Cape Farewell Spit, Golden Bay, New Zealand

A place well worth visiting is Cape Farewell Spit. This Spit spans 42 km in length and starts from Cape Farewell, which is the most northern point of the South Island, New Zealand and extends just pass the middle of Golden Bay. The Spit is a protected area and the conservation department only allows the public to explore the first 4 km.

Shows the key places mention on this entry.

Access to the rest of the Spit is by the Farewell Spit Eco Tour (http://www.farewellspit.com/). Their base of operations is in Collingwood a small town in the Golden Bay region. The journey took us to Cape Farewell, before the 4WD travel to the Spit.

Panorama of Cape Farewell

Evidence that Cape Farewell is the northernmost part of the South Island

As the 4WD entered the Spit, you noticed just how stark the landscape on Cape Farewell Spit can be. You see dunes and sand as far as the eyes can see. The amount of wind and sand being deposited on the Spit was amazing. The delicate patterns of the wind can be seen.

Our transportation to the restricted access area of Cape Farewell Spit

Black and white of the wind and sand as seen at Cape Farewell Spit

The wind forms wonderful patterns captured up close

The Spit is a sanctuary for birds and there were numerous Pied Oystercatchers pairing up on the sand. You see them standing on one leg as lone figures across the sandy horizon. The area is a bird watcher’s paradise.

Picture of a lone Oystercatcher on the sandy plains of Farewell Spit

Our destination was the only lighthouse on the Spit. We can see its lights blinking from our beach front accommodation. Up close, it wasn’t a typical stone and masonry lighthouse. Far from it, the lighthouse was made of metal and it stood tall on the Spit. We had tea at the location and headed back to base.

Abstract panoramic picture of the Cape Farewell Spit Light House

The Light House

On the way back, we stopped at the base of a sand dune and climbed to the top on foot. There you can see the terrain that makes Cape Farewell Spit unique.

Captured on top of a dune at Cape Farewell Spit

All up the trip took 6 hours and we had an excellent time.