Muriwai Beach Fishing: Surfcasting, Kontiki and Rock Safety

Last updated October 2026

Muriwai Beach is the black-sand surf beach in Muriwai Regional Park on Auckland’s west coast, about 40 km north-west of the city centre. It runs about 60 km north from Ōtakamiro Point, where one of the few mainland gannet colonies in New Zealand nests on the headland.

Anglers surfcast the gutters, launch kontiki longlines off the sand and fish the rocks at the southern end, mostly for snapper, gurnard and kahawai. It is also one of the most dangerous places in the region to fish from the rocks, so read the safety section before you go.

At a Glance

Location

Muriwai Regional Park, 458 Motutara Road, Muriwai, west Auckland

Water

Tasman Sea (sea)

Main species

Snapper, gurnard and kahawai

Methods

Surfcasting, kontiki longlines launched from the beach, rock fishing at the southern end

Getting there

Motutara Road to the main beach car park; 4WD beach access from the end of Coast Road with a council permit

Toilets

Maukatia Gannet Track car park, 1 Waitea Road

Tide port

Anawhata (LINZ standard port, about 11 km south on the same coast)

Rules

MPI Auckland and Kermadec (west coast limits); no set netting; toheroa protected; no licence needed

Safety

Lifejacket essential on the rocks; strong rips on the beach

Cost

Free; beach driving needs a council permit

More About Muriwai Beach

Muriwai Beach, also known as Te Oneone Rangatira, runs north from Ōtakamiro Point. The sand is black titanomagnetite, and the headland at the southern end has sea caves, a blowhole and pillow lava. Maukatia (Māori Bay) sits on the other side of the headland, linked to the main beach by the Maukatia Gannet Track.

The takapu (gannet) colony on Ōtakamiro Point is one of the few places in New Zealand where gannets breed on the mainland. The birds are on the cliffs from about August to February. Fur seals haul out on Oaia Island offshore, and little blue penguins nest at Māori Bay, so give the wildlife room when you fish near the headland.

Te Kawerau ā Maki, whose interests cover West Auckland and the southern Kaipara, take their name from events at Maramatāwhana and Tīneki to the north of Muriwai. Pā stood on the point and there are middens at Māori Bay. The settlement was known as Motutara until the 1920s.

Fishing has long been part of life here. The Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service was formed in 1948, the year after a net fisherman was rescued off the beach using a horse. The Muriwai Sports Fishing Club, based at the surf club, has about 250 members and runs its own weigh stations.

How to Fish Muriwai Beach

Where to fish

Most surfcasters walk or drive north from the main car park to get away from the swimmers and surfers near the flags. Look for the gutters and rips between the sandbars: they hold the fish, but they move after every big swell, so the good water changes from week to week.

Kontiki anglers launch off the sand; north of the Coast Road access there is usually plenty of empty beach. Keep well clear of anyone in the water when you send a kontiki out.

The rocks at the southern end

Some anglers fish the rock platforms near the gannet colony and toward Māori Bay. This is the most dangerous fishing on the coast. Waves sweep these rocks without warning, even on days that look calm, and several anglers have drowned here.

Only fish the rocks in a lifejacket, with a buddy, after checking the tide, surf and weather, and never turn your back on the sea.

When to fish

Low light around dawn and dusk is usually the best time on a surf beach, and moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water. Calm days with a small swell are the easiest to fish. A big westerly swell makes casting hard and the rocks unsafe.

What to catch and what to use

• Snapper: fresh or salted bait such as pilchard, squid or mullet on a running or ledger rig cast into a gutter, or on a kontiki longline.
• Gurnard: come up on the same baits, often on the longline set further out over the sand.
• Kahawai: chase baitfish into the surf. A fresh strip bait or a metal lure cast into the white water will take them.

What to bring

A long surfcasting rod with enough sinker weight to hold in the surge, a sand spike, a headlamp for low-light sessions, water and food, and a lifejacket if you go anywhere near the rocks. Kontiki gear must meet the longline rules below.

Getting There and Facilities

• Road: Muriwai is about 40 km north-west of central Auckland, through Waimauku. Motutara Road leads to the regional park and the main beach car park.
• Parking and toilets: car parks at the southern end of the beach and at the Maukatia Gannet Track on Waitea Road, which has public toilets. The park also has barbecues, picnic tables and a playground.
• Beach driving: the beach is a legal road and is policed. You need a current council beach driving permit, a WOF and registration, and you may only drive on the beach within three hours either side of low tide. Speed limits are 30 km/h near the Coast Road access and 60 km/h further north. Stay off the dunes and watch for nesting shorebirds.
• Vehicle closures: the Coast Road vehicle access is closed over Guy Fawkes and the New Year period, and the beach has been kept vehicle-free over the peak summer period every year since 2020. Fires, fireworks and camping are not allowed on the beach.
• Tracks: sections of the gannet colony tracks were closed for repair work through 2025 and 2026. Check Auckland Council’s regional park updates before you go.
• Food and camping: Muriwai Beach Campground is just behind the dunes. The beach cafe closed in 2024; Waimauku, about 10 minutes’ drive away, has a supermarket and takeaways.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules. Muriwai is on the west coast, where some limits, including snapper, differ from Auckland East. No licence is needed.
• Set netting is banned off Muriwai Beach. The whole west coast from Maunganui Bluff to Pariokariwa Point is closed to set nets out to 7 nautical miles to protect Māui dolphins.
• Kontiki and other longlines: one set line per person, with a maximum number of hooks, and floats marked with your initials and surname. Check the current rules before you set.
• Toheroa are protected and must not be taken or disturbed. Tuatua can be taken within the daily limit; MPI’s test is that a tuatua stands on its flat base and a toheroa falls over. Lower shellfish limits apply on this coast from the Okiritoto River on Muriwai Beach south to Port Waikato.
• Rock fishing: five people drowned off the Muriwai rocks in 2006, a couple in 2018, and a rock fisher without a lifejacket near the gannet colony in June 2026. Wear a lifejacket every time. Drowning Prevention Auckland runs lifejacket hubs where you can borrow one, and angel rings are installed at the popular rock fishing spots.
• The surf is big and powerful, with strong rips. Swim only between the flags, and do not wade out to cast.

Find Out More

Common Questions

Where do people fish at Muriwai Beach?
Mostly along the surf beach north of the main car park, away from the flags, plus the rocks near the gannet colony and toward Māori Bay. The rocks are dangerous: wear a lifejacket.

What can you catch at Muriwai Beach?
Snapper, gurnard and kahawai are the usual catches, from the surf and on kontiki longlines.

Can I drive on Muriwai Beach to go fishing?
Yes, with a council beach driving permit, a WOF and registration, and only within three hours either side of low tide. Vehicle access is closed over Guy Fawkes, New Year and peak summer.

Can I use a kontiki at Muriwai?
Yes. Many anglers launch kontiki longlines off the beach. Keep one set line, mark your floats with your name, and stay well clear of swimmers and surfers.

Can I set net at Muriwai Beach?
No. Set netting is banned off Muriwai Beach and along the west coast to protect Māui dolphins.

Is rock fishing at Muriwai safe?
It is one of the most dangerous rock fishing spots in New Zealand. People have drowned here, most recently in June 2026. Wear a lifejacket, fish with a buddy and check the swell first.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No. You do not need a licence for sea fishing in New Zealand, but MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules apply.

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