Lookouts on Borland Road
From lookouts along the Borland Road you will enjoy stunning views into Fiordland and east towards the Takitimu Mountains. From the Borland Saddle, you can see remains of a momentous landslide - the largest documented landslide of its type in the world. You will be fascinated by the weathered granite formations in the Mt Eldrig and Mt Titiroa areas too.
The road goes up to tree line at Borland Saddle (990 m), where you can see alpine flowers and remains of an ancient landslide, then winds down to Lake Manapouri.
Off the beaten track
if you like to get out there into the wilds, away from the crowds but still amongst stunning Fiordland scenery, then this area has lots of spots for you. The Green Lake and Monowai Huts are great places to get away to, and there is good hunting and fishing in the area.
Lake Monowai and the Borland Road are located about 67 km from Te Anau (1 hour), and 120 km from Invercargill (1 hour 45 min) and can be accessed via the Southern Scenic Route.
From Te Anau, drive south via the Te Anau-Mossburn Highway and onto the Blackmount-Redcliff Rd. After 55 km (about 40 min), turn right into Lake Monowai Rd just north of the Blackmount School. Follow signs to Borland Lodge or Lake Monowai (both reached after about 20 min).
From Invercargill, drive 77 km to Clifden (65 min) then head north on the Clifden-Blackmount Rd (25 km, 20 min) until turning left into the Lake Monowai Rd, just north of the Blackmount School. Follow signs to Borland Lodge or Lake Monowai (both reached after about 20 min).
Borland Road
From the gate just after Borland Lodge it is about 15 km up the Borland Road to Borland Saddle (990m above sea level).
A toilet, parking and natural history information are available at the saddle.
After the saddle the road goes down to the South Arm of Lake Manapouri (90 km return from Borland Lodge).
The Borland Road is maintained for power line construction and is unsealed, narrow and steep in places, and subject to slips, washouts, snow, ice, high winds and fallen trees.
It is usually fine for walking, mountain biking, 4WD vehicles and some other vehicles depending on conditions.
Borland Road open or not
The Borland Road may be closed at any time.
Check alerts for the Borland Road.
Borland road recommended vehicles
It is not suitable for campervans, caravans or trailers. Vehicles are not allowed off the main road.
No fuel, cell phone coverage, or emergency services
There are no fuel, communication (including cell phone coverage) or emergency services along its length, therefore only those properly equipped should attempt to negotiate the road.
Geology
From Borland Saddle on the Borland Road, you can see the remains of a momentous landslide, the largest documented landslide of its type in the world.
Around 12,000 to 13,000 years ago the earth shook as 27 cubic km of mountain fell from the Hunter Mountains near the Borland Saddle into the tail end of Lake Monowai.
Nine km of the Hunter Mountains, heavily faulted from ancient earth movements were undermined by a shrinking glacier and shaken by an earthquake.
Birds and other wildlife
Along the Borland Nature Walk or in the nearby beech forest you might see friendly New Zealand robins, riflemen, tomtits, fantails, brown creepers, grey warblers and kakariki/parakeets. You might also see or hear waterfowl, finches, ruru/morepork, longtailed or shining cuckoos, and occasionally the kaka or falcon. Above the tree line you might see pipits and occasionally a passing kea.
The Borland River and Pig Creek support trout, eels, cockabullies and a wide variety of insect life.
Lake Monowai, in addition to native fish, now supports a productive fishery of introduced rainbow and brown trout.
Early Māori
Early Māori valued the Lake Monowai area for its mahika kai (food). They collected freshwater fish including giant kōkopu, koaro, tuna/longfinned eel and kanakana/lamprey.
Hydro electric power
The level of Lake Monowai was raised 2.5 m in 1926, making it one of the first lakes in New Zealand to be controlled for hydro-electric power production.
Borland Road
Construction of the Borland Road began in 1963 to enable erection and servicing of a transmission line between West Arm Power Station on Lake Manapouri and Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter near Invercargill.
The road is now maintained by the power station but access is allowed for recreation into this special area.
Te Rua-o-te-moko/Fiordland National Park Visitor Centre
| Phone: | +64 3 249 7924 |
| Email: | fiordlandvc@doc.govt.nz |
| Address: | Lakefront Drive Te Anau 9600 |
| Hours: | Visitor centre hours and services |