Milford Sound National Park in New Zealand
Sightseeing the Fjordlands in the South Island of NZ
Jul 14, 2009
A finger of sea jutting inland some 9 miles (15 km) into the western coast of Southern New Zealand was named after Milford Haven in the 1820s, the hometown of a Welsh explorer, John Grono. The Cleddau River, which feeds the sound also has a Welsh namesake. Captain James Cook, the first European to set foot onto New Zealand’s fjords, missed this concealed waterway altogether, due to its concealed entrance.
Mitre Peak
The steep-walled valleys and jagged peaks of Milford Sound were carved by glaciers some 10,000 years ago. The Tasman Sea now floods these deep crevasses, the tranquil blue contrasting starkly against the serrated rocks that rise upwards on either side of the sound. Enroute, one can admire the wedge-shaped and dramatic Mitre Peak, which looms 5,550 ft (1,691 m) upwards. Vegetation slings precariously to the lower slopes in one of New Zealand’s most wettest places. Gales often accompany the rains, blasting the fleeting waterfalls into spray. From the tranquil waters at the foot of the mountain, few might suspect that the waters plunge downwards to 1500 feet ((450 m) concealing a wonderland of underwater life. Dolphins, seals and penguins can often be spotted on its shores.
Sutherland Falls, Stirling Falls and Lake Quill
Several impressive waterfalls thunder down the mountainsides, Stirling Falls, for one, plummets 480 ft (146 m) to the sea from between two bizarrely-shaped peaks known as the Lion and the Elephant. Sutherland falls is a magnificent spectacle, some 1,904 ft (580 m) high. Fed by Lake Quill, nestled in the mountain, it is the tenth highest in the world.
The enigmatic Scot, Donald Sutherland a failed gold prospector first discovered the falls that bear his name in the 1860s. He loved the place so much he built as cottage at Freshwater Basin nearby, and explored the sound alone for two years. He was later joined by several colleagues, one of which, Will Quill, a surveyor came upon Lake Quill, the lake that feeds the waterfall, and which now bears his name. Sadly, Quill died a little later in a tragic accident at Gertrude Sadle, not far from the lake.
Piopjo-Tahi or Lone Thrush
To the Maoris, this place has always been known as Piopjo-tahi, which means “lone thrush,” from folk legend. This feathered companion of Maori, a folk hero, sought immortality for the human race by making love the Goddess of Death whilst she slept. On awakening to the thrush’s song, she crushed Maori to death between her thighs in rage. The thrush retreated to Milford Sound to live in solitude and grief. This formidable goddess, disturbed by the beauty of this place, discouraged visitors by releasing black sand flies into a region in the sound, known as Sandy Point. The insects continue to be a nuisance but visitors remain undeterred. Thousands flock to the sound every day to explore its unique landscape and to listen out for the haunting sounds of the flightless kiwis and look out for the yellow-green kakapo parrot, one of the rarest birds in the world and in danger of becoming extinct.
Attractions of New Zealand’s South Island
Milford Sound is a secluded national park jutting into the southern coast of South New Zealand, which was not discovered until the 1820s by Welsh Explorer John Grono. Up to half a million visitors make the Milford Sound trip every year on account of its jagged scenery carved by dramatic waterfalls and its rare flightless birds. But Maori folk legend adds an extra dimension to this sanctuary, inspired by Milfords Sound’s unique landscape.
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