Monday 16/03/2026   Stewart Island Backpackers – Elgin Terrace – Mill Creek – Horseshoe Bay Road – Butterfield Beach – Horseshoe Point Road – Horseshoe Bay Beach – Horseshoe Point – Simons Beach – Sarah Cove – Braggs Bay Road – Braggs Bay – Moturau Moana Native Gardens

                                         Oban – Half Moon Bay – Horseshoe Point

                                         Stewart Island / Rakiura

                                         Southland Region, NEW ZEALAND (Aotearoa)

                                         Rakiura Country (Ngãi Tahu people)                                 

Participants: Stephen Davies (Photos), Sue Davies (Report)

We set off from the Stewart Island Backpackers in Oban on a cool March morning with scattered showers and a brisk south-westerly — typical Stewart Island weather. The route climbs out past Mill Creek and along Horseshoe Bay Road, the houses thinning as the road rises. It’s straightforward roadside walking with a steady gradient — this island is anything but flat. The views of the coast opened up nicely, with Butterfield Beach curling around below and Horseshoe Point in the distance.

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