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Coastal Highlights

 

 

Pouto Peninsula and Ripiro Beach

Sculptured sand at Pouto Peninsula - click for more.
Sculptured sand at Pouto Peninsula
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From Dargaville you can drive south along the Pouto Peninsula, which forms the northern side of the entrance to Kaipara Harbour. Not only is the Kaipara New Zealand’s largest, it's the most difficult to sail into. The entrance is guarded by a treacherous sand bar.

The Pouto Peninsula is itself a huge mound of sand. Features include huge dunes, fresh water lakes and valleys. The scenery changes regularly as the wind reshapes the dunes. An area just offshore is called The Graveyard, because of the many ships that were wrecked here (around 150 vessels). In certain tidal and sand conditions, the remains of wrecks may be partially exposed offshore or in the sand.

From the end of the road you can walk to the Pouto Point Lighthouse. This three storey wooden lighthouse was built in 1884 and is now protected by the Historic Places Trust. At one time the Kaipara Harbour was the busiest in New Zealand, as sailing ships carried away timber from the region’s kauri forests.

Running from the north head of Pouto Peninsula all the way to Maunganui Bluff is Ripiro Beach, a stretch of driveable surf coast that’s more than 100 kilometres long. The beach highway is bounded by cliffs of lignite, and it's easy to see the petrified and compressed rata leaves in the coal-like rocks. The beach incorporates the coastal settlements of Glinks Gully, Baylys Beach and Omamari. Aranga Beach is the end of the road, and the beginning of a coastal walk that leads all the way to the Hokianga Harbour.
 

 
NORTHLAND Region


Contact Details

Find out more about this scenic highlight from the nearest i-SITE

Dargaville is the closest town to this highlight.

In Dargaville:

Other towns near Dargaville by road:

Other towns near Dargaville by rail:

Dargaville does not have any rail stations.

Other towns near Dargaville by air:

Dargaville does not have scheduled passenger air services.

The nearest airport is in Whangarei (49 minutes)

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