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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -46.50361, 169.48711. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 1.2 km return via same track return via same track
- Walking time
- 40 min
- Track grade
- Easiest
- Location
- Catlins coastal area
- Dog access
- Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Walk to the Matai Falls through regenerating podocarp and broadleaf forest.
This DOC directory entry covers Matai Falls Walk in Otago, within Catlins coastal area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 1.2 km return via same track return via same track
- Walking time: 40 min
- DOC grade: Easiest
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Dog access
Dogs on a leash only. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
As you leave the carpark across a bridge you’ll be in regenerating podocarp and broadleaf forest. Follow the track down and you will come across an intersection, taking the left route takes you down the old rail line that used to connect Owaka to Tahakopa Township.
If you stick to the main track you will get to enjoy the 10 metre tall waterfall. Created to gather rock for the foundations of the railway. The waterfall is surrounded by moss and trees.
Getting there
Matai Falls is signposted on Papatowai Highway, 18 km south of Owaka. There is a lot of carparking on the bush side of the road at the track entrance.
The carpark is not suitable for large busses.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
