Farewell Spit
Farewell Spit
At the top of our region, where the land narrows to a sliver and the sea stretches endlessly in both directions, you’ll find Farewell Spit. It’s a place of epic scale and quiet wonder. Rich with birdlife, steeped in history, and only accessible by guided tour, this remote landscape is unlike anywhere else in Aotearoa.
With open sea on one side and calm shallows on the other, Farewell Spit stretches 34 kilometres into the ocean. It’s one of the longest sandspits in the world and feels like the edge of the earth.
This remote spot is a haven for birdlife. Every summer, migratory flocks like godwits and whimbrels arrive after flying thousands of kilometres from the north. A gannet colony also calls the spit home.
Built in 1869, the lighthouse has its own yarn. Battling drifting sand, one clever keeper planted macrocarpa pines using soil delivered by mail. The trees still stand today, sheltering the station and guiding ships.
You’ll need a guided tour to explore the spit’s full length. Most leave from Collingwood and often include Cape Farewell. Keep an eye out for seal pups sunbathing below the cliffs.
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