Matai Falls Scenic Reserve, North Catlins: 3rd October 2022

 Visiting a trio of waterfalls in the Catlins

On the fourth day of our trip to the Catlins we packed up and headed further south into the area around Curio Bay. This is in the southern part of the Catlins and has the greatest density of scenic locations, tracks and tourist spots. On the way we stopped at the Matai Falls Scenic Reserve.

At the start of the Matai Falls Walk

You are right in the hilliest and most heavily forested part of the Catlins here so you are surrounded by bush covered ridges and valleys in all directions. The drive was the most winding part of the Southern Scenic Route especially when you are in a whale of a seven meter long camper van.

Carpark at the start of the Matai Falls Walk

Matai Falls Scenic Reserve is the home of a trio of waterfalls that you can reach along a lovely bush track. It is approximately 700 meters to the waterfalls through dense coastal Podocarp forest. 

Matai Falls Walk starts at this bridge

There are two waterfalls here...Matai Falls and Horseshoe Falls. There is also a pretty curtain waterfall that flows after rain and as it had rained the previous night there was water running over it. 

Matai Falls, Tautuku, Catlins

It was an interesting place to stop for a short while and we both thought the waterfalls were very pretty so it was time well spent. Anyway lets have a look at the waterfalls...

Exploring waterfalls at Matai Falls Scenic Reserve:

The track to the Matai waterfalls start from a small parking area about 30 minutes drive south of Owaka near the old settlement of Caberfeidh. There is space in the carpark for about 5-6 cars and there were already two vans parked here when we arrived. It was raining lightly so we had our jackets on...

Crossing the bridge at start of Matai Falls Walk

Map: Matai Falls Scenic Reserve

From the carpark you cross a small bridge and begin descending down to the side of the Matai River East Branch. You are walking on a well maintained track through coastal podocarp forest and it takes about 10 minutes to make it down to the side of the Matai River. 

Descending down to the Matai River East Branch

The forest here is mostly Kamihi but there is also a lot of native Fuchsia and a scattering of other natives including Kahikatea, Matai, Rimu and Totara Trees. 

Fuchsia trees, Matai Falls Walk

Matai Falls Walk track quality is excellent

The forest is thick along the Matai Falls Walk

There is a side track about 200 meters down the walk to a rail trail along the old Balclutha to Tautuku Rail Line. This is the same rail line that once featured the Tunnel Hill Railway Tunnel we visited on our first day in the Catlin's. It is an hour from here to the main rail trail so we didn't walk down the track. 

Matai Falls Walk...side track to Rail Trail

...looking down the Rail Trail access track...

The track quality here is excellent and the track is wide enough for several people to walk side by side. It is earth, gravel and boardwalk and I imagine it could be quite muddy after heavy or sustained rain. 

Variety of trees along the Matai Falls Walk

After about 500 meters the Matai River East Branch appears on your left and you will be following it all the way to Matai Falls. It is a small stream though I bet it fills after rain as the land is steep hills around here.

Matai River East Branch is just visible

On the Matai Falls Walk track near Caberfeidh

Approximately 650 meters from the road you come to a track junction...if you go straight ahead you will soon arrive at Matai Falls. There is also a set of steps which lead up to Horseshoe Falls and an unnamed curtain waterfall.

...the Matai Falls are straight ahead...

Climb the stairs to the Horseshoe Falls

 We decided to visit Matai Falls first...they were on the same level as the track and this left the stair climbing to last!!!

Matai Falls:

You just keep walking straight along the bank of the Matai River to get to the Matai Falls. They are about another 50 meters up the track and can be heard from the track junction onwards. 

Matai Falls Walk...the track junction near the falls

First distant view of the Matai Falls

There is a small viewing platform on the side of the Matai Falls East Branch that has an unobstructed view of the Matai Falls. From here you can see all of the waterfall but you are not able to get a clear view into the basin pool at their base. 

Viewing platform at the Matai Falls

Pool at base of the Matai Falls

The Matai Falls are about 10 meters high and fall in one continuous drop into quite a deep pool at their base. The drop is abrupt so the face of the waterfall is a straight bluff that the Matai East Branch falls over. 

They were running at a moderate rate when we visited due to the rain overnight. I have seen photos of the falls after a big storm and they are absolutely pumping water. 

Matai Falls are about 10 meters high

Moderate flow rate at the Matai Falls

The base of the falls is a jumbled mess of rocks, drift wood and sections of pipe from some long abandoned industry. The pool at their base looked deep but it was too wet and slippery to get any closer than the viewing platform. The pool was easily a meter deep and could have been as much as two meters deep from what I could see. 

