Visit Muriwai’s magical rugged coastal headland. This unique day trip from Auckland is approximately 45 minutes drive from the city centre. Take the short walking track that leads to panoramic views of the Tasman Sea and beyond. You will look down to Maori Bay popular for surfing with its large ocean swells and across to some of the largest pillow lava formations in the world.
Further out to sea, on Oaia Island you may see fur seals resting or they maybe sometimes closer beneath the rocky Muriwai headland. Take the Takapu Refuge Walk out to a viewing platform on Otakamiro Point right above the site of one of our few mainland gannet (takapu) breeding colonies.
Watch the gannets arrive to nest from August to March each year. And later in December see new chicks which have hatched and parents busily dive bombing up to 145kph in the sea to catch fish for their young.
Feel the strong south-westerly winds that prevail. And witness shifting black sand along the thundering surf beach of Muriwai. Please Note
