Christmas 2017 was planned to be a Mockford family Christmas and this year we decided we would all hang out for a week or so in the Catlins. We ended up with us, Ma & Pa and Margie & Susan staying at the Forest and Bird Lodge at Tautuku. The lodge was great with all the necessary bits and pieces to fit 6 adults and three boisterous boys. We had a family friend (Linda) come and join us for Boxing day which was nice, the boys certainly liked her company.

In total we stayed 5 nights from 23rd Dec to 27th Dec which went very quickly as nearly all holidays do. The weather pretty much played its part for the duration with only a bit of rain on Christmas day which didn’t really matter as all we did all day was eat. Margie and Susan were in charge of the food for Christmas Day and they did a fantastic job of feeding us all.

Over the course of the week we did various local activities from swimming and body boarding at Tautuku beach, to walking around the local bush and revisiting some waterfalls we had visited last time we visited the Catlins. We tried our hand at both fresh water and sea fishing, both with limited luck; fish seen, hooked but not landed much to the boys disgust.

 

During one of the walks we stumbled across a large area under some macrocarpa trees, the place even had running water there from a tap nailed to the base of one of the trees.

We went to Cathedral Caves, the weather was much nicer on this visit than earlier in the year. The good weather coupled with it being holiday times, meant there was heaps of others with the same idea and we had to share the place.

 

It was a great quick break away with family. We absolutely love the Catlins and everything it has to offer. We will be back. Here are a few other pictures and vids from the week away.