{{Short description|Beach in New Zealand}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2023}} {{Infobox landform | water = | name = Wharariki Beach | other_name = | type = [[Beach]] | image = Wharariki Beach and Archway Islands.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = Wharariki Beach and three of the four [[Archway Islands]] | pushpin_map = New Zealand | pushpin_relief = 1 | pushpin_label = | pushpin_label_position = left | location = [[Tasman District]], New Zealand | coordinates = {{Coord|40.506|S|172.670|E|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | water_bodies = [[Tasman Sea]] | length = | width = }} '''Wharariki Beach''' is a [[beach]] on the [[Tasman Sea]], west of [[Cape Farewell, New Zealand|Cape Farewell]], the northernmost point of the [[South Island]] of New Zealand.
==Geography== The north-facing sandy beach is accessible only via a 20-minute walking track from the end of Wharariki Road. The road end is approximately {{convert|4|km}} from the nearest settlement, the small village of [[Pūponga]].<ref name="DOC">{{cite web |url= http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/nelson-tasman/places/farewell-spit-and-puponga-farm-park/things-to-do/tracks/farewell-spit-and-puponga-farm-park-tracks/|title=Farewell Spit and Puponga Farm Park tracks|publisher=[[Department of Conservation (New Zealand)|Department of Conservation NZ]] |accessdate=14 December 2015}}</ref> A camping ground is located along Wharariki Road, but the area surrounding the beach is devoid of any development. Wharariki Beach is bordered by Puponga Farm Park, with the wider area more or less surrounded by the northern end of [[Kahurangi National Park]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Wharariki Beach, Tasman – NZ Topo Map |url= http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz44619/Wharariki-Beach/Tasman |website=NZ Topo Map |publisher=[[Land Information New Zealand]] |accessdate=14 December 2015}}</ref>
The beach is flanked to the east and west by cliffs, but due to the flat topography of the area behind it, the beach area and the grassy dunes behind it are quite exposed to winds.<ref>{{cite news | work = [[The New Zealand Herald]] | date = 2 May 2012 | first= Jill |last=Worrall | url = http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10802947 | title = Wharariki Beach: A rugged Tasman gem | access-date = 14 December 2015}}</ref>
==Archway Islands== Wharariki Beach is perhaps best known for the [[Archway Islands]], a small [[archipelago]] of four islands ranging from the beachside (part of the beach at low tide) to roughly {{convert|250|m}} offshore. The islands are featured frequently in photos in New Zealand landscape calendars. It is also the default lock screen image on [[Microsoft]]'s [[Windows 10]] operating system.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bacic |first=Ryan |date=6 November 2020 |title=Ever want to jump into your screensaver? These are the destinations behind them. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/11/06/screensaver-locations-microsoft-apple/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329111648/https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/11/06/screensaver-locations-microsoft-apple/ |archive-date=29 March 2023 |access-date=23 September 2024 |website=[[The Washington Post]] |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Attractions== The beach is popular for its colony of [[fur seal]] pups; during low tide, people have access to the pools where pups play in front of the easternmost of the Archway Islands.<ref name="world famous">{{cite news |last1=Clark |first1=Poppy |title=The NZ beach you never realised was world famous |url= https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/nelson-top-stories/132141929/the-nz-beach-you-never-realised-was-world-famous |access-date=2 October 2024 |work=[[The Nelson Mail]] |date=11 June 2023}}</ref>
==References== {{commons category|Wharariki Beach}} {{reflist}}
{{Tasman District}}
[[Category:Beaches of the Tasman District]] [[Category:Golden Bay]]