Nature Estate
unwind, connect, explore
Immerse Yourself
From the abundant native beech forests, gardens and mighty Maruia River, to the surrounding lakes and picturesque mountain ranges — Maruia Retreat is a hub of inspiration and adventure, starting with its own backyard.
Native Forest
Surrounded by 500 acres of exquisite native beech forests, rugged mountain ranges, gardens and terraces, Maruia Retreat is an extensive natural estate nestled alongside the magnificent Maruia River.
The Estate showcases its beauty through the immersive nature trails found on the property. We offer guided walks led by Lasse, who shares a wealth of knowledge about the native land.
In close proximity to The Lodge, both Braeburn and Lyell tracks are perfect for guests wanting to explore the glorious inner West Coast region. More information on these Great Walks of NZ here.
Gardens
A stunning display of estate history and beauty, the Maruia River Retreat gardens have been carefully maintained and manicured for over 40 years. A full sensory experience, the garden follows the edge of the rambling Maruia River and features exotic and native flora and fauna, gentle sloping lawns, a fruit orchard and an organic kitchen garden bearing delicious seasonal produce.
Explore Maruia’s botanical beauty and enquire here about our private garden tours.
River
The Estate is fronted by the Maruia River, which runs for over a kilometer from the very doorstep of the Maruia Estate. Offering a multitude of recreational adventures, guests are invited to swim, raft or kayak in the gin-clear waters of the Maruia River, just a stone’s throw away from the villas.
The Maruia River is also world renowned for its trout fishing, with many of the best fishing spots in New Zealand located directly in front of the property. For more information on trout fishing or kayaking and rafting expeditions, please enquire here.
Exploration
Traversed by five creeks, Maruia River Retreat is home to wild deer, goats, numerous native bird species, and some of the best fly-fishing New Zealand has to offer.
We are constantly developing our walking tracks to open an ever-increasing amount of terrain for you to enjoy and explore. Sign-up to our newsletter for updates.
Ecological Report
The significance of the Maruia River Retreat forest
Site RO152 and Site RO173 are in Rotoroa Ecological District, within Spenser Ecological Region (McEwen, 1987). The original vegetation at this part of Rotoroa Ecological District was lowland beech forest, dominated by red beech and silver beech, grading to silver beech-mountain beech forest at higher altitudes. Podocarp forest was present on poorly-drained river terraces, and species such as kowhai and kanuka present along riverbanks. A more detailed description of the ecological district is presented in Attachment 1.
