Milford Road

The Milford Road is a state highway in the South Island of New Zealand, running through a section of Fiordland National Park from Te Anau Township, north to Milford Sound, passing through the Southern Alps Main Divide, the Eglinton Valley, Hollyford Valley, Homer Tunnel and Cleddau Valley

Driving the Milford Road

Tourists to the Sound arrive mainly via coach over Milford Road State Highway 94, a high mountain road prone to avalanches in winter. The road was only opened in 1953, after Homer Tunnel was finished after almost 20 years of intermittent work. The road is one of the more dangerous public roads in New Zealand, with injury crash rates around 65% higher than the rest of New Zealand's network, and a fatality crash rate of almost twice average (per vehicle kilometre travelled), making it the third most dangerous section of New Zealand's State Highway network (as of 2008). Stopping is prohibited on long stretches due to rock or snow avalanche dangers, and the road is often closed in winter, with the carrying of snow chains mandatory during snow conditions. Helicopters are used during winter to drop explosives onto snow buildup zones above the road in order to cause controlled avalanches. However this does not eliminate the danger that road traffic may be hit by an uncontrolled event, especially in the area of the Homer Tunnel portals.

There are also no petrol stations on the whole length of the road from Te Anau to the Sound, meaning that vehicles need to take enough fuel for a return trip. All of this does not discourage up to 50 coaches and hundreds of private cars daily from making the 608 km trip from Queenstown (slightly less from Invercargill).Almost 60% travelled via coach.

Times and distances

The journey from Te Anau to Milford Sound and back is 240 km (144 miles) long. A non-stop direct one-way drive takes at least two hours depending on weather conditions.

The Mirror Lakes Viewpoint in the Eglinton Valley.

Scenic Attractions

The Milford Road began in 1926 when John Chartres, a local Station Owner, started making his own road from Te Anau Downs Harbour south to the Te Anau Hotel. starting a project which turned into the most Scenic Highway in New Zealand including Iconic Landmarks the Mirror Lakes, Lake Gunn, the Key Summit, Mount Christina, Mount Talbot, the Homer Tunnel, The Chasm, Mount Tutoko, and New Zealand’s number one Icon Mitre Peak. Before the sealing of the road in the 1980s it was treated as a day's adventure from the township of Te Anau and Milford Sound the Climax of the Journey. Modern Marketing and Faster Buses has made Milford Sound a destination from Queenstown involving 8 hours of Bus transit, round trip with few stops. This route is part of the Te Wai Pounamu Wilderness Area.

New Zealand Film Director Peter Jackson

Lord of the Rings Connections

The Eglinton Mountains above the Lake Gunn where used as a location in the Peter Jackson Movie the Fellowship of the Ring where the actors walk along a mountain path with and the Key Summit is evident in the distance. the Mountains here where also used in the Fellowship of the Ring introduction to represent the Misty Mountains. Emily Peak on the Route Burn Track can also be seen in this Movie. Ironically Peter Jackson picked an area that once contained New Zealand's only Place Names from JRR Tolkien that where removed from the official Maps in the 1980s as they where deemed inappropriate for this region.

Photo Gallery

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  Mt Talbot from the Monkey Creek Bridge
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  Lake Gunn Viewpoint looking South West
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  Beware of the Alpine Parrots that stalk the Milford Road.
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  Hanging Valley from the Homer Tunnel Portal
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  The Alpine Section of Highway 96
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  The view from the end of the Milford Road NZ
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  West of the Homer Tunnel NZ

References

Ian Brodie. 2003. The Lord of the Rings Location Guidebook, Published by Harper Collins, ISBN 1-86950-491-7, 126 pages John Hall Jones.2000. “Milford Sound, Illustrated History”, Published by Harper Collins, ISBN 0-908629-54-0, 144 pages

External links

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