The Purakaunui Falls are a cascading multi-tiered waterfall on the Purakaunui River, in the Catlins area of south Otago. An easy 10 minute walk through mixed podocarp and beech forest brings you to the best known of the Catlins forest waterfalls. 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.