Beautiful Walking Trek In The Region
Wetland walk via Rings Beach and Bluff road starts from the east end of Matarangi Beach and takes you through a few hills before reaching the wetlands where many different species of birds nest. The loop track will take 4hrs / 8.6km to accomplish and will take you back to Matarangi over the hill at the west end of Rings Beach (Bluff road is partially closed due to rock falls).
Fishing Without A Tinny
There is a great fishing point off the rocks on the west end of the Rings Beach on Bluff road between Rings and Matarangi Beach. You can park your car at the very end of Rings Beach and walk onto the rocks from there.
Forest Preservation
In and around the wetland area (trek details above) more than 4000 trees and plants of different species have been planted over the last five years.
Unique Beach Setup
Matarangi peninsula stretches 4.5km and offers a picture perfect white sandy beach. There are only a handful of north-facing beaches in New Zealand, Matarangi with its straight coastline is one of them. The setup is unique because it receives all day sun throughout the seasons and this sandy beach without rocks is also safe for swimming and surfing.
DOC Bird Sanctuary
Matarangi spit is also a major breeding area for the endangered NZ Dotterel. Breeding starts in September and goes through until March. After March, the birds gather from nearby beaches and can number up to 160 at times. The total New Zealand Dotterel population is only 2100. At different times of the year it hosts birds such as Bar-tailed Godwits, Variable and South Island Pied Oyster Catchers, Wrybills, Golden Plovers, Caspian Terns and Banded Dotterel. Best time for viewing is usually around high-tide. There are no dogs or vehicles allowed on the spit.
Photo courtesy of: http://www.doc.govt.nz/pagefiles/157625/dotterel-nesting-790.jpg
New Chum Beach
Located just about 20 minutes drive from Matarangi. Consistently voted one of the best beaches in New Zealand, New Chum is a gem that is only accessible on foot at low tide. To get there from the end of Whangapoua Beach, cross the stream and follow the rocky shoreline. On the top of the hill on the east side of the beach are the remains of an early Maori fortification. This section of the track is very steep, near vertical at some points so extreme care needs to be taken. The view from the top is spectacular. New Chum Beach walk is a moderate one and takes 1hr 45min / 2km return to accomplish.
Award Winning Chef Cooks here
The 2015 Silver Fern Farms Premier Selection Awards’ top title winner Scott Corbett is currently in charge of the kitchen at The Dunes Golf Resort’s Restaurant. He also pioneered the very first MasterCook Matarangi event in 2016 which was so popular it sold all tickets a month in advance. Should you want to have a taste come and book in for dinner.