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THE COMMUNITY
As a community-driven endurance event, we see the Paparoa Ultra as more than just a race, but as a journey through two small West Coast communities with big character. From the race start in Blackball to the race finish in Punakaiki, our aim is to celebrate and support the people and places that host us, by encouraging runners and supporters to connect with local stories, spend time in the towns, and experience the Coast as the locals know it.
BLACKBALL
(Race Start)
Blackball is a proud West Coast town that played a crucial part in todays New Zealand workers' conditions. It is New Zealand's only historical mine site where the town still thrives. With its rich heritage, Blackball continues to preserve and share its past while embracing art, culture, and nature as part of its future.
EXPLORE, EAT & STAY
Visit the Mahi Tupuna Working Class History Museum - Hear the story of the 1908 strike, which saw the local miners lead the country into a new political era.
Visit the famous Blackball Salami shop - MSG & gluten free locally produced West Coast salami.
Visit Blackball Bling and Kereru Crafts - Check out some locally crafted products.
Visit the Blackball Mine Site - Learn about the Blackball coal mine chimneys on Rua Road.
Stay and/or eat at Formerly The Blackball Hilton, The Blackball Inn
PUNAKAIKI
(Race Finish)
Famous for its Pancake Rocks and blowholes, Punakaiki is a small West Coast village on the Great Coast Road, rated by Lonely Planet as one of the Top 10 Coastal Drives in the world. Its coastal caves, towering limestone gorges, crystal-clear rivers, and rich diversity of flora and fauna make Punakaiki a place of striking natural beauty that continues to draw visitors from around the globe.
Checkout the Punakaiki website for full recommendations of where to Explore, Eat and Stay.
Some, but by far all, are listed below.
EXPLORE, EAT & STAY
See the West Coast by air with a scenic flight with Coastwide Helictopers.
Visit the Punangairi Visitor Centre for The Paparoa Experience to immerse yourself in the rich heritage of Paparoa National Park.
Paddle the Pororari River with Paddle 'N Carve - Kayak & SUP rentals, guided tours and limestone carving.
Walk the famous Pancake Rocks loop, or any of the other hikes in the Paparoa National Park.
Eat at the Punakaiki Rocks Hotel & Garden Bar, The Paparoa Eatery or the Pancake Rocks Cafe.
Watch NZ's endemic tāiko/Westland Petrels returning home to breed near Punakaiki with a Petrel Colony Tour.
Immerse in a scenic sauna with Pure Punakaiki.
Create a piece of jewellery with a jewellery workshop with Vosso Studio.
Stay at the Punakaiki Rocks Hotel, the Punakaiki Beach Camp, Scenic Hotel, Hydrangea Cottages, the Punakaiki Beach Hostel or the many other motels/backpackers and Airbnb's.
- Accommodation becomes very limited in Summer so book well in advance!
FAVOURITES NEARBY
Visit the Fox River Market on a Sunday.
Make your own knife in Barrytown with Barrytown Knifemaking.
Visit Underworld Adventures in Charleston for cave rafting, glowworm tours and rainforest trains.
Book an authentic guided hiking experience with Paparoa Guided Walks.