New Zealand from Above

In the far south of New Zealand, we discover the southern city of Dunedin, Southland and the world heritage listed Fiordland National Park. From there we fly to the alpine resort of Queenstown and explore the surrounding region.

We travel to the Southern Alps in the Central South Island and discover from above how the dramatic high alpine landscape was carved by glaciers. We learn about the 1860's gold rush era and discover how the region is producing great Pinot Noir for the international market.

The Wild West coast boasts a pristine environment of rain forest, glaciers and fast flowing rivers. Like Fiordland in Episode 1 the West Coast has also been awarded World Heritage Park status. We crossover to the East coast and see the whales feeding before flying to the city of Christchurch and onto the Northern region of the South Island.

We cross from the South to the North Island, flying over Cook Strait and the capital city - Wellington - to the centre of the North Island. The Volcanic Plateau is located on the fault line defining the Pacific "rim of fire" and we view from above active volcanoes, bubbling mud pools and boiling geysers.

As our aerial journey continues towards the Far North we pass Auckland, New Zealand's largest city and see the harbour being enjoyed by thousands of boat owners. The region of Northland is home to many Maori and is where New Zealand's founding document; the Treaty of Waitangi was signed. We meet a craftsman who constructs stringed instruments from Kauri timber and learn about Maori creation mythology.