Pūrākaunui Bay is a stunning coastline located in the Catlins that sits within the Pūrākaunui Bay Scenic Reserve. The forested surroundings, large grassed campsite overlooking the Pūrākaunui River, and the 500-metre beach are stunning, but the standout feature is the 200-metre cliffs at the bay's north end. In December and January, the rata trees are flowering, with striking examples next to the south end of the beach. If you continue on the road a short distance past the campsite, you will find a grassed area with a fabulous view along the beach to the cliffs. The cliffs were used as a backdrop in filming Chronicles of Narnia, where the fictional Cair Paravel was digitally added.
The campground at Pūrākaunui Bay is one of the most attractive remote but accessible campsites in the South Island. It has a mix of steep and flat terrain, so it may be challenging when busy.
Cross the river to the Pacific Ocean on the bay's south side from the campsite and parking area to get to the beach. This is very easy at low tide, as it is more of a stream, but about knee-deep otherwise. Although the south side is dominated by cliffs, the north side is gently sloping from the beach, and you can easily wander around the point as the tide retreats, exploring various rock pools.
The bay is also known for its surfing, and Surf Seekers NZ describes it as PK, standing for pumping kegs! It is also a good location to sport pakake (sea lions). One happily frolicked in the river while we crossed it to the beach!
Pūrakāunui translates to a big pile of sticks. There is a namesake beach location in Dunedin (easy to confuse with a Google search), where the name is a reference to a historical massacre where bodies were piled up like wood in the bay. There is no suggestion that this explains the name of this amazing bay.
The bay sits between Jacks Bay to the northeast and Helena Falls Beach and Tahakopa Bay to the west. To access the bay from Owaka, drive 7 km southeast on the Southern Scenic Route towards Papatowai, past Catlins Lake, then turn onto Pūrākaunui Falls Road. After 5 km, before the Pūrākaunui Falls car park, turn south onto gravel Long Point Road, then southeast after 4 km onto gravel Purakaunui Bay Road. From there, it is 3 km to the beach. Take care, as the roads leading to the bay are narrow and windy in places, while the scenery is distracting! Overall, it only takes about 25 minutes to get there from Owaka.
