Colac Bay is a small township on the Southern Scenic Route

Southern Scenic Route

The Southern Scenic Route is a tourist highway in New Zealand linking Queenstown, Fiordland, Te Anau and the iconic Milford Road to Dunedin via, Riverton, Invercargill and The Catlins...

, 10 minutes from Riverton

Riverton, New Zealand

Riverton or Aparima is a small town at the south of the South Island of New Zealand. It is in the Southland region and lies at the western end of Oreti Beach, 30 kilometres west of Invercargill on the Southern Scenic Route. It is approx. 45 km from Stewart Island and provides a safe harbour...

. Surrounding areas include Longwood, Tihaka, Waipango, Round Hill, Wakapatu, Ruahine, Pahia

Pahia

Pahia is a small rural locality in coastal Southland, New Zealand, not to be confused with the North Island tourist resort of Paihia. Surrounding areas include Ruahine, Wakapatu, Round Hill, Colac Bay and Orepuki. The main road, Orepuki-Riverton Hwy , runs through it...

 and Orepuki

Orepuki

Orepuki in Southland, New Zealand is a small country township on the coast of Te Waewae Bay some 20 minutes from Riverton, 15 minutes from Tuatapere and 50 minutes from Invercargill that sits at the foot of the Longwood Range...

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The town hugs the bay, with sandy beaches and also has a popular surf spot known as Trees. The town has a small dairy, craft shop, pub, caravan park, community hall and Marae. The town also has a statue of a surfer riding a wave, popular with tourists.

Colac Bay Hill, Lake George, Howell's Hills and the Longwood Range

Longwood Range

The Longwood Range is a range of hills to the west of the Southland Plains, Southland, New Zealand. There are many small towns and localities situated around the periphery of these hills: clockwise from the south-east, these include Riverton, Pourakino Valley, Colac Bay, Pahia, Orepuki, Tuatapere,...

 make up the geographic landmarks. In places you can see Centre Island and Stewart Island looking across Foveaux Strait

Foveaux Strait

Foveaux Strait separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander...

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