The Perfect Waitaki Playlist

Top 100 songs to roadtrip through the Waitaki

You’ve waited long enough. The sun has deemed it time. Appease that glowing orb in the sky and call your friends. Throw your togs, a couple bags of chips in the back of your car, maybe a fruit. And set out on that epic road trip across the Waitaki District you’ve always wanted to do.

Revel in the feeling that anything is possible when an open road stretches out before you—

But, the perfect road trip needs the perfect playlist. A playlist you can sing along to. A playlist that swells as the verdant green scenery reaches up to the blue, blue sky, the bright colours and distinct horizon looking so perfect it almost looks fake like a child’s drawing. A playlist that makes you say, “This song!” A playlist that inspires you to stop or turn a corner and have an unexpected adventure. A playlist that keeps your spirits up even when your bum is parked in your seat for a long time.

Luckily for you, we have created that very playlist.

The Perfect Waitaki Summer Playlist playlist was put together with suggestions from the Waitaki public, local businesses, Tourism Waitaki, The Waitaki District Council, and New Zealand musicians to capture the Waitaki’s distinctive spirit.

The playlist consists of 100 songs and is approximately 6 hours long. Starting a road trip from the bottom of the district in Palmerston and stopping off at key points of interest and Geosites that make up The Waitaki Whitestone Aspiring Geopark (Macraes Flat, Shag Point, Moeraki Boulders, Oamaru, Elephant Rocks, Benmore Dam, Takiroa Maori Rock Drawings, Clay Cliffs, Lake Ohau) and ending in Lindis Pass will take around 6 hours.

Stretching out the playlist can be achieved by biking the entirety of the Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail, which will take 4-7 days or cyclists can try out day excursions.

The playlist includes suggestions from Kiwi musicians Delaney Davidson, Stan Walker, Anna Coddington, Devilskin, The Beths, Hera, Grayson Gilmour, James Reid, Earthtongue, Mel Parsons and more. Actors Thomasin Mckenzie and Bruce Hopkins had input alongside author Owen Marshall CNZM.

Enjoy the ride and remember to tag us in your road trip snaps: #WaitakiNZ

Thank you to all of the people who contributed to this playlist : 

1,2 Many by Luke Combs selected by The Waitaki Community

I’m so depressed by Delaney Davidson selected by Delaney Davidson

Bones by The Killers selected by Tourism Waitaki

 Gone Gone Gone by French For Rabbits selected by French For Rabbits

Sundown by Six60 selected by Duntroon Hotel

Bicycle Race by Queen selected by Alps 2 Ocean Cycle Trail

Don’t Dream It’s Over by Crowded House selected by Owen Marshall CNZM

High & Lonely by Nadia Reed selected by Tourism Waitaki

Bloodletter by Delaney Davidson and Marlon Williams selected by Tourism Waitaki

It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere by Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet selected by Wrinkly Rams

In The Air by L.A.B selected by Fat Sallys

Kua Kore He Kupu/Soaked by Benee selected by Waitaki District Council

Seve by Tez Cadey selected by Tourism Waitaki

Bathe In The River by The Mt. Raskil Preservation Society and Hollie Smith selected by Old School Enfield

Beautiful Day by U2 selected by Mariner Suites

Nice Day For An Earthquake selected by Tourism Waitaki

Hey Brother by Avicii selected by The Waitaki Community

Double Whiskey Single Woman by Brand New Zeros selected by Tourism Waitaki

Life Is A Highway by Tom Cochrane selected by The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

Driving Man by Mel Parsons selected by Mel Parsons

Coldest Evenings by Hera selected by Hera

Only Time by Enya selected by The Criterion

Ruaimoka by Maisey Rika and Anika Moa selected by Waitaki District Council

Hungry Heart by Bruce Springsteen selected by Poshtel

The Stars Came Out Once The Lights Went Out by The Veils selected by Tourism Waitaki

Forbidden Treasure by BOKEH selected Thomasin McKenzie

Invisible Tattoo by Sharon Robinson selected by Tourism Waitaki

Vibe With You by Dillastrate selected by Dillastrate

Four To The Floor by Starsailor selected by Whitestone Cheese

My Church by Maren Morris selected by The Waitaki Community

Time Enough For Rocking When We’re Old by The Magnetic Fields selected by Tourism Waitaki

I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister selected by The Waitaki Whitestone Aspiring Geopark

