This is the place

Shipwreck Bay is named as a reminder of the many unfortunate ships which lost their battle with Mother Nature here. Parts of one ship, the ‘Favourite’, can still be seen at low tide. These days Shipwreck Bay is renowned for its great swell, attracting surfers from all over Northland.

However, in the past, Shipwreck Bay was the point where bullock teams would cart kauri gum gathered from the nearby gumfields, to be transported to Auckland.

The beach can be accessed by road, but access to the southern Reef and Tauroa Point is limited and is very reliant on the tides.