Plan a trip to Australasia's first UNESCO Global Geopark

Spread over more than 7000 square kilometres on the South Island, New Zealand's Waitaki Whitestone Geopark is the intersection of millennia-old landscape and culture - of white karst cliffs and ancient maori rock art, shimmering rivers and glass-like lakes, windswept peninsulas and the indigenous wildlife, such as the yellow-eyed penguins, that call them home. But now there's a new reason to plan a visit to this pre-historic setting. The region has just been designated as the first UNESCO Global Geopark in Australasia. "This has been a long time coming - some would say it's been 25 million years," says Waitaki mayor, Gary Kircher.

To celebrate the milestone, the geopark will organise a special weekend of activities towards the end of October. While final details have not yet been released, now would be the time to starting planning your trip, starting with accommodation. From historic hotels to beachside motels, there's no shortage of digs here, but our pick would be Lake Ohau Lodge, perched on the banks of the eponymous lake with panoramic views of the pristine region. whitestonegeopark.nz

In further news concerning our southern neighbour, Air New Zealand has just been named Airline of the Year by AirlineRatings.com, beating competitors such as Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Korean Air and Singapore Airlines. Australian operators Qantas and Virgin Australia managed to sneak in at number six and seven respectively on the list judged by five AirlineRatings.com editors, who take into account criteria such as age of the fleet, profitability of the operator, passenger reviews and product offerings.

Read more on explore: