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Fiordland National Park ‘A cherished corner of the world where mountains and valleys compete with each other for room, where scale is almost beyond comprehension, rainfall is measured in metres and scenery encompasses the broadest width of emotions’ This is how the author of the book “Mountains of Water - The Story of Fiordland National Park” described this stunning National Park. The largest National Park in New Zealand, covering over 1.2 million hectares, Fiordland National Park is administered by the Department of Conservation (DOC). A 500 kilometre network of walking tracks and over 60 huts allows the public to explore the primeval world of mountain peaks, alpine lakes and moss-carpeted valleys. DOC also runs endangered species programmes and conservation projects in Fiordland. Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area The extraordinary beauty of Fiordland was recognised by the United Nations in 1986 when it was made a World Heritage Area. The Fiordland National Park was described as having ‘superlative natural phenomena’ and ‘outstanding examples of the earth’s evolutionary history’. In 1990 the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage Area was extended to include Fiordland, Westland and Mt Cook National Parks. It now covers 10 percent of New Zealand’s land mass. |
