Pounawea (meeting the meeting place of the waters) is a small town in the Catlins, 4 km southwest of Owaka. It sits on a finger of land between tidal sections of the Catlins River and the Owaka River. The two rivers meet at the tip of the finger to form an estuary, described as Catlins River mouth or the Pounawea Estuary.
The town is mostly cribs (small traditional holiday homes) with a large commercial campground in a beautiful setting. The campground has a mature native forest on its west side with the 2.5 km easy Pounawea Nature Walk. If you are not staying there, park by the estuary near the entrance, walk through the campground towards the forest, and you will see the track access sign. You can also access the track on Wilson Road immediately north of the campground. The walk is a stunning introduction to the southeast Pacific coast rainforest and is very accessible.
Another walking option is an easy 1 km track around the edge of the tidal Owaka River to the main estuary. As you enter Pounawea, you will see a blue street sign for Devils Elbow with a yellow sign saying Walk. These point to a short access road to the highway's left. Drive down the access and park by the river at the signposted trailhead. The walk takes you past some large exotic pines, a beached commercial vessel, with access to a lovely section of recovering and mature native forest. You can walk out onto the estuary at low tide or follow the estuary's edge to Park Lane on the estuary waterfront. On a nice day, with the tide in, the estuary is also perfect for swimming and kayaking.
Pounawea is also rich in bird life, with abundant korimako, kererū, and pīwakawaka. Wading birds, including kōtuku-ngutupapa (royal spoonbills) and kauka (bar-tailed godwits), return annually to the sandspit at the estuary's mouth. You may spot a pakake (sea lion), but these are more likely to be seen at Surat Bay on the east side of the estuary.
To get to Pounawea, take Pounawea Road from the Southern Scenic Route at the east end of Owaka. It is easy to combine the visit with a side trip to Newhaven and Surat Bay (access as the tide goes out) on the east side of the estuary. Cross the bridge over the Owaka River to Newhaven Road and follow this to the road end.
