The grand peaks, tempestuous waters and stunning views of Milford Sound are justly world renowned, but a freshly revamped attraction is now revealing the compelling human stories and providing visitors with a closer look at its marine life.
The Otago Daily Times was among 40 invited guests at the official relaunch of the Southern Discoveries Milford Discovery Centre and Milford Deep Underwater Observatory, earlier this month.
The occasion marked the completion of a year-long, $350,000 upgrade of the innovatively designed floating centre in Harrison Cove, which will enhance visitors' understanding and appreciation of the Fiordland environment, then and now.
Southern Discoveries general manager John Robson welcomed Minister of Conservation Kate Wilkinson, who opened the centre by unveiling a plaque with David Skeggs, managing director of Southern Discoveries' parent company since September 2008, the Dunedin-based, family-owned Skeggs Group Ltd.
Ms Wilkinson praised the centre and the Sinbad Sanctuary project, run in partnership with the Department of Conservation (Doc) and the Fiordland Conservation Trust, as an example of business and conservation working well together.
"The Discovery Centre is an amazing facility and I wish you all the best for hundreds and hundreds of visitors," she told the audience.
Guests from Doc, the trust, Southern Lakes' civic leaders and tourism agents and operators and upgrade partners, plus the entire Skeggs Group board, arrived at the only structure of its kind in the Piopiotahi (Milford Sound) Marine Reserve on a Southern Discoveries cruise boat, after a jaunt around the fiord.
They followed in the footsteps of the many visitors to come to the centre, by perusing the series of giant interpretation panels, which had to be helicoptered into position.
Videos, pictures and a guided tour all give extra dimensions of meaning to the world heritage area.
Beginning with Rudyard Kipling's hailing of Milford Sound as "the eighth wonder of the world", we discover how the young landscape was shaped by earthquakes, landslips, glaciers and heavy rainfall.
Sinbad Gully, below Mitre Peak, is described as a "natural fortress for rare and unusual wildlife" and the centre explains the efforts made to protect native species, such as the rare whio (blue duck), from predators.
Milford's first Maori and European explorers, settlements and tourism are profiled and the arduous 107-year genesis of the essential 119km alpine Milford Rd and Homer Tunnel is spotlighted.
The 750-tonne complex's concept and construction are also showcased.
However, in what is still the main event of the facility, an atmospherically illuminated spiral staircase takes visitors into a netherworld more than 10m beneath the waves.
A freshwater layer on top of the seawater filters daylight, which allows usually deep-water-dwelling species to exist much closer to the surface and closer to the observatory windows.
Each of the 20 windows cost $10,000 and, at 120mm thick, withstands eight tonnes of water pressure, observatory founding father and driving force Alistair Child, of Wanaka, said on the day.
"If you went diving, it's what you would see, like triple-fins arguing over territory, the black coral, the red coral, the various sponges, tube worms, a multitude of animals."
The discovery centre and observatory has become an attraction no visit to Milford Sound is complete without.
If you go
• The Southern Discoveries Milford Discovery Centre and Milford Deep Underwater Observatory are found within the sheltered Harrison Cove, Milford Sound, and are only accessible by boat.
• A visit is included with the Southern Discoveries' Discover More cruise and can be added to the Scenic and Encounter cruises for $36 for an adult and $18 for a child, which includes lunch.
• The Milford Discovery Pass includes a short return boat trip with commentary and entry to the centre and observatory.
Cost is $54 for an adult and $18 for a child.
• Visits can also be part of a cruise booked with Real Journeys, Cruize Milford and Mitre Peak Cruises, without lunch included.
All cruises depart from the Milford Sound ferry terminal.
• The terminal building is 121km, or two hours' driving, from Te Anau, on the Milford Sound highway.
Te Anau is 172km, or two hours' driving, from Queenstown.
