Quail Island

Quail Island which translates to Otamahua in Maori is an inner harbour island and is Canterbury’s largest island. It was named after the now extinct native quail by Captain William Smith and was originally used as a quarantine station by early European settlers. The island is a short 15-minute ferry ride away from Lyttleton and you can enjoy stunning cliffs, shipwrecks, quarry remnants, and easy walking trails. You can even kayak to the island.

Quail Island was converted into a recreational reserve in 1975 and one can explore native fauna and flora as well as native birds such as kingfisher, silvereye, and fantail. Whakamaru Beach is a safe spot for swimming and picnicking. The Ships graveyard on the western side of the island is a must-see as the decaying remains of eight vessels can be seen at low-tide. The Quail Island Loop is a 4.5km loop and takes 2.5 hours to complete. It crosses a bird observation barricade, an excellent vantage point to see the shipwrecks, stone terraces and quarantine barracks. If you want to stay here overnight, you can book the Otamahua Hut which was used as a caretaker’s cottage in the 1980s.