Whareakeake / Murdering Bay

Whareakeake is a right-hand point that breaks along a rocky bay and runs onto a sandy beach, a long, wally wave with plenty of push that throws the odd barrel and seems to keep on going. You get a fast take-off and then several distinct sections to work, so on the right day the rides feel endless. It needs a big northeast swell to wrap into the bay and it is fussy about it, going flat and quiet most of the year before everything lines up. When it does, you want a southerly to hold it offshore and low to mid tide on the push. Smaller days throw up mellow, playful walls that suit groms and longboarders, but when the swell jumps the point turns serious and rewards intermediate to expert surfers who can read the sections. Surf Seeker rates it a 9 out of 10, and it is one of a handful of Otago breaks ranked as nationally significant.

The bay sits north of the Otago Harbour entrance, around 25 km and roughly 40 minutes from central Dunedin, tucked between Pilot Point and the cliffs of Purehurehu Point and separated from neighbouring Long Beach by a high headland. This is a place of deep significance to Kāi Tahu, a former kāinga and one of the great pounamu working sites of the south, and it carries real archaeological weight. Its English name, Murdering Beach, comes from a violent 1817 clash between a sealing crew and Māori; the name Whareakeake was restored in 1998 through the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement. Tread lightly and leave the site as you found it.

• Time your session for low to mid tide on the push with a southerly blowing offshore, and give the point an hour to show its sections before you commit to a peak.
• When it is small it is a genuinely fun longboard and learner wave, so do not write it off on a modest swell, just bring the right board for soft, wally walls rather than barrels.
• Aramoana, just across the harbour entrance, shares a similar northeast swell window, so it is worth checking both before you drive in on a marginal forecast.
• Make a day of it with the Otago Peninsula wildlife close by, with yellow-eyed penguins, sea lions, fur seals and the royal albatross colony all within a short drive.
• Fuel up and grab supplies in Port Chalmers on the way through, as there is nothing at the bay and the nearest shops, cafes and petrol are back in the village.

• This is a rock-bottomed point, so the takeoff zone and inside sections break over reef and boulders; surf it low to mid on a forgiving swell before you push into shallower, faster sections.
• The wave only switches on with a big northeast swell, which usually means plenty of size and power, so pick your day honestly and do not paddle out on a transformed point if you are not ready for it.
• It can go from empty to busy in a hurry when it is on, so know the lineup order, wait your turn and respect the locals who built their year around these rare days.
• Access is a steep one-lane gravel road down to a small car park with no patrol, no phone signal to rely on and cold water year round, so surf with a mate and tell someone your plan.
• This is a culturally and archaeologically sensitive site on Kāi Tahu land, so stay on formed tracks, disturb nothing on the beach or dunes and carry out everything you bring in.

Getting there

From Dunedin head north toward Port Chalmers, then climb via Blueskin Road onto Purakaunui Road and turn onto Heyward Point Road, which turns to gravel. From there a steep, narrow one-lane gravel road (Whareakeake Road, formerly Murdering Beach Road) drops down to the beach. It is around 25 km and roughly 40 minutes from the city, and the gravel descent is rough, so a sturdy vehicle is recommended. There is no public transport.

Parking

A small gravel car park sits at the eastern end of the beach at the bottom of the access road. It is tight, so on a rare good swell when a crowd turns up it fills quickly; park considerately and do not block the narrow road or any private access.

Toilets & showers

No toilets or showers at the bay. The nearest public toilets are at Long Beach Domain a short drive away over the headland, with more facilities back in Port Chalmers.

Shops, cafes & fuel

Nothing at the beach itself. Port Chalmers, roughly 25 to 30 minutes away, has the nearest fuel (NPD), a Four Square supermarket and cafes; Dunedin city has full services. Bring water and food, as there is none on site.

Accommodation

There is no accommodation at Whareakeake. The closest options are baches and holiday homes around Long Beach and Purakaunui, bookable through Bookabach and similar sites, with the full range of motels, hotels and holiday parks in Port Chalmers and Dunedin a short drive south.

Camping

No camping at the bay. The nearest informal camping is at Long Beach Domain over the headland, which has toilets and picnic areas but no drinking water. Dunedin's freedom camping bylaw applies in the wider area and requires a self-contained vehicle with a two-night maximum stay, so check the Dunedin City Council rules before staying overnight.