Kakanui Point and Campbell Bay are accessed from Waianakarua Road, shortly after crossing the bridge over the Kakanui River. Heading south, turn left onto Magdala Street, then right onto Stirling Street. Campbell Bay Reserve is at the top of the cliffs at the south end of the Point.
The view from the cliff south along Ōrore All Day Bay and down the North Otago Coast towards Te Hakapureirei Beach is beautiful. Follow the short path to the public toilets and picnic tables, then walk down to the shoreline. From there, you can access the beach below the cliffs and the rocky shoreline around the base of the Point.
The Point is the remnant of an ancient 34 million-year-old volcano. But at Campbell Bay, the more obvious feature is the unusual protrusion of whitish rock that flows from the side of the Point into the surf. This is the ancient Ototara Limestone layer, which can also be seen in some limestone rock formations around the Waitaki Valley near Duntroon. This limestone protrusion features curved shapes and holes. The holes were originally shrimp burrows, enlarged by erosion 30 million years ago!
