It is named for the Hollyford River, which runs north-north-west along its length from the Southern Alps to the Tasman Sea.

[2] The turnoff site, a former roadworkers camp, sports a small museum and is a starting point for a number of tramping (hiking) routes, with about 2,000 people per year exploring the Hollyford Valley backcountry.

From 1936 the attractions of the Hollyford Valley were promoted by local farmer and resident, David Gunn.

In 2010, plans resurfaced to construct a road from this turnoff towards Haast, following first the river and then travelling along the rugged coastline.

[5] The proposal has been slightly amended since its introduction [6] in 2011 but concern remains that making the unspoilt natural area, which attracts more adventurous sightseers and hikers, more road accessible may compromise both conservation and, in the longer term, the attractiveness of the remote area.