Niagara: Māngai Piri, the Heritage Trail and local cuisine

At Niagara, Māngai Piri Falls meet the history of the South Catlins: the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail connects 13 heritage sites between Niagara and Fortrose. There is also a short walk to the falls, a café with its own kitchen, and an annual Bluegrass festival. Niagara therefore offers several ways to bring nature, regional history and food into your trip.

Explore the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail

The Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail is a 70-kilometre, self-guided route through the South Catlins. You can start at any point along the route, so there is no designated starting point. Allow at least five hours to explore the full trail, including short walks and viewpoints. This time estimate can help you plan the trail as a separate activity rather than simply fitting it into a visit along the way.

The route connects 13 heritage sites. A brochure includes maps, information about the stops and travel tips. If you would like to learn more about the area’s history, it provides guidance on the stops and the route. Niagara Falls/Māngai Piri is accessible via a short walk; the falls offer a different focus from a longer exploration of the entire trail.

Waterfalls and settlement history

The Māori name Māngai Piri describes how lampreys, also known as kana kana, wriggle up the falls in large numbers and cling to the rocks with their suckers. The Niagara Falls Café buildings have been part of the landscape since 1895, giving the place a visible connection to its history.

The history of transport in earlier times is also closely linked to the river and the falls. Settlers brought their wool overland to Niagara, loaded it onto a punt at the falls, and transported it downstream to the ships at Waikawa. The river between Niagara and Waikawa became a transport route for river traffic; however, boats could not pass the falls, so the route ended there. The falls therefore feature in the history of settlement not only as a natural landmark, but also as a boundary on the waterway of the time.

Nearby, a section of the Waikawa River is home to a Nohoanga. This place is significant for the gathering of traditional food by Kai Tahu Whanau.

Local cuisine and art at Niagara Falls Café

Niagara Falls Café bakes its own bread, slices and desserts using its own recipes. It also makes its own sauces and dips. The café grows vegetables and smokes fresh salmon from Stewart Island. Meals are prepared with local, hand-selected ingredients. Food is available in Niagara along the Catlins Coastal Heritage Trail; the café brings together this culinary side of the place through its own products and regional ingredients.

The café’s gallery features locally made art, local crafts and regional products. This adds a chance to discover creative work and products from the region. Those interested in local cuisine and art will find a different way to experience Niagara here than on the trail or at the waterfall.

Festival in February

The Niagara Falls Bluegrass & Roots Festival takes place every year in February at Niagara Falls Café. Musicians and bands from Southland and across New Zealand perform there. The festival also includes food stalls, a selection of beer and wine, entertainment for children, and numerous campsites. February is therefore the relevant time to plan your trip if you would like to experience the festival in Niagara; the other features of the place described here are the Heritage Trail, the falls, the history and the local cuisine.

When choosing holiday accommodation in Niagara, consider which of these aspects you would like to shape your stay: the self-guided route with its heritage sites, the history of river transport, Māngai Piri, or the café with its kitchen and gallery. More places to explore: Stewart Island, Otautau, The Key, Dipton, Tuatapere, Lumsden, Te Anau, Athol.

For the broader travel overview: Southland District.