Arthur’s Pass National Park is located in the heart of the South Island with an active alpine fault immediately below. It is nestled in an environment formed by those tectonic forces that pushed the earth up millions of years ago. From these forces a chain of mountains – the Southern Alps – extending across the length of the South Island was formed. Arthur’s Pass National Park was the first national park to be established in the South Island of New Zealand. Created in 1929, it covers a 1143km2 area of indigenous forest, braided rivers, snow covered peaks, and scree slops. Arthur’s Pass Village is half way between the west and east coasts of the South Island of New Zealand. Standing on the pass you can look both north and south to witness an unbroken stretch of rainforest that extends for more than 1000km, from one end of the South Island of New Zealand to the other. Travelling along the highway visitors can observe a remarkable ecological transformation from the dry eastern side with its beech trees and braided rivers, to the western side with its dense and lush rainforest.