View over Tautuku Bay, The Catlins, Otago

The Catlins is the name given to the southeastern corner of the South Island, from the Mataura River in Southland to the Clutha River in Otago. In comparison to the rest of the South Island’s east coast the Catlins coast and hinterland is largely unspoilt and provides a precious refuge for many endangered species of birds, insects, fish and plants.

Tautuku Bay, just to the west of the village of Papatowai, is a scenic highlight of the Catlins. Its broad crescent of golden sand is backed by a natural sequence of dune vegetation, grading into pristine coastal podocarp forest beyond -- a now rare example of a relatively undisturbed coastal environment. Native birds are especially abundant here and the sound of the dawn chorus mingling with the rumble of surf in the early morning is a most memorable experience.

This late summer photograph was taken from near the Florence Hill lookout near Papatowai, looking west towards Tautuku Peninsula.