THE ISLANDS
Stewart Island
What lies even further south than the South Island? Stewart Island, where you’re virtually guaranteed to see a kiwi bird. This wild isle’s numbers are impressive: just 30 kilometres from the shores of the South Island, it has 280 kilometres of walking tracks and barely 28 kilometres of road. More than 85 per cent of this water-locked haven is national park and an estimated 20,000 kiwis have their home here, along with blue penguins and yellow-eyed penguins. And here’s the clincher: it’s a prime spot for catching a glimpse of the aurora australis.
Waiheke Island
It’s amazing what a difference 40 minutes can make. That’s all the time it takes on the ferry from Auckland to reach Waiheke Island, 92 square kilometres of vineyards and white-sand beaches. The isle’s bestknown attractions are its 30-odd wineries – try Stonyridge Vineyard (stonyridge.com) and Mudbrick Vineyard (mudbrick.co.nz) – but there’s also a flourishing creative community that shows its works locally. Pick up a painting, ceramic or carving at Space Art Gallery (spaceartgallery.co.nz) and Toi Gallery (toigallery.com).