Ōwhiro Bay is the last of the road-accessible suburban bays on the southwest coast of Wellington. It is mainly surrounded by steep hills and cliffs, with a scattering of houses. Access is through Happy Valley between the hills from downtown or around the coast to the east along Ōwhiro Bay Parade.
At the end of the Ōwhiro Bay Parade, the road becomes 4WD with controlled access around the bays and beaches to the west. It’s an easy 3 km from there to Pariwhero Red Rocks, which is a popular coastal walk or bike ride. There is also a parking area and visitor centre. The centre has a series of panels describing the history and features of the region and the Taputeranga Marine Reserve, managed by DOC, which runs from Ōwhiro to Houghton Bay to the east.
The beach is mostly rocky, so not the place to plan a swim. But, like the nearby Siren Rocks, it has superb rock pools as the tide retreats.
