PACIFIC EDGE

MATAPOURI BAY.

TUTUKAKA COAST.

NORTHLAND.

Site Map

Matapouri Bay. Pacific Edge Apartments. Contact Information. Local Attractions. How To Get There. Photographic Images. Other Links.

Local Attractions

The Tutukaka Coast is the east coast loop from Whangarei to the riverside village of Ngunguru, the sheltered natural harbour of Tutukaka and the beautiful beaches beyond, rejoining State highway at Hikurangi.

Ngunguru.

Where the road meets the coast, a village nests on the shores of the estuary. Great for water sports. Discover the beautiful estuary (canoe hire available). Boat ramp, ski lane, general store, takeaways, garage, doctors surgery, vet, motels, nine hole golf course, bowling greens, tennis court, and local crafts.

Tutukaka.

Tutukaka Block Road to the right after leaving Ngunguru crosses the Te Maika Headland. This headland by the secluded harbour side beaches of Church Bay, Kowharewa Bay and Pacific Bay, ending on the open coast at Whangaumu (Wellington’s) Bay is well worth a detour.

A safe haven to mariners for centuries, the marina lies at the head of a beautiful natural harbour. These days it is a fishing port, a coastal waypoint for local and international yachties, and home to fleet of private launches and charter boats for diving and fishing.

Recent additions to the underwater playground off the coast are two ex naval ships sunk to make artificial reefs, the former research ship the Tui and ex combat frigate the Waikato.

The Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club has its clubrooms located here and has a restaurant and bar overlooking the marina.

Tutukaka has a dive shop, (SCUBA refills available), café, pizzeria, and small goods store.

The Poor Nights Islands.

The late world-renowned marine environmentalist, Captain Jacques Cousteau, described the Poor Knights Islands, 25 km off Northland’s Tutukaka coast, as being one of the world’s top ten dive sights.

The Poor Knights Islands lie in the clear blue Pacific Ocean waters, a nature reserve above the water and a marine reserve below.

Remnants of an ancient volcano, the Poor Nights are a unique group of offshore islands, by deep waters.

The spectacular underwater reefs, walls, pinnacles, archways and tunnels provide a unique marine habitat. They lie in the influence of a subtropical current, which originates off the north coast of Australia, and flows across the Tasman Sea and down the continental shelf of Northland, bringing with it tropical fish larvae which settle and live at the Poor Knights. This combination of subtropical and temperate marine life is not seen anywhere else in the world and offers a natural refuge for both marine life and divers.

Dive / Snorkelling trips to the islands, sightseeing, kayak adventures leave from Tutukaka Marina Daily.

Bookings are essential and are made directly with the tour operators at Tutukaka

Back to top

Copyright

The contents of this website www.matapouri-bay.co.nz (including all photographs and text) are the exclusive property of B & S Lawrence.

The contents are fully protected by international copyright laws. Use of the photographs and text is strictly prohibited and text or photographs can not be downloaded, copied, transmitted or used in any medium or for any purpose without prior written permission from B & S Lawrence.

Last revised: 15^th February 2007