All Fall Down by Devilskin selected by Devilskin

Full Moon by Marijannah by The Waitaki Community

Slings & Arrows by Fat Freddy’s Drop selected by Waitaki District Council

Don’t Forget Your Roots by Six60 selected by Scott’s Brewery

Shenandoah by Bruce Springsteen selected by Lake Ohau Lodge

Travelling Bones by Jenny Mitchell selected by Jenny Mitchell

Heart Of Stone by Dave Stewart selected by Snapfit

I’m Not Getting Excited by The Beths selected by Tourism Waitaki

Café Art by Bored Housewives Club selected by Bored Housewives Club

Running To You by Tami Neilson and Delaney Davidson selected by Delaney Davidson

Waiting For You by Na Noise selected by Dick Move

Let’s Go To Bed by The Cure selected by Snapfit

Scatterlings Of Africa by Johnny Clegg and Savuka selected by Tourism Waitaki

1993 (No Chill) by Paces and Jess Kent selected by Tourism Waitaki

Let’s Have A Party by Hera selected by Hera

Dizzy Heights by Neil Finn selected by Tourism Waitaki

Point That Thing by The Clean selected by Delaney Davidson

Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd selected by The Waitaki Community

I Am Woman by Helen Reddy selected by The Victorian Wardrobe
Cactus Cat by Look Blue Go Purple selected by The Beths

Strangers by Ha the Unclear selected by Waitaki District Council

The Battle Of Evermore by Led Zeppelin selected by Bruce Hopkins

River Man by Nick Drake selected by Tourism Waitaki

Crow River by The Eastern selected by Riverstone Kitchen

Deep Sea Mystery by Earth Tongue selected by The Waitaki Community

Eyes Red Heavy by Devilskin selected by Devilskin

Higher Lows Lower Highs by Cut Off Your Hands selected by Grayson Gilmour

Chateau by Angus and Julia Stone selected by The Waitaki Community

Other Side Of The Wheel by Nadia Reed selected by The Waitaki Community

Are You With Me by Lost Frequencies selected by Tourism Waitaki

The Traveler by James Reid selected by James Reid

Tennessee Whiskey by Stan Walker and Parson James selected by The Waitaki Community

They Can’t Take That Away From Me by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong selected by The Harbour Street Jazz Festival

River Deep-Mountain High by Ike and Tina Turner selected by Old School Enfield

North By North by The Bats selected by Delaney Davidson

Svanrand by Heilung selected by Studio Realm

Hundred Waters by Grayson Gilmour selected by Tourism Waitaki

Night Class by Anna Coddington selected by French For Rabbits

Eczema by Hans Pucket selected by Earth Tongue

I Don’t Mind by Don McGlashan, Shayne Carter and Sean Donnelly selected by Edward Robinson

The Road To Erewhon by The Eastern selected by Barry Saunders

Fixture Picture by Aldous Harding selected by Waitaki District Council

Tēnā Rā Koe / Thank You by Stan Walker selected by Stan Walker

Rise Up 2.0 by Six60 selected by The Waitaki Community

The Other Side by French For Rabbits selected by French For Rabbits

I Love My Leather Jacket by The Chills selected by Waitaki Museum & Archive

Need A Little Time Away by The Mentalist Collective selected by Waitaki District Council

I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters selected by The Harbour Street Jazz Festival

I Follow Rivers by Lykke Li selected by Tourism Waitaki

Water Of Love by Dire Straits selected by Tourism Waitaki

Who’s Gonna Save My Soul by Gnarls Barkley selected by Delaney Davidson

Help Is On Its Way by Little River Band selected by Old School Enfield

Word Gets Around by Delaney Davidson and Barry Saunders selected by Delaney Davidson

Gold by Chet Faker selected by Tourism Waitaki

Alberta Sun by Mel Parsons selected by Mel Parsons

State Houses By The River by The Eastern selected by Waitaki District Council

Blue Smoke by Pixie Williams selected The Janet Frame House

Take Two Stones (Or Love Is Not Geology) by Isaac Gill selected by The Waitaki Whitestone Aspiring Geopark

Bounce by Katchafire selected by Dillastrate

How Bizarre by OMC selected by Dunback Inn

Cool It by Hera selected by Hera

Bad Habit by The Kooks selected by Tourism Waitaki

No Security Blues by Ben Salter selected by Grainstore Gallery

Beams by Anna Coddington and Louis Baker selected by Anna Coddington

Aotearoa I Love You by John McCabe selected by John McCabe

Kia Mau Ki Tō Ūkaipō / Don’t Forget Your Roots by Six60 selected by Steampunk HQ

Throw Your Arms Around Me by Eddie Vedder and Neil Finn selected by Waitaki Mushrooms

The Ballad of The Waitaki by The Plainsmen selected by Valley View Glamping