Sandfly Bay Track

Sandfly Bay Track - Otago Peninsula

Sandfly Bay Track

Otago Peninsula

58 Rankers Reviews

46 Face-to-Face

11 Seal Watching

4 Penguin Watching

5 Dunedin

Your Nature Guide

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Marios Gavalas

Author And Researcher

Nau mai, haere mai

Nau mai, haere mai

I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.

I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!

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Photos

The beach at Sandfly Bay
Looking inland from Sandfly Bay

Information

Sandfly Bay Track

2.5 km return | 1 hour return

Sandfly Bay walk is a lesser known New Zealand Classic. It's a beautiful, isolated beach that is the landing point for one of the rarest penguins in the world - the Yellow Eyed Penguin - plus lots of sea lions!

Otago Peninsula shields a sheltered harbour in its western flank. Around Tairoa Head it captures the Royal albatross’ attention by providing reliable updraughts for fledglings’ maiden flights. It’s exposed eastern shores sit squarely in the face of ocean weather and currents, providing fertile grounds for marine mammals like elephant seals, sea lions and fur seals. And the odd Yellow Eyed Penguin (yep).

PLEASE don't be tempted to get to close to these animals! This is very important otherwise this special place may close for general public. If you want to view the yellow eyed penguins at dawn or dusk then follow the marked track at the southern end to the viewing hide. Please respect and enjoy!

Walking Track

Timing

At high tides with large swells, some sections at the base of the dunes will become impassable.

Dawn and dusk are best for penguin viewing.

Sandymount Track is closed from 1st September to 1st November for lambing.

Access

Sandfly Bay is 15 km from Dunedin city centre. Take Wharf Street, Portsmouth Drive to Portobello Road. This twisty sealed road follows the shore of Otago Harbour, but you want to head right by the lagoon up Marne Street and left onto Sommerville street then left after 1.5 km on to Highcliff Road. This follows the spine of the Otago Peninsula. Sandfly Bay is signposted after 7.7 km on the right along Seal Point Road. Continue to the end. Large vehicle may have trouble turning here.

Track

Never turn your back on beaches with exposed outlooks like Sandfly Beach. Rogue waves can pluck you to the sea instantly and the steep shelf will drag you out. No swimming unless your wish is to be shark fodder.

From the carpark the track crosses gorse and flax encrusted farmland and descends to a viewpoint overlooking the golden sand, flying in the wind. Moon walking down the soft dunes arrives at the southern end of the beach, and the domain of the pinnipeds.

Near the northern end is a series of orange posts, which lead up a gully towards Sandymount Track, Lovers Leap and The Chasm. This loop will add a further 1 hour and 2.5 km to your journey. This track is closed from 1st September to 1st November for lambing.

Flora

Macrocarpa are a notable imported tree on the Otago Peninsula. Their native habitat on the north-western USA also shares constant winds and salty air.

Fauna

Fur seals Arctocephalus forsteri were almost driven to extinction at the beginning of the 1800s, but numbers now seem to be recovering. Sealing was a disgusting job. Like a battle charge, gangs would disembark and attempt to intercept the wave of frightened seals before they reached the sea, directing one swift blow to the tip of the nose. A good sealer had to be quick, agile and strong. Brandishing wooden cudgels they would terrorise an area, heaping the skins under a suitably conspicuous tarpaulin before moving to the next colony.

Different markets called for variations on how the skin was treated. The Chinese market preferred carefully prepared skins, where the subcutaneous fat was scraped away by a ‘beamer’, the flipper holes sewn up and the skin dried. This was carried out in ritualistic fashion by 10 one foot long pegs secured in regular positions about the skin.

The rocky shores would have been stained with the blood of many merciless killings. Rotting carcasses would be strewn like war victims. Indeed the whole picture must have resembled a battle scene. Men who found employment as sealers were often rough and carried hidden baggage.

Seals are known as pinnipeds (wing footed) because of the webbed flippers instead of paws or feet. Streamlined bodies and blubber keep them warm (hence their hunting for fur). Their ears, nose flaps close when diving. They feed on squid, octopus and hoki.

Bull sea lions are absolute monsters, tipping the scales at 400kg. You don’t want to get in the way of one, so be especially vigilant if passing between them and the sea – their escape route. They prefer to slumber on the sand, unlike fur seals who use the rocks as their mattresses. The sea lions are often observed flipping sand onto their backs in an effort to keep cool.

Yellow-eyed penguins weigh around 5 kg and stand around 70 centimetres tall. They breed in southern parts of New Zealand and Sub-Antarctic Islands in spring. Chicks are reared during the summer in nests constructed of flax. During the February moult, birds are vulnerable. Be Aware. Observe their behaviour and don’t hassle them for a photo. You have another home to go to. This is their home, so use your manners. Numbers are in serious decline.

European History

The name ‘Sandfly Bay’ comes not from the prevalence of those nasty little biting insects, but from the fact that sand flies on the constant wind.

Details

Feature Value Info

Organisation

DOC Otago

Central government organisation

Location

South IslandCoastal OtagoDunedin

Categories

  • Activity__seal_watchingSeal Watching
  • Activity__walking_and_trekkingWalking
  • Activity__penguin_watchingPenguin Watching
  • Free

Directions

To Coordinates

Coordinates

-45.8928756729174

170.6374168396

Latitude
-45.8928756729174
Longitude
170.6374168396

Nearby

Reviews

    • Visited in search of seals and penguins.
    • Great walk.
    • A very nice beach with dunes ans seals.
    • Excellent free experience!
    • Most beautiful beach in New Zealand so far.
    Rating Count Percentage
    10/10 27
    47%
    9/10 17
    29%
    8/10 11
    19%
    7/10 3
    5%
    6/10 0
    0%
    5/10 0
    0%
    4/10 0
    0%
    3/10 0
    0%
    2/10 0
    0%
    1/10 0
    0%
  • 5.0/5

    Stunning!!

