Riverside Haven Lodge and Holiday Park

Go fishing in the Waianakarua River edging the holiday park, start your exploration of the area in Herbert Forest, or discover further afield by bike. Follow a couple of sections of the Alps to Ocean Cycle Trail through some of South Island’s most spectacular scenery, which passes through Oamaru (20 minutes’ drive) on its way north towards Aoraki – also known as Mount Cook. Birdwatching aficionados can visit the Blue Penguin Colony near Oamaru – best seen in the evening when the penguins come in from the sea. During the day, tours are available to see penguins in their nesting boxes. To see more of these comical penguins, visit the Yellow-eyed penguin breeding site at Moeraki (15 minutes), the largest colony in North Otago. Walk from Moeraki Lighthouse down to Katiki Point (both 20 minutes), where fur seals get together for a spot of basking in the sun. While you’re at Moeraki, be sure to see the bizarre boulders on the beach. All are of different sizes, with some weighing several tonnes. Thought to be up to 65 million years old, you can wander freely among them, or check them out from the café and gift shop overlooking the sand.