Wainui Beach along the Taupo Point Track, Wainui Inlet: 6 November 2020

 A short trip to Wainui Beach....

After we visited Wainui Falls we continued around Wainui Inlet to Takapou and the start of the Taupo Point Track. This track will give you access to several places; Whariwharangi Bay via Gibbs Hill, Uarau Bay, Taupo Point and Wainui Beach. I have been to Wainui Beach before and thought it was a beautiful beach to visit so that was our destination on this trip.

Track map at the start of the Taupo Point Track, Wainui Inlet

Takapou was one of the Maori settlements in pre European Mohau/Golden Bay...it was close to fresh water, bush for food and timber and the seacoast. Nearby Wainui Inlet was a major food source for the local Iwi with waterfowl, shellfish, fishing and larger animals like seals, penguins and whales.. Today Takapou is a small settlement of farms and holiday bach's.....

Looking out to Abel Tasman Point from the Wainui Inlet

Taupo Point Track starts right from the car park at the Takapou road end. There is space here for 20 odd vehicles...it is moderately secure but I would not leave any valuables in plain site. There is a bit of a rough element in Golden Bay...they don't have a lot of money up here so don't tempt anyone to break into your car for your fancy jacket, purse or wallet.

Map: Wainui Inlet, Wainui Beach and Taupo Point Track

Taupo Point Track: Maori gateway at start of the track

There is a beautifully carved gateway at the start of the track...this is the northern end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track so this is the Wainui version of the gate at Marahau at the other end of the track. It is well done with lovely carvings of ancestors and various animals found in the area. Stop and have a good look at it before you continue on your way. 

Closer view of the Taupo Point Track gateway, Wainui Inlet

The Maori gateway at the Marahau end of the track....

Because this is a Great Walk the track quality is excellent...wide, flat and covered with fine gravel. It deteriorates a bit once you turn off towards Wainui Beach but it is still a fine all weather track so you can come down here even if it is raining. 

On Taupo Point Track to Wainui Beach 

After 400 meters you will come to a track junction...if you go right you will immediately start the climb up and over Gibbs Hill to Whariwharangi and the Inland Track. If you want to go to Wainui Beach, Uarau Bay and Taupo Point take the left hand track that skirts the edge of Takapou Bay and the Wainui Inlet.

The Coastal Walkway to Gibbs Hill, Whariwharangi and the Inland Track

Track junction along the Taupo Point Track

Taupo Point Track to Wainui Beach, Uarau Bay and Taupo Point

Wainui Inlet has the same extreme tidal range as the beaches further south in Abel Tasman NP. It rises and falls around 3-4 meters every day so at low tide it is quite possible to walk right across the mud flats from Abel Tasman Point to Takapou Settlement. The inlet is filled with that same rough sandy mud as you find at Awaroa and Torrent Bay so it is firm and relatively easy to walk across. 

Low tide at Wainui Inlet,  Golden Bay

Looking to the head of Wainui Inlet from the Taupo Point Track

A panoramic shot of Wainui Inlet

After walking for 700 odd meters you will find yourself on Wainui Beach which fronts the sandbar at the mouth of Wainui Inlet. The sandbar is approximately 40 meters wide and is permenant...it is covered with a variety of low brush and some stunted trees.

 It is approximately 500 meters long and the water off the beach is very shallow...waist deep 60 meters off the shore. It would be an excellent spot for some snorkel diving in the summer but it was far to cold to warrant a swim when we visited. There are also a lot of fish in the water around here but check for reserve status before casting out a line....

Distant Farewell Spit from Wainui Beach

Uarau Point from Wainui Beach

Abel Tasman Point from Wainui Beach

I first came to this beach back in the 1990's with my girlfriend of the time and the beach was packed with people. Lots of tourists then some of whom were camping at the back of the beach. We were the only people there for a while on the day we visited...but we did see a group of younger university aged folk heading down for a swim. There were also several groups coming back from visiting Taupo Point so we were not totally alone. 

The water in Wainui Bay is shallow...

An empty Wainui Beach....

