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Buller Gorge: SH6, Buller Gorge, West Coast
Photo: grumpylumixuser · CC BY 3.0 · cropped

Drives West Coast, New Zealand The West Coast

Buller Gorge: SH6

SH 6, SH 67 · Murchison → Westport

Sweeping60 mi1 hr 25 min3,700 ft climbHigh point ≈ 700 ftOne way
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The drive

The Buller Gorge is where State Highway 6 follows the Buller River from Murchison down to Westport. The road twists along the gorge wall high above the river, with steep native bush above and the river below, in two sections known as the Upper and Lower Buller Gorge, with Inangahua Junction between them.

Along the way there is a 110 m swingbridge over the river about 14 km west of Murchison, the longest in New Zealand, with a zip-line and short bush walks nearby. Hawks Crag, a single-lane half tunnel blasted out of a rock bluff in 1869, is one of the road's older features, and Iron Bridge in the upper gorge and Fern Arch in the lower gorge near Westport are single-lane sections controlled by traffic signals.

At Inangahua Junction, SH69 turns off for Reefton and Greymouth. SH6 carries on down the river to Westport, which is the end of this drive.

Along the way

  1. Murchison
  2. Inangahua Junction
  3. Westport
Elevation
3,700 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 700 ft
MurchisonWestport
Curves
Mostly gentle, with one twisty stretch
MurchisonWestport
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Slips, rockfall and treefalls close the gorge from time to time, so check NZTA Journeys before setting out.
  • Hawks Crag is a single-lane half tunnel; Iron Bridge and Fern Arch are single-lane sections controlled by traffic signals.
  • The swingbridge has an admission fee; it is a separate attraction, not a free roadside stop.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check NZTA Journeys: traffic and road conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does the Buller Gorge drive take?

SH6 from Murchison to Westport through the Buller Gorge is 97 km (60 mi) and takes about 1 hr 25 min.

Where is the Buller Gorge swingbridge?

The 110 m Buller Gorge swingbridge, the longest in New Zealand, crosses the Buller River about 14 km west of Murchison.

Does the Buller Gorge road close?

Yes. Slips, rockfall and treefalls have closed SH6 in the Upper and Lower Buller Gorge. NZTA Journeys lists current closures.

Where does SH6 go after Inangahua Junction?

SH6 continues down the Buller River to Westport. SH69 turns off at Inangahua Junction to Reefton and Greymouth.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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More drives near here

All 8 drives in West Coast, New Zealand ›

Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Buller Gorge: SH6, from Murchison to Westport