Exploring Ocean Beach at Farewell Spit
Located at the northwest end of Farewell Spit, Ocean Beach is a remote and expansive surf beach on the Tasman Sea. This beach is characterised by its long, empty sands and is bordered by dunes covered in dune grass and native scrub. Its isolation and natural beauty are perfect for those seeking solitude and scenic landscapes.
Discovering Fossil Point
You can walk to Ocean Beach and Fossil Point on the Fossil Point Track, starting at the Farewell Spit car park. When you reach Ocean Beach, cross the stream that runs through the dunes and across the beach stream and head towards the cliffs at the western end of the beach. Fossil Point itself is a flat, dark, rocky outcrop situated below the cliffs. The rocks immediately beneath the cliff are particularly intriguing, having been sculpted by water and wind into various organic shapes.
How to get there
To access Ocean Beach from Tākaka in Golden Bay, head north to Collingwood on State Highway 60, then take Collingwood Puponga Main Road to Pūponga. At Pūponga, veer right on Freeman Access to the Farewell Spit carpark. From there, the quickest route to the beach is via the Fossil Point Track, which takes about 35 minutes.
The car park also provides access to the Spit Walk, which heads east along Farewell Spit, then crosses over the dunes to Ocean Beach, returning along the beach to the Fossil Point Track. You can also take the spectacular Pūponga Hilltop Walk, which both creates a loop with the Fossil Point Track and continues northwest through Pūponga Farm Park to Cape Farewell and Wharariki Beach.
