Great South of New Caledonia
The Great South, comprising the Mont-Dore and Yaté municipalities, is the most symbolic region for New Caledonia’s three main colours: blue, green and red. From the rainforest to the mining lands there are a thousand shades of green, while the ocean offers a dazzling palette of blues. But if one colour dominates the Great South, it is the specific red of its ground.
While the Great South is hardly lacking in cultural or heritage sites, such as the ancient village of Prony, the Ouen Island or the Yaté dam, it is first and foremost a destination dedicated to green tourism and the practice of sporting activities in one of the many natural or equipped spaces in the region.
The Great South is also home to the biggest park in New Caledonia, the Blue River Provincial Park. In addition to its natural wealth (giant kaori, the drowned forest…), the park is perfectly suited to VTT, hiking or kayaking, and offers an ideal setting for bathing in the clear waters of the Blue River.
From the Blue River Park to the N’Dua Reserve…
In addition to this immense park, the Great South is brimming with other nature reserves. The Madeleine waterfalls include one of the most beautiful botanic trails in the area, while the loops of nearby Netcha offer the most stunning mountain biking trails in the country. On the front of the western coast, the N’Dua reserve offers visitors a colourful spectacle and allows remote observation of the humpback whales reproducing in the area between June and September.
The Needle of Prony: a unique under-water chimney!
Generally speaking, the Great South is a hiker’s paradise. Whether climbing Mont-Dore, whose imposing mass dominates the lagoon at the entrance of Nouméa, or taking on the GR1 trail from Dumbéa to Prony, every walker will find their perfect trail!
On the East Coast, several fringing reefs offer a rare setting for diving straight from the beach. But it is at Prony that divers can have the most incredible experience exploring a unique site, the Needle of Prony. Hot water from the depths of the earth flows out of this astounding underwater chimney, discovered in 1979.
The Yaté Dam – an electric visit!
Within the magnificent Great South region, known for its big open spaces, preserved nature and red soil, the Yaté Dam and its lake are simply gigantic. The dam, 45 metres high and 641 metres long is located 160 metres above sea level. The huge lake is approximately 40 Km2. An impressive and unmissable experience in the South of New Caledonia.
Without nickel, no SLN (Society le Nickel – the main nickel company in New Caledonia) and without the SLN, the Yate dam wouldn’t have been created in 1959. Primarily used to provide power to the SLN factory in Doniambo in Ducos, the dam now supports a 68 MW power station.
Blue River Park – a place rich in color
This is the most popular park in New Caledonia, undoubtedly the most incredible one. Located in the south of the Grande Terre, the Blue River Park promises a truly exotic scenery in a very unusual setting. Nature here has not changed for millions of years!
The finest nature park in New Caledonia
This provincial park of 9,000 hectares is a protected area in which visitors are welcome as long as they obey the few simple rules that are necessary. While it is indeed possible to camp in the Park, it is – for example – mandatory to partially “take down” your tent when the morning comes. Barbecue fires are tolerated (unless otherwise stated at the entrance), but it’s forbidden to pick up dead wood. You will leave your car at the entrance and go cycling, or use the park’s shuttle service.
Cap N’Dua – simply spectacular!
Found on the tip of the Grand Sud, Cap N’Dua is a natural reserve nestled between land and sea. Richly biodiverse, the area offers breathtaking views of the lagoon and open sea. There is a viewing area with facilities allowing visitors to gaze at the horizon on the lookout for the humpback whales that come to reproduce in the region each year.
Previously part of the southern forestry reserve, Cap N’Dua is now a natural reserve in its own right, covering some 830 hectares. Open to the public for free from Tuesday to Sunday (from 7am to 4pm), the reserve is a magical place for nature lovers.
From Prony bay to Casy islet
In southern New Caledonia, between the Havannah and Woodin canals that separate it from Ouen island, Prony bay is like a little inner sea. At its heart, close to Somme bay, it contains a curiosity that is virtually unique in the world: the Prony needle. A little further on and accessible by taxi-boat, Casy islet offers a beautiful natural setting for a weekend’s camping.
Named with reference to the steamboat that obtained the first hydrographic data of its sea bed between 1853 and 1855, Prony bay offers a stunning contrast between the deep blue of its water, the red earth so characteristic of the South and the unique green of the New Caledonia pines abundant in the bay.
