner of the park, passing through the Hollyford Valley and then through the Homer Tunnel on the descent to the terminus of the road at Milford Sound / Piopiotahi, where there is a large car park, a wharf for the tour boats, and
2223-530: The fiords. The most recent expansion of Fiordland National Park was the 1999 addition of the 482 square kilometres (186 sq mi) Waitutu Forest. Possible future additions are Big Bay, parts of the Livingston/Eglinton Ranges, and the Dean/Rowallan catchment area. Main road access into Fiordland National Park is limited to the Milford Road (SH 94), which runs north from Te Anau , skirting
2280-488: The fold, formally making it the third National Park in New Zealand. Fiordland National Park's establishment in the early 1950s occurred the same time with the opening of the Homer Tunnel for public use, which provided road access to Milford Sound. During the cooler past, glaciers carved many deep fiords , the most famous (and most visited) of which is Milford Sound / Piopiotahi. Other notable fiords include Doubtful Sound / Patea and Tamatea / Dusky Sound . The retreat of
2337-473: The glaciers after the ice age left behind U-shaped valleys with sheer cliffs and as a result Fiordland's coast is steep and crenellated, with some of the 15 fiords reaching as far as 40 kilometres (25 mi) inland. The southern ranges of the Southern Alps cover most of Fiordland National Park and, combined with the deep glacier-carved valleys, present a highly inaccessible landscape. At the northern end of
Darran Mountains - Misplaced Pages Continue
2394-468: The glaciers has succeeded in cutting off islands from the mainland, leaving two large uninhabited offshore islands, Secretary Island and Resolution Island , as well as many smaller ones. Although these glaciers are long-gone, a few small glaciers and permanent snow fields remain, with the southernmost glacier situated below Caroline Peak. Several large lakes lie wholly or partly within the park's boundaries, notably Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri, both on
2451-597: The largest being Lake Adelaide and Lake Marian , and several rivers have their watershed in the mountains, such as the Tūtoko , Kaipo , and Bowen Rivers . The Bowen River, close to its mouth, provides one of Milford Sound's more notable natural attractions, the Bowen Falls . The mountains were named by Captain J. Stokes, an early surveyor of the West Coast of the South Island. The highest mountains are predominantly composed of
2508-584: The late 1880s. His collection of bird skins from the area were destroyed after being waterlogged as a result of inadequate stowage aboard the Stella . Despite his contributions to the study of New Zealand natural history, Reischek is remembered for his theft of taonga from Māori hosts. 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi) of Fiordland were set aside as a national reserve in 1904, following suggestions by then-future Prime Minister Thomas Mackenzie and Southland Commissioner of Crown Lands, John Hay, that
2565-520: The national park. They are bounded to the south by the Homer Saddle , which separates them from the Wick Mountains , and to the north by the coast of the Tasman Sea . The Homer Tunnel lies under the southwesternmost extreme of the range. Other than Mount Tūtoko, other prominent peaks in the range include Mount Madeline and Mount Christina. Numerous lakes and tarns are found within the range, among
2622-670: The park, the Darran Mountains contain several peaks rising to over 2,500 metres (8,200 ft), with views of Mount Aspiring / Tititea to the north in the neighbouring Mount Aspiring National Park . Further south, the Franklin Mountains, Stuart Mountains, and Murchison Mountains reach around 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), with the peaks diminishing in height from north to south. The Kepler , Dingwall, Kaherekoau, Princess and Cameron Mountains further south only reach 1,500–1,700 metres (4,900–5,600 ft). The carving action of
2679-555: The population reaching a milestone of 300 birds in 2016. Although the National Park comprises 15% of New Zealand's conservation estate, it receives less than 1% of the Department of Conservation's pest-control budget. Several offshore islands belonging to Fiordland National Park are dedicated sanctuaries for threatened native species: Mōhua and tokoeka (Haast brown kiwi) have also been released on Pomona Island in Lake Te Anau, and
2736-650: The region should be declared a national park. The area had already become a destination for trampers , following the opening up of the Milford Track from Lake Te Anau to Milford Sound in 1889 by New Zealand explorers Quintin McKinnon and Donald Sutherland , which received significant publicity from a 1908 article in the London Spectator describing it as the "Finest Walk in the World". The Fiordland "public reserve"
2793-425: The scene of one of New Zealand's most significant conservation debates when in the 1960s it was proposed to raise the level of Lake Manapouri to assist hydro-electricity production at West Arm. The ensuing battle resulted in government ultimately bowing to the weight of petitions and passing a bill in the 1970s that gave the lake statutory protection. In 1986, Fiordland National Park was individually recognised as
2850-480: The southern lakes of Lake Monowai and Lake Hauroko have road access to campsites and tracks, and Lake Poteriteri can be reached via a tramping track. The steep granite peaks of the Darren Mountains are a popular area for mountain climbers. The park is also a renowned destination for rainbow trout and brown trout fly fishing. Red deer were introduced to New Zealand in the 1850s and they subsequently colonised
2907-585: The tracks in summer, particularly via Harper Pass . Jewellery and other decorative items made from gold and pounamu were particularly fashionable in New Zealand in the Victorian and Edwardian years in the late 19th and early 20th century. It continues to be popular among New Zealanders and is often given as gifts. In 2011, the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key presented the President of
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#17328527540052964-491: The visitor numbers are almost exclusively concentrated in the park's northern and eastern corridor from Te Anau to Milford Sound. Most tourists are attracted to the easily accessible areas of the national park such as Milford Sound, where boat tours of the fiord and kayaking are the most popular activities. Some boat tour packages include a visit to the Milford Discovery Centre & Underwater Observatory. Along
3021-400: The western boundary of the national park, as well as the southern lakes Lake Monowai , Lake Hauroko , and Lake Poteriteri . All of these lakes exhibit the topography typical of glacier-carved valleys, with Lake Te Anau and Lake Manapouri in particular having several arms similar in look to the fiords on the west coast of the park. The Sutherland Falls , to the southwest of Milford Sound on
3078-531: The world with Government protection. Pounamu plays a very important role in Māori culture and is a taonga (treasure). It is and has been an important part of trade between the South Island iwi (tribe) Ngāi Tahu and other iwi. Adze blades made from pounamu were desired for carving of wood, and even with the arrival of metal tools pounamu tools were used. These were often reworked into hei tiki (stylised human figures worn as pendants) and other taonga when they were no longer useful for carving wood. After
3135-434: Was cemented by the exchange of valuable carved heirlooms, creating what was figuratively called a tautau pounamu (door of greenstone), as in the saying Me tautau pounamu, kia kore ai e pakaru, ake, ake (Let conclude a peace treaty that may never be broken, for ever and ever). There were a dozen major pounamu trails used in the trading of pounamu and many more minor routes. Parties of 6 to 12 are thought to have used
3192-476: Was created as a park administered by the Department of Lands and Survey - in practical terms similar to a National Park. The only two officially named "national parks" in New Zealand at the time, Tongariro National Park and Egmont National Park , were administered by park boards. Consolidation of the management of these parks led to the National Parks Act of 1952, which brought Fiordland National Park into
3249-439: Was established, and with no restrictions on hunting, market hunters established themselves in the rugged park country and used pack horses, jetboats and fixed wing aircraft to get the carcasses out to market. Experiments with shooting wild deer from helicopters were highly successful and a competitive industry was based on this technique. By the late 1970s, the deer population in Fiordland had been severely reduced, and combined with
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