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Boulders on Koekohe Beach in Otago, New Zealand. They take there name from Moeraki Township which is a couple of kilometres away.

The Moeraki Boulders New Zealand – Big Balls of Mud

January 29, 2019 By Jan Robinson 33 Comments

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.


If painted orange, the Moeraki boulders New Zealand with their their hard calcite exteriors and muddy centres, could easily be mistaken for huge Jaffas  (although definitely too large for rolling down the aisle at movies).

Boulders on Koekohe Beach in Otago, New Zealand. They take there name from Moeraki Township which is a couple of kilometres away.

On a previous visit I watched amazed, as a Korean tourist, dressed in stylish slacks rolled shin high, long sleeved shirt and jacket, jump from a boulder, only to sink thigh high in the freezing water. 

Laughing, he shook his fist in the air striking a triumphant pose.

There are deceptively deep holes immediately surrounding the boulders.

Moeraki boulders with Moeraki township in the background. There is a deep hole encircling each boulder

 

This post may contain compensated links. We may earn a small percentage if you book through a compensated link, but it won’t cost you any more by doing so. You can read our full disclaimer here.

Children love the chance to jump on the mini boulders and shout – Ship Ahoy! 

Pack Wellies for the kids.

Ship Ahoy at Moeraki Boilders!

Photographers with tripods set wait for something – most likely tide related – to gain the perfect shot of the spherical boulders.

But the Moeraki Boulders have been reproduced since 1848 when W. Mantell painted them. Your can see the painting today hanging in the National Library of New Zealand.

 

What You Will Find in This Post

Where are the Moeraki Boulders of New Zealand

They are along a stretch of Koekohe Beach, near the town of Moeraki, New Zealand. The town of Moeraki is 45 minutes north of Dunedin and 20 minutes south of Oamaru in Otago in the South Island.

 

The boulders each have their own peculiarities. Moeraki boulders, New Zealand.

 

Moeraki Boulders Facts

There are similar boulders in other areas of New Zealand and the World, but the ones at here, ranging from .5 of a metre to 3 metres in diameter and weighing up to a whopping 7 tonne, are well known and very popular. 

There are scientific explanations about ocean sediments 60 million years ago that formed these Concretions, but Maori Culture weaves a story portraying them as eel baskets washed ashore from a legendary canoe, the Araiteuru, wrecked at nearby Shag Point (Matakaea).

Climbing the stairs to the top of the cliff, reveals a boulder partially explosed.

The boulders lie secreted in the shoreline, like baby teeth, biding their time, waiting for the ocean to wash them from their hiding holes in the coastal cliff and roll them like giant marbles onto the beach.

A new boulder is born at Koekohe Beach in New Zealand.

 

Moeraki Photography

Every cloud has a silver lining and New Zealand’s South Island hosts plenty of cloudy days. They are perfect for capturing boulder pictures and reflections in the muddy sand.

Arrive before low tide to set up.

Reflections in the mud - Moeraki Boulders

Boulder talk - Moeraki Boulders, New Zealand

 

Moeraki is a Family Friendly destination.

A visit to Koehohe or Moeraki Beach is suitable for the whole family. 

Children look for wet and wild adventures, without wondering at the process that started millions of years ago.  Ancient sea floor sediments were the conception point for the boulders so magically delivered to the shoreline today.

Up above lies Morekai Boulders Cafe  – the perfect place for anyone who would rather view the beach from above. They also have a well stocked gift shop to while away some time in. The Cafe has a range of Starters, Main Meals and Burgers, with an emphasis on seafood, with one vegan (pumpkin and Kumara soup) and lots of Gluten Free options.

 

Accessing Koekohe Beach (sometimes referred to as Moeraki Beach)

Patrons can access the beach from the cafe.  A small donation is requested, presumably for upkeep of the track.

It can also be reached from the public carpark at the Moeraki township end of the beach. There had been rain prior to our last visit and a small creek was running, making access a little difficult. I do suggest trying this option anyway as it has worked well for us previously.

 

Packing List for a visit to the Boulders

Unless you have studied the tides and arrive exactly to plan (low tide is best) you may need to spend some time on the beach so it’s best to be prepared.

  • Hats, Raincoats/umbrellas
  • Water and Food
  • Wellies for the kids
  • Bathers if the water temperature is swimming friendly
  • Towels
  • A change of clothes for children
  • Camera and tripod if required

 

Other Things to do near Moeraki New Zealand.

Visit the cute little town of Moeraki. It is only 7km by road from the boulders. If you look out across the bay to the south when at the boulders you will see Moeraki on the peninsula.

Have lunch and a beer at the Moeraki Tavern (a typical Kiwi style pub). I recommend their great tasting full-size seafood chowder and there is a cosy fireplace for winter or a great deck for summer outside.

Or eat at Fleurs Place, a more upmarket restaurant with a good following – it wasn’t open during our visit.

Drive to Moeraki Lighthouse to see yellow eyed penguins, seals and wild rabbits.

BYO Fishing and Kayaking or book a trip on Moeraki Fishing Charters.

Coastal walk from Moeraki to Hampden – a distance of a little over 8 km. Take the Millennium Track from Moeraki township to Moeraki Boulders and continue at low tide, along the beach to Hampden.

Read about our New Zealand South Island Road Trips:

A loop North from Christchurch

New Zealand South Island West Coast

Queenstown to Christchurch (including Moeraki Boulders)

Visit Lanarch Castle on the Otago Peninsula

 

Moeraki Boulders Map

Moeraki Accommodation

Camping and Caravanning at Moeraki Village Holiday Park. It has great views of the Bay and you can walk to the Moeraki Tavern.

