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The Coromandel Peninsula is an 80 km (50 miles) long finger
of land that separates the Hauraki Gulf and Firth of Thames
from the Pacific Ocean. Its present-day rugged appearance is
almost entirely made of the eroded remnants of a series of volcanoes
(volcanic arc) that were active between 20 and 2 million years
ago. As a result there are many interesting coastal features
of volcanic origin or located in volcanic formations, such as
volcanic islands, columnar lava seacliffs, blowholes, and natural
arches. But the coast is long and indented, and presents many
other scenic and interesting features such as beaches, harbours,
bays, and islands, that make it an especially interesting destination.
Read more about New
Zealand's volcanoes
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Cathedral Cove. Photo courtesy of
Tourism Coromandel
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| LOCATION |
DETAILS
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| See
map below |
| Whiritoa-Papakura Bay |
The most spectacular
feature there is the large blowhole at Whiritoa. During
easterly storms it produces seaspray that rises as mist
above the surrounding forest. Walk from the
southern end of the beach, 10 mn.
The coastal stretch to Papakura Bay has interesting
features, like seacliffs made of strongly columnar lava,
and paving-like structures on shore platforms eroded from
columnar lava. Walk from the northern end of Whiritoa Beach
to Waimama Bay (15 mn), then over the headland to Papakura
Bay (15 mn). Some features are only accessible at low tide. |
| Pauanui & Tairua Harbour |
During
the last ice ages, when sea level was 100m (328') or more
below present level, Tairua Harbour was a broad river valley.
As sea level rose after the end of the glaciation period,
the valley was progressively filled with sand and the sandspit
where Pauanui is located was formed.
The hills south of Pauanui are the remnants
of a massive rhyolite dome that formed 7-8 million years
ago. On the coast there are interesting features such as
columnar lava outcrops at various stages of erosion, in
places forming pillars and smooth pavement-like platforms.
Access at low tide only, 40 mn walk from the
southern end of the beach. Also good views from Pauanui
Trig, a steep 50 mn walk from the southern end of the beach.
Paku Hill, at the entrance of Tairua Harbour,
is a rhyolite dome, a former volcanic island that was connected
to the mainland by a narrow strip of sand that formed after
the end of the last glaciation period, 6500 years ago. |
| Hot Water Beach |
Two separate springs
release hot water through the sand, at temperatures of 60
and 64 degrees C respectively. This is a great place to
get a warm bath, especially in winter. Hot water is accessible
at mid to low tide only.
It is thought that the water rises along a fault
from a reservoir of superheated water located several kilometres
below the surface. |
| Hahei - Cathedral Cove |
This area is both
extremely scenic, and has very interesting coastal volcanic
features.
The best known is Cathedral Cove, north of Hahei.
There a magnificent arch through the headland connects two
white sand beaches. Walkway from Hahei, 2 hours return.
Approximately 3 km (2 miles) south of Hahei
at Big Bay there are two blowholes. The main one is especially
large and impressive. There is also a collapsed blowhole
at Blowhole Bay. Access is normally by boat. |
| Whangapoua - Motutu Point |
Of particular interest is the
spectacular vertical columns of basalt that form Motutu
Point. There is a large sea cave and a small blow hole in
the columnar formation. From the north end of Whangapoua
Beach, walk around the coast and over a low saddle to Wainuiototo
Bay (20 mn). |
| Fletcher Bay and Sugarloaf |
This is an interesting location,
at the northern end of the Coromandel Peninsula, opening
on the Colville Channel, with views over Great Barrier Island
and Channel island. Sugarloaf is a small volcanic enclave
at the edge of greywacke formations. It is thought to be
the remnant of the oldest volcano in the Coromandel Peninsula,that
occupied the whole Fletcher Bay area 18 million years ago.
Interesting features include the Pinnacles, lava flows,
dykes, and charred logs cought up in breccia. From the carpark
walk east around the coast to the Pinnacles (40 mn, low
tide only). |
| Waitete Bay |
Of significant interest at this
location is an outcrop of giant fossil oysters (and other
fossils), imprisoned in conglomerate, sandstone and limestone
25 million years ago. Location: the small sandy bay just
south of Waitete Bay. Visible at mid to low tide, after
major storms. |
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Specific references for this page:
Mark Pickering 1996:Wild
Walks - Sixty Short North Island Walks. Shoal Bay Press.
Lloyd Homer and Phil Moore 1992: Vanishing
Volcanoes - A Guide to the Landforms and Rock Formations of
Coromandel Peninsula. Landscape Publications.
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