New Zealand Milford Sound and Fjordland

Michael A. Stecker
mastecker@gmail.com

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Milford Sound and Fjordland National Park Photo Page
(all photos taken in November, 1980)

You Tube "New Zealand 1980" slide show at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ZgUPaW4VI

New Zealand 1980 .mp4 slide show:
New Zealand 1980

You Tube "God Defend New Zealand Time-lapse Scenic" video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dPcj_aC8fk

New Zealand Pages:
New Zealand Home Page North Island South Island Milford Sound/Fjordland

Fjordland National Park, New Zealand's largest national park -- est. 1952, is located in the southwest portion of the South Island. It stretches over 124 miles (200 kilometers), from Milford Sound in the north to Preservation Inlet in the south, and covers 1.25 million hectares. The Tasman Coast lies on its western boundary, to the east is a drier lower elevation region defined by large lakes and to the north lies the Southern Alps. Fjordland's serrated coastline and deep branching lakes were carved out by glaciers millions of years ago, leaving behind a land internationally acclaimed for its spectacular scenery, isolation and uninhabited environment. Fiordland's mountains are highest in the north reaching 2746 meters (9009 feet) at Mt Tutoko of the Darran Range. Glaciers flowing from the mountains to the west gouge sounds (fjords) like Milford, Doubtful and Dusky, while ice flowing to the east and south form lakes like Te Anau and Manapouri. Glaciation also results in a combination of deep valleys, sheer rock cliffs, hanging waterfalls (e.g. Sutherland and Stirling) and deep blue lakes. Fiordland has very high precipitation resulting in glaciers in the mountains and a high average rainfall of about 250 inches a year at the lower elevations.

Within Fiordland National Park is Milford Sound, the best known of the many sounds like Doubtful, Dusky, etc. that indent the coast here. It can be reached by airplane, car, bus or on foot. The land route (NZ 94) to Milford Sound is one of the world's finest alpine drives. From Te Anau the road winds down the Eglinton and Hollyford Valleys then through the Homer Tunnel to be met by Mitre Peak towering from the glassy waters of Milford Sound. This Sound is the most famous and accessible of the fiords. Boat trips on it are a must with close up views of the awesome scenery as well as sightings of dolphins and seals. The sound or fjord was carved by glaciers and then flooded by the Tasman Sea. Average annual rainfall of more than 7,010 millimeters (276 inches) makes Milford the country's wettest spot. The Sound measures about 19 kilometers (12 miles) long and 3 kilometers (2 miles) wide. With steep rock walls eroded by glaciers, the inlet is a scenic tourist attraction. At its entrance, visitors can see the reflection of Mitre Peak, which rises 1,695 meters (5,561 feet) above sea level.

Milford Sound from airplane	Milford Sound	Mitre Peak

Milford Sound greenery	Mountains of Milford Sound	Milford cliffs

Dolphin escort	Bowen Falls	Sterling Falls

mountains & lake in FNP	Lake Gunn	Doubtful Sound overlook

mountain overlook, FNP	twin lakes, FNP	Sutherland Falls

Doubtful Sound 1	mosses, lichen and water	Doubtful Sound 2