Tangle of debris at base of Matai Falls

From the pool the river continues downhill over a rocky river bed that heads southeast towards the ocean. 

East Branch of Matai River from near the waterfall

The rocks in the Matai River are slick

You could probably mess around under the falls and have a swim in the pool if you wanted but best wait for the summer months if you are contemplating this option. It was cold near the waterfalls...at least five degrees cooler than the surrounding forest. 

Matai Falls from the track down to the river

The base of Matai Falls looks almost like a dam...

Clear water flowing from the Matai Falls

Small curtain fall to side of Matai Falls

We spent about 10 minutes in and around the waterfall taking photos and filming clips for my YouTube channel before heading back down the track. 

Heading back along the Matai Falls Walk

You have to walk back to the track junction to head up to the Horseshoe Falls which are further up the hill behind the main Matai Falls.

Horseshoe Falls:

Horseshoe Falls is another waterfall you can access from the walkway here and it is about 10 minutes further up the valley from the track junction. At first you climb a set of steps until you reach a track sidling high above the Matai Falls Track. 

Climbing to the Horseshoe Falls

Horseshoe Falls Track at Matai Scenic Reserve

Safety barrier above Matai Falls

The Horseshoe Falls Track will eventually deposit you at another viewing platform at the base of the Horseshoe Falls. Unfortunately the vegetation has grown up in front of the viewing platform so your only view of the waterfall is impeded by some head high shrubs. 

Viewing platform for the Horseshoe Falls

Just to the side of the viewing platform is a very pretty curtain waterfall which has no name. It only flows after rain as the water runs out of the topsoil and down over a small 2 meter rock face. I am a big fan of curtain waterfalls as they are visually stunning and the sound they make as they run is very alluring. 

No name curtain waterfall at Matai Falls Scenic Reserve

The water seeps down after a rain storm...

If you are willing to climb around the side of the viewing platform there is a very dubious view point of the Horseshoe Falls. I cannot recommend you use this as it was very wet, muddy and slippery and there is a drop off down to the river. There is also a short track down to the edge of the river but it was super muddy and not safe the day we visited. 

Horseshoe Falls, Matai Falls Scenic Reserve

Horseshoe Falls is more craggy and rugged

Here is a photo of Karen looking slightly concerned as I lean out over the drop off to take some photos. She was wiser than me and not keen to take the risk of a fall from my precarious view point...

Karen concerned I'm about to fall off the cliff....

You can see the Matai River East Branch in the photo below...it is the source of water for all of these waterfalls and if you look at a topo map it has a large catchment coming down from the nearby hills. 

Matai River East Branch supplies all these waterfalls

There is also a view of the top of the Matai Falls from the Horseshoe Falls Track...you can see the top of the waterfall, its basin pool and the lower viewpoint from above. 

Matai Falls from the Horseshoe Falls Track

Looking down on the Matai Falls viewing platform

After five minutes we headed back down the Horseshoe Falls Track and started on our way back up to the waiting campervan. We had several other places we wanted to visit on the way south and it was already nearly noon...

Heading down Horseshoe Falls Track

Plants growing on tree branch, Matai Falls Walk

Karen heading back to the carpark, Matai Falls Walk

There were more of those monster Fuchsia trees along this track...they seem to be really prolific down here in the Catlin's. A good 25% of all the trees we saw in these forests were Fuchsia....

Big Fuchsia trees on the Matai Falls Walk

Start of the climb back to the carpark on Matai Falls Walk

Return to the carpark is along the track you followed to get to the falls. It would be hard for DOC to build a circuit track here as the terrain was steep hills covered with thick forest. 

The Matai Falls Walk is almost tunnel like...

Bridge at end of Matai Falls Walk

You cross the bridge at the start and finish of the walk and I stopped to have a look into the small gully running under the footbridge. It was nearly dry when we visited but I could see how it would have water running down it after heavy rain. 

At the end of the walk...Matai Falls Walk

Gully next to bridge on Matai Falls Walk

Start/end of the Matai Falls Walk

From the Matai Falls Scenic Reserve we continued south towards Curio Bay where we were scheduled to spend two nights. Our next point of call along the route was at the Lake Wilkie Track about 15 kilometers further along the highway. 

Access: The Matai Falls Walk is 30 minutes south of Owaka on the Southern Scenic Route. It is just before Caberfeidh and is marked with a DOC sign and small parking lot.

Track Times: The Matai Falls Walk is about 800 meters one way and will take 30-40 minutes return.

Miscellaneous: There are three waterfalls at the end of this short track. Walk through a scenic reserve of old growth coastal podocarp forest to several waterfalls and a river. No amenities at this location. 

You Tube: Matai Falls Scenic Reserve