03 Magazine: September 01, 2023

An unexpected surprise was the short
detour to ogle one of New Zealand’s
largest and oldest trees, a 1000-yearold
rimu, in Howden Forest. A viewing
boardwalk was recently built around the
tree to safeguard its ancient roots. What a
stunning specimen it is.
Feeling weary and somewhat jellylegged,
I toddled across the finish line
with a flourish, sweetly surrendering
to the laid‐back hospitality embrace of
Furneaux Lodge.
Built by the Howden family nearly 120
years ago, the original homestead was
thronging with thirsty patrons, chilling out
and swapping tales, before boarding the
boat at 5pm for the return run to Picton.
The second stage of the Queen
Charlotte Track connects Furneaux Lodge
with Punga Cove on a flat/easy 12km
coastline track around Endeavour Inlet,
through lush regenerating native bush,
soundtracked with birdsong. It’s a doddle. I
struck out on this trail on my most recent
sojourn in Queen Charlotte Sound. (It’s
easy to arrange pick-ups and drop-offs if
you only want to walk one way.)
On my latest encounter in the Sounds,
I based myself at the magnificent Punga
Cove Resort. Its name pays homage to
the plentiful punga ferns that thrive in this
high-rainfall area of the Sounds. There
are also many rimu, mataī and miro trees
near the coast, while further away the
red beech is predominant.
Nestled amongst sublime scenery,
Punga Cove is a blissed-out retreat,
draping the hillside, overlooking the
jewel-like hue of Endeavour Inlet, backed
by a procession of peaks. The range
of accommodation spans all tastes and
budgets, from bunkrooms and retro
chalets to stylish apartments and suites.
Crowning the hillside, I bedded down
in one of the Frond Suites, a cradle
of relaxation and pampered comfort.
It’s the spacious private deck, with
those gloriously wide vistas that kept
commanding my attention.
Heading to bed with a star-flecked sky
above, I awoke to an ethereal dawn, feeling
transported to the brooding intensity of
Fiordland. Coiling fingers of mist caressed
the ridgelines and tumbled down to the
waterline, recasting Endeavour Inlet in
glowering alpine drama before the sky split
open and it rained bullets. An hour later –
bluebird skies resumed transmission.
“No matter how
active or languid
your stay may be,
all of your senses
are engaged in
this definitive
New Zealand
experience.”