Uarau Bay is the next bay along the coast from Wainui Beach and can be reached on a low tide track which skirts the cliffs at the back of all these beaches. Lucky for us it was low tide so we walked around to have a look at the bay. There is a notch at the extreme eastern end of Wainui Beach...a small gap between the hillside and a rock spire that you walk through to get to Uarau and Taupo Point. 

There is low tide access to Uarau Bay at the end of Wainui Beach

Uarau Point from Uarau Bay, Golden Bay

On Taupo Point Track via Uarau Bay

View back to Wainui Beach from the notch....

We had a walk on the beach at Uarau Bay and explored the rock pools around the edge of the notch...there is a rock shelf there which goes a little way out into the bay. Uarau would be a nice beach to head to for some sunbathing and swimming as the water in the bay is shallow quite a way out to sea. 

Be aware that the path around the sea cliffs is tidal...there is a four hour period over high tide when the sea inundates the path so add that to your plans. There is no other feasible route off the beach at high tide...

On the rock shelves in Uarau Bay

Pied Oystercatchers on Uarau Beach

Interesting layering at the notch, Taupo Point Track

If you want to continue to Taupo Point you walk around Uarau Bay on the beach to a track over the low saddle at the end of Uarau Point. This will take you up and over a headland and drop you out on the beach at Taupo Point. The trip to Taupo Points takes 1.5 hours one way and involves some steep bush track and rock scrambling. 

Taupo Point is as far around the coast as you can go...the high sea cliffs from Taupo Point to Whariwharangi Bay make it impossible to walk right around to Whariwharangi Beach. 

Uarau Point: I wonder which way the wind blows....?

The Whariwharangi Bay side of Taupo Hill (2019)

Whariwharangi Beach and the Taupo Hill cliffs (2019)

We sent about 20 minutes at Uarau and Wainui Beach and then set off back to the carpark at Takapou. We passed a couple of groups on the way back to the car most of whom looked to be heading to the beach but also a couple of groups of trampers who were obviously heading for Whariwharangi Hut. 

On Taupo Point Track heading for the carpark

Bush lines the side of Taupo Point Track

The Maori gateway at the end of Taupo Point Track

The tide had started to come in as we left Wainui Beach and Wainui Inlet was full of water as we walked back down the Taupo Point Track to the carpark. We could see some distant kayakers paddling along the far side of the Inlet...probably heading for the open ocean. 

The tide was coming in at Wainui Inlet....

We stopped at the Maori gateway over the Taupo Point Track and had a look at the carvings and panels on it. They are beautiful and obviously a lot of effort has gone into making them...it is a nice way to start or end a track. 

Taupo Point Track: the rear of the Maori Gateway...

Detail of the Taupo Point Track gateway

More detail of the Taupo Point Track gateway, Wainui Inlet

If you ever find yourself at Wainui Inlet take the time to drive around to Takapou and walk out to Wainui Beach. It is a great spot for some seaside fun with lovely golden sand, shallow water in the bay and a short easy access track. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous why not walk around to either Uarau Bay or Taupo Point. Remember that access is tidal...don't go past Wainui Beach near high tide unless you are prepared to wait for four hours for the water to recede. 

Access: The Taupo Point Track and Wainui Beach can be accessed off Abel Tasman Drive approximately 2 kilometers past the turn off to Totaranui/Awaroa at Anatimo. The last 1.5 kilometers to Takapou are along a narrow gravel road. 
Track Times: The Taupo Point Track to Wainui Beach is 700 meters or 15-20 minutes walk one way. T walk the full Taupo Point Track to Taupo Point will take 2.5 hours (4 km's) return.

Miscellaneous: The track is to a good standard, a mixture of flat bush track, beach walking and easy rock scrambling. There is low tide access to Uarau Bay and Taupo Point at the eastern end of Wainui Beach. Note there is a four hour window at high tide when there is no access to or from Uarau Bay as the crossing point is submerged. Toilets at the start of the Taupo Point Track and at Taupo Bay. This is also the start of the track to Whariwharangi over Gibbs Hill.