Explore
Access beyond the first 4 kilometres of Farewell Spit is strictly limited to licensed 4WD bus tours.
To protect this Ramsar Wetland and its birdlife, you cannot drive or walk past the boundary line independently. You must join a licensed 4WD tour departing from Collingwood.
These trips take 6 to 6.5 hours and cost from NZ$220 per adult. They drive along the intertidal zone to reach the isolated lighthouse and towering sand formations.
45 minsCurrent tower from 1897
A historic 27-metre steel latticework lighthouse stands in an oasis of macrocarpa pine trees. The current tower dates back to 1897. Guided 4WD tours typically stop here. You can take a break and enjoy refreshments inside the old keeper's cottage.
30 mins360-degree views
These towering, wind-sculpted sand dunes march slowly across the spit. They form from quartz sand eroded from the Southern Alps over 14,000 years. Climbing one of the large dunes gives you a 360-degree panoramic view of the area.
40 minsSept to April
This is New Zealand's newest mainland Australasian gannet colony. It sits just past the lighthouse area. You can only visit this site on specific tours during the breeding season. Plan your visit between September and April to see the birds.
