Discovering Baylys Beach
Baylys Beach is a coastal gem located just ten minutes west of Dargaville on Northland's Kauri Coast. As part of the 107-kilometre-long Ripiro Beach, New Zealand's longest beach, it offers a unique experience with its expansive sands and striking natural features. The area includes a commercial campground and a café that doubles as a takeaway and store. Freedom camping is also allowed, making it a convenient spot for travellers.
Beach Features and Activities
When the tide recedes at Baylys Beach, it reveals a vast stretch of sand with a distinctive golden hue interspersed with black patterns. This colouring reflects the nearby sandstone cliffs, which range from gold to orange and frame the beach entrance through Chases Gorge. While the beach's rough surf and wide expanse make it less ideal for swimming, it is perfect for surfing, sand yachting, and surf casting. If you decide to swim, it is safer during an incoming tide.
For a more relaxed experience, visit the reserve along Ocean View Terrace, just before the beach entrance. This area provides picnic spots, a play area, and access to a scenic cliff-top coastal track. The views from the cliffs are particularly stunning at sunset.
Geological Wonders
The cliffs around Chases Gorge and along the beach are shaped by natural forces, creating a dramatic landscape. South of the beach entrance, you can find a fossilised ancient kauri forest and gum embedded in lignite rocks. This seam, at least 50,000 years old, appears as a large black outcrop amidst the otherwise orange to yellow cliffs. Depending on the conditions, the seam can also be seen extending across the beach towards the surf.
Driving on the Beach
Baylys Beach is accessible to vehicles, including 2WD, for up to four hours on either side of low tide. It's important to remember that the beach is used as a road, so caution is advised when driving.
How to Get There
To reach Baylys Beach, travel west from Dargaville on State Highway 12, then turn onto Baylys Coast Road and follow it to the beach. The drive takes about ten minutes. Nearby attractions at Ripiro Beach include Omamari, Kai Iwi Lakes, Aranga Beach, and the Maunganui Bluff Track.
