Located on the Catlins Coast, a 10 minute walk through mixed podocarp and beech forest brings you to the best known of the Catlins forest waterfalls. The Purakaunui Falls are a cascading multi-tiered waterfall on the Purakaunui River.br/br/The Catlins, in the southeastern corner of the South Island of New Zealand, features a scenic coastal landscape and dense temperate rainforest which harbour natural populations of birds and marine mammals. First inhabited by the Maori people in the period 900-1700 AD, the Catlins is an area with a rich history. The area enjoys a maritime temperate climate, however it's exposed location leads to its frequently wild weather with heavy ocean swells pounding the rugged coastline.