A Day Trip to Muriwai Beach
During our short stay in Auckland, we took a day trip to Muriwai Beach on New Zealand's North Island. Our main purpose was to visit the famous gannet colony.
Muriwai is home to one of the few mainland gannet colonies in the world. Each year, thousands of gannets migrate here from southern Australia, arriving around August to begin the breeding season.
It was a beautiful afternoon as the weather was fantastic, with a refreshing sea breeze that felt so inviting. We first stood at the viewpoint before heading down to the beach.
The Black Sand Beach
Muriwai Beach itself is as much of an attraction as the gannet colony, with its sweeping black sand and rugged coastline. Its wild beauty, combined with the presence of the migrating birds, makes it one of the most memorable coastal landscapes in New Zealand.
The sand here is slightly black due to the volcanic activity that took place thousands of years ago, when eruptions released iron-rich minerals.
At the right of the beach lies the Muriwai Grotto, a sea cave shaped by the waves over countless years. From what I understand, the caves aren’t always accessible, but we were fortunate, as it was low tide and the weather was calm. The cave was slightly damp but clean, quiet, and cozy. What amazed me most was realizing that on top of the cave is the Okorotere headland, where gannets nest and breed.
The cave is only about 50 meters long, and we exited on the other side, returning to the beach. Here, the wet sand created a mirror-like surface that reflected the sky and the surrounding rocks.
Gannets were strolling along the shore right in front of us, while others soared above, crossing the sky from one side to the other. The whole place just looked amazing. I really loved being here. Looking out from inside the grotto toward the sea was another highlight. The view through the cave’s opening was absolutely breathtaking.
The Gannet Colony
After leaving the beach, we took a short walk to the clifftop viewpoint overlooking the gannet colony.
The Australasian gannets choose this site for its unique combination of geography, food supply, and safe nesting grounds. The surrounding waters are rich with fish to feed their young, while the cliffs provide steep, largely predator-free headlands where eggs and chicks can survive undisturbed. Gannets nest densely across the flat-topped areas and sloping cliffs. The breeding season runs from August or September until March or April.
Adult gannets are striking birds with pure white bodies, golden buff heads, black-tipped wings, and piercing blue eyes. They are truly beautiful to watch.
When we visited, there were several hundred gannets gathered. I remembered seeing more than a thousand during a trip two years ago, though at that time I didn’t write about it or film any videos. Since it was still early in the season in August, there weren’t as many of them yet.
The sight of the colony reminded me of my time in Antarctica with the penguins. While gannets and penguins are quite different, the gannets’ courtship rituals, such as sky-pointing, mutual fencing, and nest-site renewal, have brought that memory vividly back to mind.
🎞️ Watch our video: Muriwai Beach
Please watch our video, shot at Muriwai Beach, by clicking 👇👇 on the image below.
