OBSERVE 1200 PAIRS OF GANNETS UP CLOSE
05 AUGUST 2022
A beautiful adult gannet
Muriwai Beach
Muriwai Beach is rugged and stunning, stretching 50kms along west Auckland. It's a black sand beach which can get SUPER HOT in summer... blistering hot and it's a hot spot for surfers, fishing and it's a legal road so you can drive on it! We have done this a few times and absolutely loved it.
There are multiple entry points to Muriwai beach with walking and driving and the main entry to the beach is located near the gannet colony, so you can have a swim, surf or chill down at the beach after checking out the gannets.
There are two viewpoints for the gannets - one is just a short stroll from the carpark and the other is a bit further. You can either get to the furthest one by continuing on from the first viewpoint or you can get to it via the beach stairs. The really cool thing about the viewing platforms is the gannets are right there! You don't have to bring binoculars or squint to see them and if you're there at the right time of year then you may see a chick. They are constantly moving around, coming in from catching fish or preening. We hiiiiighly recommend visiting at sunset, it's such a short walk back to the car so it's easy if the kiddies are tired from being up late.
Around 1200 pairs of gannets rock up to nest here between August and March and nest right next to to each other.
WARNING - the gannets STINK!! It's seriously gross and really bad if it's an onshore wind.
There are multiple entry points to Muriwai beach with walking and driving and the main entry to the beach is located near the gannet colony, so you can have a swim, surf or chill down at the beach after checking out the gannets.
There are two viewpoints for the gannets - one is just a short stroll from the carpark and the other is a bit further. You can either get to the furthest one by continuing on from the first viewpoint or you can get to it via the beach stairs. The really cool thing about the viewing platforms is the gannets are right there! You don't have to bring binoculars or squint to see them and if you're there at the right time of year then you may see a chick. They are constantly moving around, coming in from catching fish or preening. We hiiiiighly recommend visiting at sunset, it's such a short walk back to the car so it's easy if the kiddies are tired from being up late.
Around 1200 pairs of gannets rock up to nest here between August and March and nest right next to to each other.
WARNING - the gannets STINK!! It's seriously gross and really bad if it's an onshore wind.
Looking out to one of the viewpoints
View from one of the gannet viewpoints
The Stars Of The Show
What we learnt about the gannets is absolutely incredible. They weight in at 2.5kgs and have a wingspan of up to 6 foot!
Nesting between August and March, the incubation period for the eggs is 44 days and if one happens to roll out of the nest and off the cliff (on top of my spaghetti nursery rhyme vibes) then another one is laid and (hopefully) 44 days later a chick is born. Mum and dad gannet take turns on the nest, making sure the egg is well protected.
The chicks stay with mum and dad in the colony for around 4 months and in February/March time, it's time for them to say goodbye to their family as they fly TWO THOUSAND kms to the eastern and southern coasts of Australia!! Only about 30% of these chicks make the trip.
On their way over they get a bit hungry and there isn't a local McDonalds along that 2000km flight and lets face it, if they stopped at the McDonalds out West Auckland before they left they might be alarmed to see chicken mcnuggets on the menu... YIKES! They fly high up above the ocean, searching for small schools of fish, like pilchard and anchovies, close to the surface and even feast on baby squid. How they get these fish is actually amazing - once they have their meal in sight, they make a beeline for them reaching speeds of up to 140km per hour!! Just before they hit the water they do two things 1) they slam on their feather breaks by making themselves into almost a straight arrow which stops their wings from getting broken and 2) they take a big gulp of air which fills their very own airbags inside their neck and chest to prevent any internal damage because they are going THAT FAST!
Around 3 - 7 years later, the gannets return from Australia back to Muriwai to say gidday. It's pretty incredible that they make the flight in the first place, let alone come back again!
Nesting between August and March, the incubation period for the eggs is 44 days and if one happens to roll out of the nest and off the cliff (on top of my spaghetti nursery rhyme vibes) then another one is laid and (hopefully) 44 days later a chick is born. Mum and dad gannet take turns on the nest, making sure the egg is well protected.
The chicks stay with mum and dad in the colony for around 4 months and in February/March time, it's time for them to say goodbye to their family as they fly TWO THOUSAND kms to the eastern and southern coasts of Australia!! Only about 30% of these chicks make the trip.
