A
A
Hard to read?Change font size
Muriwai beach is a beautiful windswept beach on Auckland’s wild west coast. Its pounding waves draw surfers to its dramatic stretch of black volcanic sand. Visit the awe-inspiring Muriwai Gannet Colony – from August to March each year. You can watch the comings and goings of a busy gannet colony. It is hugely entertaining.
One hour drive from the center of Auckland. There is free parking when you take a right turn off Waitea Road, (toilets and wheelchair access here). Great views of the beach from the car park. There are two designated mobility parks and great views from the car park. There is access to a track from the car park - which is steep in parts and hard compacted soil. Some assistance will be required but its well worth the effort. There are magnificent views of the beach, surfers, and crashing waves. You will find information posts about the area and the gannets.
The nests are centimeters apart. The gannets are 2½ kilogram birds with a wingspan of 2 meters. Watching them swooping, diving and tending to their chicks is awe inspiring.
When you have finished taking in the awesome waves, cliffs and gannets take a drive down to the main road and visit the café - Sand Dunz. This has easy accessible parking, drop kerbs and an easy wide access into the café. You will also find plenty of seating outside.
Typically a wheelchair user who can walk a few steps.
Typically someone who can negotiate a small flight of steps.
Great access for young children traveling in pushchairs.
Traveling with a Caregiver.
The track is possible with a wheelchair but best attempted with assistive equipment like 'motor', 'freewheel', scooter attachment. We did it with a heavy manual tilt-in-space wheelchair and helped push our Finlay up the harder gradients. The two main viewing platforms at the top are accessed by steps. We managed to get a good view without having to use the steps up and down to the other viewing platforms. Well worth having a look but it would be a workout for anyone trying to attempt to do it on their own without any assistance. We also went to check the trail out after huge rainfalls so the track maybe maintained again at some stage.
Kim & Fin April 2017
