Visiting a gannet colony has never been high on my list of fun weekend activities. When I was young I remember a family outing to the Muriwai Gannet Colony and being highly unimpressed by a bunch of birds squawking and carrying on…oh how times change!
Situated on the West Coast of Auckland, Muriwai is a wild and beautiful beach. Created by a volcanic eruption thousands of years ago remnants of this violent beginning are still visible on the cliff faces surrounding the area. The beach itself stretches sixty kilometers to the north and is bordered by pine forest.
Our outing on a humid Sunday afternoon was primarily to see the gannet colony but as we soon found out there is plenty of other things to attract you to Muriwai. The drive from Central Auckland does not take long, the rural scenery making it all the more pleasant. Once parked it’s a quick walk up a track to the viewing platform above the nesting gannets. We could smell the gannets well before we saw them - thankfully the wind seemed to be carrying the smell away from the platforms. The sight that greets visitors looking down from the platform is quite incredible; hundreds of gannets and their young interacting, a magnificent orchestra of bird noises, and the gannets gracefully gliding from the rocks. I was quite mesmerized by it all; standing back and taking in the beauty of nature is unsurpassable.
Once we had done all the gannet watching we could we walked down to Maori Bay and had a stroll on the beach, exploring a magnificent cave on the way. All in, the entire visit was very pleasant.
Whether you want a day at the beach or an encounter with nature, Muriwai is a fantastic place for a visit.
More Reasons to visit Muriwai:
- Walking tracks. There are a number of great walking tracks in the area, The Goldie Loop and Te Henga just to mention a few. Make sure you are prepared and a reasonable level of fitness is suggested.
- Woodhill Forest. Popular with Mountain Bikers.
- Cafes. A day at the beach can conjure up quite an appetite! Luckily there are a number of establishments to relieve your hunger and grab a coffee. I’d recommend Bees Online, Carriages and Blossoms Café all situated on the main highway to Muriwai Beach.
Helen King
Content updated: 26/05/2012 16:18
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