Inventory of coastal areas of local or regional significance in the ...

Waiinu Beach and Reef
Number: 69 GPS: 2659396E
6147303N
General description
Waiinu Beach is the southernmost beach in Taranaki. There is a small settlement and
camping area. Nearby are steep eroding coastal cliffs, approximately 46 metres high. The
beach is long and sandy with extensive sand dunes. Between Waiinu settlement and
Waitotara River Mouth is an iron sand beach with defined foredunes between 5 and 500
metres wide. This is a dynamic dune system with large areas of bare sand backed by
ephermeral wetland areas. The high dunes back on to an uplifted marine plain. The area was
much larger in the 1950’s, and now some of the older stabilised dunes are eroding through
stock damage 4 . Waiinu reef is offshore, and features limestone outcrops extending from
Mean High Water Spring to 3-5 kms offshore. Reefs in the area are made of an extremely
hard rock (resistant calcareous conglomerate of Pleistoncene orgin) containing abundant
1, 2, 5
well-preserved fossils of oysters, toheroas, cockles, paua and barnacles.
Location
7 km south of Waitotara.
Land tenure
Site: - Crown Land: Foreshore (administered by the Department of
Conservation)
Site access: - District Land: Nukumaru Domain Board, Recreation Reserve, Waiinu
Beach Road and unformed unnamed road (administered
and vested in the South Taranaki District Council)
Values
Amenity High - regionally important amenity values 1
Recreational High - Snapper rock, local fishing spot, and surfing 9
Cultural/
Historical
Ecological/
Scientific
- large sandy beach
High - old Maori fishing village, and site of a Maori fishing canoe
(Karewaonui) 9
- the reef is used for gathering kaimoana and has been a
major fishing ground 4
High - extensive sand dunes
- venitifacts (rocks shaped by wind and sand erosion) in the
area. They occur in very few places around the world 4
- the reef has an abundance of marine invertebrates, plants
1, 2
and fish
- the reef is a rock platform of Pleistoncene origin containing
1, 2
many well-preserved fossils
Public access
Excellent - Located at the end of Waiinu Beach Road is a large recreation reserve which
stretches from the mouth of the Waitotara River to three km south of Waiinu
Beach settlement. A parking area and information sign about the area are
provided in the reserve.
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