Fitzroy

Fitzroy is a quality beach break sitting right in the middle of New Plymouth, and on its day it is one of the best surf town waves in the country. The beach faces northwest, so the offshore comes from the southeast, and when a SW or W swell lines up with that southeast wind the banks throw fast, hollow barrels with some seriously gnarly drop-ins. Good peaks shift up and down the sand, so you can hunt your own corner rather than stack into one lineup. It works best from mid to high tide, when the banks gain definition and the waves push up the face. The eastern end runs smaller and more forgiving, which makes Fitzroy honest fun for all levels on a moderate day, but once it gets big and hollow it belongs to the local experts. If a southwest wind is the only offshore on offer, the southern end gives up a grovel rather than the full barrel.

The setting is pure New Plymouth: this is the East End and Fitzroy precinct, a short stroll from cafes, the surf club and the award winning Coastal Walkway that traces the whole waterfront. The Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club has watched over the beach since 1921 and lifeguards patrol through summer, so it is the most accessible decent wave in the district and a long standing hub of Taranaki surf culture. New Plymouth is also the region's contest beach, and Fitzroy has hosted everything from the women's world tour to longboard qualifying events, so expect a knowledgeable and committed local crew out on the good days.

• Beginners and anyone wanting a softer wave should set up east of the main car park access, where the peaks roll in smaller and the pressure eases off; the further west you paddle, the bigger and more hollow it gets.
• Fitzroy is the town fallback when Back Beach has gone massive. Tucked on the sheltered northeast side, it usually breaks a foot or two smaller than Back Beach on the same swell, so it is the call when the open coast is maxing out.
• Walk or ride the Coastal Walkway after your surf. The paved waterfront path runs roughly 13 kilometres, and the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge over the Waiwhakaiho River, with its whalebone arch framing Mount Taranaki, is one of the most photographed structures in the country.
• Make a day of it in town: Pukekura Park has 52 hectares of botanic gardens, lakes and a free children's zoo, the mirrored Len Lye Centre and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery sits in the West End, and the hiking tracks of Egmont National Park on Mount Taranaki are a short drive inland.

• When it is big and hollow the drop-ins get steep and late, so paddle hard and commit early or you will get pitched over the falls onto a shallow sandbank.
• The banks shift along the beach and rips run between the peaks, so take a few minutes to read where the water is moving before you paddle out and use a channel rather than fighting the current.
• Peaks crowd up fast on the good days and the locals know every section, so sit wide, wait your turn and do not drop in on a New Plymouth contest beach where standards run high.
• Lifeguards patrol in summer and the beach fills with swimmers, so stay outside the flagged swimming zone and keep clear of the bathing crowd on busy days.
• Avoid surfing near the Waiwhakaiho River mouth at the northern end for 48 hours after heavy rain, when stormwater pushes contamination into the water.

Getting there

Fitzroy Beach is in the East End of New Plymouth, about a five minute drive from the city centre. From Devon Street East, turn down Beach Street or Nobs Line and follow it to the beachfront; the airport is roughly 8 km away.

Parking

There is a large free sealed car park right by the beach entrance off Beach Street, with the surf club, walkway and beach access all on the doorstep.

Toilets & showers

Public toilets, outdoor showers and changing rooms sit at the beachfront beside the Fitzroy Surf Life Saving Club, along with a playground on the reserve.

Shops, cafes & fuel

The Hub cafe and eatery is in the Fitzroy Arcade a short walk away, and the Fitzroy shopping village about 1 km up Devon Street East has a Four Square, bakery, takeaways, a couple of pubs and a petrol station. The full New Plymouth CBD and the Bach on Breakwater cafe at the western end of the Coastal Walkway are a few minutes further.

Accommodation

Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park sits right behind the beach on Beach Street, the only holiday park on the New Plymouth waterfront, with self contained units, cabins, motel units, glamping and powered sites. Beyond that, New Plymouth city has a full range of motels, hotels and Bookabach or Airbnb options within a few minutes' drive.

Camping

Fitzroy Beach Holiday Park is the place to camp, with over 100 powered and unpowered sites at the beach. Note that New Plymouth District bans tent camping on public land, and freedom camping is tightly restricted: self contained vehicles may stay a maximum of three nights at any one location, and non self contained vehicles are limited to the marked spaces at Lake Rotomanu, so the holiday park is the practical option.