Moeraki Accommodation Self-Contained. Airbnb have 28 places available in Moeraki. Remember you can use the Airbnb link in our sidebar to receive a great discount as a first time user.

BOOK YOUR MOERAKI ACCOMMODATION HERE.

Gumtree Farm Stay near Oamaru is a working sheep farm and a wonderful place to experience genuine Kiwi farm life. 

BOOK GUMTREE FARMSTAY HERE.

At home on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland I walk along the beach every night, scanning the coastal cliffs looking for signs of boulders waiting to be born. I guess there were different sediments at work millions of years ago in our part of the world.

Have you seen spherical boulders on the beach before? If so where?

This post is linked to Travel Photo Thursday at Budget Travelers Sandbox, where there are always interesting travel photos from across the world to be found.

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Filed Under: Destination, New Zealand / Pacific

About Jan Robinson

Jan Robinson writes about travel on her Budget Travel Talk blog. A solo traveller in her teens, for the last 40 years Jan has travelled through Australia, Asia, Europe, Turkey and New Zealand with her husband. They specialise in road trips, caravanning and Independent travel without spending a fortune. Her favourite destination is Turkey and she is currently dreaming of Myanmar and Mexico.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jenny@atasteoftravel

    November 1, 2012 at 12:37 pm

    I would have been very tempted to jump from boulder to boulder too! It’s fascinating to know how they are formed. We sometimes forget how strong nature is to be able to move the boulders closer towards the sea!

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 1, 2012 at 1:57 pm

      Hi Jenny, Nature is amazing and now I am off to see Dar es Salaam’s market. Jan

      Reply
  2. Mary @ The World Is A Book

    November 1, 2012 at 5:41 pm

    These are amazing! They look so magical and it’s no surprise why they draw such a crowd especially the kids. Beautiful shots!

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 1, 2012 at 7:34 pm

      It is a wonderful place. This time around the new boulder had been born, so that was exciting.

      Reply
  3. Muza-chan

    November 1, 2012 at 6:49 pm

    I like these balls…A great place to visit 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 1, 2012 at 7:33 pm

      It was the second time we have been there. It was just as good the second time – actually it was a better time of the tide this time. Thanks for commenting.

      Reply
  4. Jackie Smith

    November 1, 2012 at 11:00 pm

    Great photos and what a wonderful subject!

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 2, 2012 at 9:26 am

      Hi Jackie, Thanks – I love beaches in general, but this beach has some special playthings. Jan

      Reply
  5. Leigh

    November 2, 2012 at 12:14 am

    I never did see these boulders on my trip to NZ – but sorry to have missed them. I love your close-up shot.

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 2, 2012 at 9:25 am

      Hi Leigh, They are a nice simple outing to have for the whole family, and kind of intriguing. Jan

      Reply
  6. Sophie

    November 2, 2012 at 5:52 am

    What an interesting phenomenon, like nature’s playground. We missed this when we lived in New Zealand, really time to go back. Love your reflection-photo.

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 2, 2012 at 9:22 am

      How long were you in NZ for Sophie. The reflections are my favourite as well. Jan

      Reply
  7. Sensibletraveler

    November 2, 2012 at 10:22 pm

    I lost a pair of shoes when I visited the boulders….I totally misjudged the waves and ended up soaked from the knees down!

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 3, 2012 at 8:24 pm

      That is so funny. Hope you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  8. Michele @ Malaysian Meanders

    November 2, 2012 at 10:37 pm

    I have never heard of Jaffa, but it sounds tasty. Those boulders are so interesting. I can definitely see my kids jumping on them.

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 3, 2012 at 3:03 pm

      Hi Michele, Jaffas are an Australian thing, so I thought I should add a link to explain! Jan

      Reply
  9. jade

    November 6, 2012 at 7:25 am

    The reflection photo is stunning. Love the light and movement in that photo!

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 7, 2012 at 6:52 am

      I must admit I love that photo too. Thanks Jade.

      Reply
  10. Lisa Wood

    November 7, 2012 at 10:11 pm

    Those big boulders look freaky, why did he try to jump them?
    Like the idea of the kids jumping on the smaller ones 🙂

    Reply
    • Jan

      November 8, 2012 at 2:30 pm

      Hi Lisa, Most people climb them and then the only way off is to jump – which only causes problems if the tide is in. Jan

      Reply
  11. Janet Camilleri aka Middle Aged Mama

    February 2, 2019 at 3:55 pm

    Okay so I’ve been to NZ 4 or 5 times but have never seen or even heard of these! They look so cool!

    Reply
    • Jan

      February 3, 2019 at 2:07 pm

      They are totally cool. I check them out whenever we go to the South Island. It helps of course that my friend runs an Airbnb Farmstay at Oamaru which is just 20 minutes up the road, so I’m in the neighbourhood. The pub at Moeraki is great and the town itself a lovely little (very little) seaside town.

      Reply
  12. Jan

    November 2, 2012 at 9:24 am

    Hi there, I believe there are some more in the southern island of NZ and in the USA and other places. They are pretty cool. Love the name Wag Water. Jan

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Road Trip New Zealands South Island Part 3 says:
    October 28, 2016 at 1:16 pm

    […] fascinating mud filled boulders on the beach south of Oamaru look like left-overs from a giant game of […]

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