# Wharariki Beach

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Beach in New Zealand

Wharariki Beach Beach Wharariki Beach and three of the four Archway Islands Wharariki Beach Location within New Zealand Coordinates: 40°30′22″S 172°40′12″E / 40.506°S 172.670°E / -40.506; 172.670 Location Tasman District, New Zealand Water bodies Tasman Sea

**Wharariki Beach** is a [beach](/source/Beach) on the [Tasman Sea](/source/Tasman_Sea), west of [Cape Farewell](/source/Cape_Farewell%2C_New_Zealand), the northernmost point of the [South Island](/source/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 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) from the nearest settlement, the small village of [Pūponga](/source/P%C5%ABponga).[1] 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](/source/Kahurangi_National_Park).[2]

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.[3]

## Archway Islands

Wharariki Beach is perhaps best known for the [Archway Islands](/source/Archway_Islands), a small [archipelago](/source/Archipelago) of four islands ranging from the beachside (part of the beach at low tide) to roughly 250 metres (820 ft) offshore. The islands are featured frequently in photos in New Zealand landscape calendars. It is also the default lock screen image on [Microsoft](/source/Microsoft)'s [Windows 10](/source/Windows_10) operating system.[4]

## Attractions

The beach is popular for its colony of [fur seal](/source/Fur_seal) pups; during low tide, people have access to the pools where pups play in front of the easternmost of the Archway Islands.[5]

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Wharariki Beach](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Wharariki_Beach).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-DOC_1-0)** ["Farewell Spit and Puponga Farm Park tracks"](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/). [Department of Conservation NZ](/source/Department_of_Conservation_(New_Zealand)). Retrieved 14 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Wharariki Beach, Tasman – NZ Topo Map"](http://www.topomap.co.nz/NZTopoMap/nz44619/Wharariki-Beach/Tasman). *NZ Topo Map*. [Land Information New Zealand](/source/Land_Information_New_Zealand). Retrieved 14 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Worrall, Jill (2 May 2012). ["Wharariki Beach: A rugged Tasman gem"](http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/news/article.cfm?c_id=7&objectid=10802947). *[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald)*. Retrieved 14 December 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bacic, Ryan (6 November 2020). ["Ever want to jump into your screensaver? These are the destinations behind them"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/11/06/screensaver-locations-microsoft-apple/). *[The Washington Post](/source/The_Washington_Post)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20230329111648/https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2020/11/06/screensaver-locations-microsoft-apple/) from the original on 29 March 2023. Retrieved 23 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-world_famous_5-0)** Clark, Poppy (11 June 2023). ["The NZ beach you never realised was world famous"](https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/nelson-top-stories/132141929/the-nz-beach-you-never-realised-was-world-famous). *[The Nelson Mail](/source/The_Nelson_Mail)*. Retrieved 2 October 2024.

v t e Tasman District, New Zealand Seat: Richmond Populated places Golden Bay / Mohua Aorere Bainham Clifton Collingwood East Tākaka Ferntown Ligar Bay Motupipi Onekaka Pākawau Parapara Patons Rock Pōhara Port Pūponga Pūponga Rockville Seaford Tākaka Tarakohe Tata Beach Upper Tākaka Waikato Waitapu Motueka Brooklyn Kaiteriteri Lower Moutere Mārahau Motueka Riwaka Moutere-Waimea Brightwater Bronte Dovedale Mahana Māpua Ngātīmoti Ruby Bay Tasman Upper Moutere Wakefield Woodstock Richmond Aniseed Valley Appleby Hope Richmond Lakes-Murchison Murchison Rotoroa Saint Arnaud Tapawera Tophouse Geographic features Buller River Dun Mountain–Maitai terrane Hope Saddle Lee River Mārahau River Maungakura / Red Hill Newton River Ngārua Caves Roding River Sams Creek Tākaka River Waimea Plains Waimea River Golden Bay / Mohua Appos Creek Archway Islands Cape Farewell Cobb Reservoir Druggans Dam Dry River Farewell Spit Harwoods Hole Lake Killarney Lightband Gully North-west Nelson Forest Park Rawhiti Cave Slateford Tākaka Hill Tata Islands Te Waikoropupū Springs Wainui Bay Whanganui Inlet Wharariki Beach Abel Tasman National Park Armchair Island Awapoto River Awaroa River Ballon Rock Falls River Fisherman Island Motuareronui / Adele Island Simonet Creek Torrent Bay Tata Islands Tinline Bay Tonga Island Torrent River Tōtaranui Wainui River Falls Tasman Bay Bell Island Best Island Moturoa / Rabbit Island Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock Waimea Inlet Kahurangi National Park Brown River Bulmer Cavern Ellis Basin cave system Kahurangi Point Lake Matiri Mount Arthur Mount Burnett Mount Owen Nettlebed Cave Wharepapa / Arthur Range Nelson Lakes National Park Braeburn Range Lake Rotoiti Lake Rotoroa Maniniaro / Angelus Peak Mount Franklin Pourangahau / Mount Robert Rotomairewhenua / Blue Lake Rotopōhueroa / Lake Constance Sabine Valley Saint Arnaud Range Spenser Mountains Facilities and attractions Abel Tasman National Park Coast Track Inland Track Monument Appleby railway station Brightwater railway station Cobb Power Station Ferntown Bridge Gowanbridge railway station Heaphy Track Hope railway station Karamea Aerodrome Kawatiri railway station Langford Store Memorial Park Milnthorpe Model Motueka Aerodrome Moutere Inn Mussel Inn Nelson Lakes National Park Onekaka Ironworks Onekaka Power Station Onekaka Wharf and tramline Proposals for a road through North-west Nelson Pupu Hydro Power Scheme Richmond railway station RNZAF Dip Flat Rutherford memorial Stafford Place St Michael's Church Stoke railway station Tākaka Aerodrome Tākaka Pioneers' Memorial Takaka Tramway Great Taste Trail Tonga Island Marine Reserve Tophouse Tour de Vineyards Wai-iti Dark Sky Park Wangapeka Track Westhaven (Te Tai Tapu) Marine Reserve Wharariki Ecosanctuary Administration Historic Nelson Province (1853–1876) Collingwood County (1877–1956) Waimea County (1877–1989) Richmond Borough (1891–1989 · mayor) Motueka Borough (1900–1989) Takaka County (1904–1956) Murchison County (1909–1965) Golden Bay County (1956–1989) Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council (1989–1992) Current Council Mayor Organisations Golden Bay Air Golden Bay-Motueka Rugby Union New Zealand Energy Richmond Athletic FC Talley's Group Schools Collingwood Area School Golden Bay High School Motueka High School Waimea College Waimea Intermediate

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wharariki Beach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharariki_Beach) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wharariki_Beach?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.