Cathedral Cove...
Voted as one of the 101 Must Do’s for Kiwis.
Accessible only on foot or by boat, the track begins at the northern
end of Hahei. Turn left at the Hahei shops and drive up to the car park
and lookout at the end of the road.
Not up for the 2 hour return coastal walk? One of the best ways to
explore the cove and coast is by kayak or boat. Explore sea caves, the
CATHEDRAL COVE
D
id you know the movie “Narnia” featured this familiar local site? As the two Peversie children take their first steps into the
magical world, you see this familiar view of Cathedral Cove representing Cair Paravel, a dramatic bluff, rising with a deep river
chasm and cascading 200-foot waterfall.
Actress Anna Popplewell, who played Susan, was amazed at the water’s clarity, so clear people might have thought it was
computer generated. But that glassy water beneath the falls is the real deal.
hidden blowhole and interact with the local marine life that may include
dolphins, whales and little blue penguins.
Hire a kayak or have the Hahei Explorer take you along 14kms of
spectacular coastline in an hour. These guys, with 20 years experience,
provided service for the Narnia crew, so get them to point out the film
locations and hear some of their inside stories.
The ruins of the Narnia Castle set, actually made of
polystyrene, was located in Champagne Bay, between
Hahei Beach and Hot Water Beach and accessible only
by boat. The photo shows the actors at the remnants of
the main pillar entrance gate to the castle (the set was
removed upon completion of the shoot). The second film
shoot was done in the arch (see cast to left in cove) – no
set props were built as the natural beauty was enough.
Walt Disney and Walden Pictures filmed here for 3 months.
Helen Clark, Prime Minister at the time, allowed Cathedral
Cove to be closed to the public for one day only.
Photo by Ian Patrick • www.ianpatrickco.nz
