Murchison Overview

With just a short block of shops and buildings, the town of Murchison is over almost as soon as it begins. But as the only outpost near the scenic white water of Buller Gorge, Murchison is worth a second look. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced paddler,  NZ Kayak School, 22 Grey St., has a course for you. World-renowned for its white water kayaking instruction, the school runs multi-day courses complete with lodge accommodations with communal facilities. (☎523 9611; www.nzkayakschool.com. Oct.-Apr. 4-day courses from $695, includes accmmodation. Gear $15 per day for beginner courses, $25 per day for advanced courses. Freedom rentals $45 per day.) Those looking to raft the white water, Ultimate Descents, Fairfax St., next to Rivers Cafe, is happy to oblige. They run trips on Class II-IV rapids, including the heart-stopping Ariki Falls. (☎0800 748 377; www.rivers.co.nz. Half-day Buller Gorge rafting $105, river kayaking $115. Heli-rafting from $350.) White Water Action Rafting Tours also runs rafting trips as well as jet boating. (☎0800 100 582 or 523 9581; whitewateraction.com. Half-day rafting from $105, includes barbeque lunch. Jetboating trips 1hr. from $75.) Murchison kicks into a white water frenzy for the Teva Buller Festival (www.bullerfestival.co.nz) the first weekend in March. The festival features head-to-head racing for kayaks and team rafts and a “Big Air” ramp for some kayak freestyling.

There’s more to Buller Gorge than white water. Skyline Walk (1-2hr. round-trip; trailead 1km east of Murchison at SH6 and West Matakitaki Rd.) is a relatively easy hike through native forest to the ridge above Murchison. Another popular hike, Six Mile Walk (1-1hr. round-trip; trailhead 10km south of Murchison at Six Mile hydro power station), passes natural rapids and waterfalls and the hydro power station. Mountain bikers should stop by the Information Centre (see below) for info on trails in the area. Buller Gorge Swingbridge allows the tourist masses to walk across New Zeland’s longest swingbridge. On the far side of the bridge are hiking trails for those who can brave the sandfly storms. (14km west of Murchison on the road to Westport. ☎548 2193; www.bullergorge.co.nz. Bridge $5, children $2. Cometline zipline $25/12.50. Open daily in summer 9am-7pm, in winter open during daylight.)

Murchison lies right on SH6, which becomes Waller St. in town. Most places of interest lie on the main strip or just off it on a side street. Intercity (☎379 9020) buses to Franz Josef (8hr., daily 9:30am, $84) via Westport (1hr., $30), Punakaiki (3hr., $43), and Greymouth (4hr., $48) and to Nelson (2hr., daily 5:50pm, $36). Atomic Shuttles (☎0508 108 359) goes down the West Coast to Westport (1hr., daily 12:30pm, $25), Greymouth (4hr., $35), Franz Josef (7hr., $70), and Fox Glacier (8hr., $75) and north to Nelson (2hr., 3:30pm, $20) and Picton (4hr., $45). Southern Link (☎0800 881 188 or 0508 458 835) departs from Midwest Cafe to Nelson (2hr., 2 per day, $26) via St. Arnaud (on demand); Christchurch (5hr., daily 10:30am, $41) via Hanmer Springs (3hr., $41); and Greymouth (4hr., daily 9:30am, $31) via Westport (1hr., $26) and Punakaiki (3hr., $28). Though Let’s Go does not recommend hitchhiking, hitchers report that rides are easy to come by on the Waller St. in town.

The Murchison Information Centre, 47 Waller St., has local information, Internet, and gold panning equipment for rent. (☎523 9350; murchinfo@xtra.co.nz. Internet $2.50 per 20min. Gold panning equipment $10 per day. Open daily 10am-6pm; in winter M-F 10am-4pm.) There are no ATMs in Murchison, though the Nelson Building Society changes money. (☎523 1000. Open M-F 10am-4pm; in winter M-F 10am-3pm.) Services in town include: a gas station (☎523 9033. Open daily 6am-9pm; 24hr. pump available); police, 15 Fairfax St. (☎523 1170); a small 24hr. hospital, 58 Hotham St. (☎523 1120); and a post office in Hodgson’s General Store, 48 Fairfax St. (☎523 9006. Open M-F 8:30am-5pm, Sa 8:30am-1pm).

Murchison has limited options for accommodations and food. The town’s only hostel, The Lazy Cow (BBH) 2, 37 Waller St., is a home-run hostel with a lot of charm and somewhat cramped facilities. (☎523 9451. Dorms $23, with linen $25. Doubles $55; extra person $15. $3 BBH discount.) Hampden Hotel 3, on the corner of Waller and Fairfax St., has newly renovated rooms that are the best deal in town. (☎523 9008; hampden.hotel@xtra.co.nz. Single $30-45; twins and doubles $50-70, ensuite $90. MC/V.) Riverview Holiday Park 1 has a superb location on the water and a wide range of accommodations. To reach the park take SH6 out of town toward Nelson and follow signs. (☎523 9591; riverviewhp@xtra.co.nz. Reception 7:30am-11pm. Mountain bikes $15 for 3hr.; $25 for 6hr. Showers $2. Tent sites $8, children $5; powered sites $18. Basic cabins from $18 per person, children $5. Ensuite doubles $70-80. MC/V.) Next to Ultimate Descents, Rivers Cafe 2, 51 Fairfax St., is a strange and inimitable blend of country pub and artsy cafe popular with the local white water crowd. (☎523 9009; jude_rivers@xtra.co.nz. Sandwiches $7. Hearty beef, chicken, venison or veggie burgers $14. Open in summer daily 9am-late, kitchen closes 8:30pm; in winter Th-F and Su-M 9am-4pm, later if the rugby is on.) The friendly servers at Commercial Hotel 1, 37 Fairfax St., dish out wraps ($7), pizza slices ($6), and homemade baked goods during the day and more upmarket mains ($19-25) in the evening. (☎523 9696; the commercialhotel@xtra.co.nz. Internet $2 per 15min. Open daily 8am-9pm; close earlier when not busy.) For groceries, the best and only option is the 4 Square Supermarket, on the corner of Waller and Fairfax St. (☎523 9007. Open M-F 8am-8pm, Sa-Su 9am-7pm.)