View across an alpine tarn in Takahe Valley, Murchison Mountains.

The Murchison Mountains are located to the west of Lake Te Anau in Fiordland National Park. The rediscovery in 1948 of the takahe, a large, flightless rail; generated considerable international interest and prompted the New Zealand Government to declare the Murchison Range of 50,000 hectares, as a "Special Area". There are tight restrictions upon access in this area and with extensive predator trapping and deer control, it is a haven for a wealth of native fauna and flora such as takahe, mohua and whio.