Bluff Harbour facts for kids
Bluff Harbour is a busy harbour and a large natural inlet in the South Island of New Zealand. It is located right next to the town of Bluff. The main port facilities are near the entrance from Foveaux Strait. The harbour also includes a large, low-lying area called Awarua Bay to the east. The harbour and the town are named after the nearby piece of land that sticks out, known as a promontory.
Contents
History of Bluff Harbour
Early European Settlement
Bluff is one of New Zealand's oldest places where Europeans have lived continuously. Whalers and sealers started visiting the area as early as 1823. A whaling station, where whales were processed, was set up here in 1836.
Developing the Port
The Bluff Wharf was built in the 1860s. In 1867, a railway line connected the port to the nearby city of Invercargill. This made Bluff Harbour a very important place. It was a major centre for sending out dairy and meat products in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Modern Upgrades
In 1971, the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter was built nearby. This led to even more improvements at the port. During the 1950s and 1960s, a special type of aircraft called a flying boat used to operate from Ocean Beach in the harbour. These planes were used for both civilian travel and for the RNZAF (New Zealand Air Force) to patrol the waters south of New Zealand.
Port Facilities Today
Southernmost Deep Water Port
Bluff Harbour has the southernmost port facilities in the South Island. It is also New Zealand's southernmost commercial deep-water port. This means it is deep enough for very large ships to enter. The port operates under the name South Port NZ.
Island Harbour
The main part of the port is on an artificial island called Island Harbour. This island is about 40 hectares (100 acres) in size. Island Harbour was built during the 1950s and officially opened in December 1960. It includes a container terminal, where large shipping containers are handled.
Key Cargo and Fishing
A major cargo shipped from the port is alumina. This material comes from the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter. The smelter is located on Tiwai Point, which is on the eastern side of the harbour's mouth, directly across from Island Harbour. The harbour is also home to Bluff's fishing fleet. These are mostly smaller boats that focus on catching Foveaux Strait oysters. The Bluff oyster is a famous New Zealand food.
Stewart Island Ferry Service
Bluff Harbour is where the Stewart Island ferry starts its journey. The ferry provides a daily service to and from Oban on Stewart Island. The trip across Foveaux Strait is about 39 kilometres (21 nautical miles) long.
History of the Ferry
The first regular ferry service across Foveaux Strait began in 1877. Initially, it was for weekly mail delivery. However, it soon started carrying passengers and general goods too. The Bluff Harbour Board and the government helped pay for the ferry services to Stewart Island for 100 years, from 1885 until 1985. After that, private companies took over the service.
Modern Ferry Service
Today, a fast catamaran ferry usually takes about one hour to make the trip. As of 2024, the ferry service is run by a tourism company called RealNZ (which used to be Real Journeys).