On their way over they get a bit hungry and there isn't a local McDonalds along that 2000km flight and lets face it, if they stopped at the McDonalds out West Auckland before they left they might be alarmed to see chicken mcnuggets on the menu... YIKES! They fly high up above the ocean, searching for small schools of fish, like pilchard and anchovies, close to the surface and even feast on baby squid. How they get these fish is actually amazing - once they have their meal in sight, they make a beeline for them reaching speeds of up to 140km per hour!! Just before they hit the water they do two things 1) they slam on their feather breaks by making themselves into almost a straight arrow which stops their wings from getting broken and 2) they take a big gulp of air which fills their very own airbags inside their neck and chest to prevent any internal damage because they are going THAT FAST!
Around 3 - 7 years later, the gannets return from Australia back to Muriwai to say gidday. It's pretty incredible that they make the flight in the first place, let alone come back again!
A baby gannet... awww!
A gannet about to take flight
The gannets have such vibrant eyes and beautiful markings on their face
It's preening time, one last call for shellfish so finish up your anchovies and squid
Visiting At Sunset
Almost every time we have been to visit the gannets, it's been at sunset. New Zealand west coast sunsets are INCREDIBLE and Muriwai is no exception.
There aren't any seats at the viewpoints but you could just chill on the boardwalk or stand and soak in all the amazingnesssssss. Some nights can be chilly depending on the time if year you go, so rug up and take some hot tea. You can also enjoy the sunsets from the beach - we have done this multiple times and it has never disappointed.
Our girls always enjoy nighttime adventures especially to the beach so they have always enjoyed going to Muriwai and staying up waaaaay too late. We always took pjs to change them into before heading home to make the car to bed transition easy.
Muriwai is so diverse with the beach, rugged cliffs and many walking and bike tracks. You can even do horse treks through the forest which I highly recommend!
There aren't any seats at the viewpoints but you could just chill on the boardwalk or stand and soak in all the amazingnesssssss. Some nights can be chilly depending on the time if year you go, so rug up and take some hot tea. You can also enjoy the sunsets from the beach - we have done this multiple times and it has never disappointed.
Our girls always enjoy nighttime adventures especially to the beach so they have always enjoyed going to Muriwai and staying up waaaaay too late. We always took pjs to change them into before heading home to make the car to bed transition easy.
Muriwai is so diverse with the beach, rugged cliffs and many walking and bike tracks. You can even do horse treks through the forest which I highly recommend!
One of the incredible sunsets we experienced at Muriwai
The view on the way to the gannet colony
Not sure how long this wing span is on this one... any guesses?
Know Before You Go
- This is a FREE attraction!
- Sunset is one of the best times to visit because of the view
- There are a couple of viewpoints to see the gannets
- The gannets STIIIIIINK! Bring a peg for ya nose
- The viewing points have barriers so is safe for kids
- There is a fish and chip shop by the main carpark
- There is a playground by the main entrance to the beach
- The toilets are by the main entrance to the beach
- Parking is free
Mappy McMap Face
Getting There
Muriwai is a rugged west coast town 1 hour from Auckland City. The drive is beautiful and windy through native bush.
There is a carpark near the gannet colony and from there it's a 5 minute walk (if that).
If the carpark here is full, head to Jack Butt (lol) Lane where the main car park is. It's a 12 minute walk up the road to the colony from there. Alternatively you can go via the stairs on the beach by the main entrance.
There is a carpark near the gannet colony and from there it's a 5 minute walk (if that).
If the carpark here is full, head to Jack Butt (lol) Lane where the main car park is. It's a 12 minute walk up the road to the colony from there. Alternatively you can go via the stairs on the beach by the main entrance.
Conclusion
Whether you're an avid bird watcher or not, your family will really enjoy this experience. The views are incredible along the whole coast line, from the moment you park and the whole walk along to the gannet colony.
The birds are a lot of fun to watch and it's pretty cool how close you can get to them!
Muriwai Beach
Muriwai is an incredibly beautiful place that we have had the pleasure of exploring many times from forest walks to experiencing sunsets to driving on the beach.
The birds are a lot of fun to watch and it's pretty cool how close you can get to them!
Muriwai Beach
Muriwai is an incredibly beautiful place that we have had the pleasure of exploring many times from forest walks to experiencing sunsets to driving on the beach.
Gallery of Muriwai Gannets
Check out the rest of the awesomeness that didn't make it to the main blog but deserves to be shown.
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