- Southern Scenic Route
The Southern Scenic Route is a in
New Zealand linkingTe Anau andDunedin viaFiordland ,Invercargill andThe Catlins .History and development
The Southern Scenic Route concept and name were conceived at an informal gathering in
Tuatapere in November 1985 and confirmed at a publicmeeting in January 1986Julie Walls (ed) "Southern Scenic Route Visitor Publication" 7ed, Focus Publications, Te Anau, November 2006] . The promotors then negotiated withroad andtourism authorities andlocal government .The project was a first for New Zealand and approval was a slow process. At one stage,
traffic sign s were installed in aclandestine operation.The Southern Scenic Route opened officially on 6 November 1988, initiallyTe Anau -Balclutha . The route was extended toDunedin in 1998.Route
Current route
The Southern Scenic Route follows a U-shaped route from
Te Anau toDunedin [http://www.southernscenicroute.co.nz/map/default.asp route map on official website] ] . Skirting the eastern boundary ofFiordland National Park the route passesManapouri andTuatapere . AtTe Waewae Bay the coast is reached and the route swings eastward towardsOrepuki ,Colac Bay andRiverton . AtLorneville theNew Zealand State Highway network is joined and the Southern Scenic Route follows Highway 6 south intoInvercargill .From Invercargill the Southern Scenic Route heads east through Fortrose into
the Catlins then throughOwaka toBalclutha . The next section of rugged coastline with poor roading throughKaitangata is avoided as the Southern Scenic Route follows SH1 to Milton andLake Waihola .The Southern Scenic Route leaves the highway at Waihola and climbs through Otago Coast Forest rejoining the coastline at
Taieri Mouth . From here the route follows secondary roads through Brighton and Green Island into Dunedin's southern suburbs, ending where it meets SH1 again at Caversham.Proposed extension
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