    Seals and Pinguins there. Allways some people of the Natural sceenic Institute there to make sure you don't disturbe the animals. Best walk ever!!

    Reviewed almost 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Great place best first day I've pulled a sickie on lol so relaxing clothes ur option good way to get a full tan an not get picked on lol with beautiful scenery an amazing people with awesome wild life

    all around thanks peps for the relaxing day will be back again 😍

    Reviewed over 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Sandfly is really the good name when it’s windy day!!!

    Wonderful scenic view of you’re a little bit lucky with a little sun!

    Seals are here, at least 9 on the beach and rocks, and we could see another swimming in the sea near the beach.

    Only 1 pingouin come on the beach very shortly.

    Really nice walk, but don’t forget when you go down on the beach... you must go back to the car-park with a quit hard trace in the sand. Take your time, and enjoy!

    A good spot too to stay on the car park for the night if you’re self-contained of course!

    Reviewed almost 6 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Amazing place.

    No penguins but heaos of sea lions.

    Reviewed about 6 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Visited in search of seals and penguins.

    No penguins but some fun sea lions lolling around - don’t get too close.

    Gorgeous beach, very steep uphill climb back to the car park - good workout for your calves! Worth it despite the lack of penguins.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Hard trekking through the sandy dunes to see penguins and sea lions (only a few of them), free in the nature.

    Friendly DOC warden, it is a must see.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in February 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Beautiful 'playground' for the kids with sand dunes and slides, sea lions, very windy.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Nice view, good information, scenic dunes, sea lions.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Very nice walk along the beach, we saw many sea lions.

    That was wonderful!! We did not see any penguins but the sea lions were amazing. The walk back is up a steep sandhill so prepare yourself for this.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 4.5/5

    The signs are really clear and it is wonderful to see real wild sea lions without paying for expensive tours.

    We did not see penguins though.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 5.0/5

    Nice walk down to the beach where we had the opportunity to see a penguin (yellow eyed) and some fur seals.

    Quiet and clean area.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 5.0/5

    Stunning!!

    Seals and Pinguins there. Allways some people of the Natural sceenic Institute there to make sure you don't disturbe the animals. Best walk ever!!

    Reviewed almost 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Great place best first day I've pulled a sickie on lol so relaxing clothes ur option good way to get a full tan an not get picked on lol with beautiful scenery an amazing people with awesome wild life

    all around thanks peps for the relaxing day will be back again 😍

    Reviewed over 5 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Sandfly is really the good name when it’s windy day!!!

    Wonderful scenic view of you’re a little bit lucky with a little sun!

    Seals are here, at least 9 on the beach and rocks, and we could see another swimming in the sea near the beach.

    Only 1 pingouin come on the beach very shortly.

    Really nice walk, but don’t forget when you go down on the beach... you must go back to the car-park with a quit hard trace in the sand. Take your time, and enjoy!

    A good spot too to stay on the car park for the night if you’re self-contained of course!

    Reviewed almost 6 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Amazing place.

    No penguins but heaos of sea lions.

    Reviewed about 6 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Visited in search of seals and penguins.

    No penguins but some fun sea lions lolling around - don’t get too close.

    Gorgeous beach, very steep uphill climb back to the car park - good workout for your calves! Worth it despite the lack of penguins.

    Reviewed over 6 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Beautiful 'playground' for the kids with sand dunes and slides, sea lions, very windy.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Nice view, good information, scenic dunes, sea lions.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in January 2017

  • 5.0/5

    Hard trekking through the sandy dunes to see penguins and sea lions (only a few of them), free in the nature.

    Friendly DOC warden, it is a must see.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in February 2017

  • 4.5/5

    Very nice walk along the beach, we saw many sea lions.

    That was wonderful!! We did not see any penguins but the sea lions were amazing. The walk back is up a steep sandhill so prepare yourself for this.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 4.5/5

    The signs are really clear and it is wonderful to see real wild sea lions without paying for expensive tours.

    We did not see penguins though.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 5.0/5

    Nice walk down to the beach where we had the opportunity to see a penguin (yellow eyed) and some fur seals.

    Quiet and clean area.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 4.0/5

    Beautiful spot with some sea lions on a wild beach.

    Appealing place for and hour and a half of walking. But note, the walk back was more difficult.

    Reviewed over 7 years ago and experienced in December 2016

  • 5.0/5

    Very nice walk.

    Beautiful scenery. Saw many seals but no penguins as we were not at right time.

    Reviewed almost 8 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Awesome bay, you can see yellow eyed penguins very closely and for free.

    Always with perfect nature.

    Reviewed about 8 years ago and experienced in March 2016

  • 4.5/5

    We say five yellow eyed penguins in an hour and a half.

    Lots of seal and sea lions. There is no hiding place though so you have to be really careful so you do not disturb the penguins. Have patience and it will be awesome!!

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in January 2016

  • 5.0/5

    Most beautiful beach in New Zealand so far.

    You can see seals, penguins and sea lions.

    Reviewed over 8 years ago and experienced in February 2016

  • 4.5/5

    Absolutely stunning place.

    There were a fair number of other people there, but it still felt very remote. It was the wrong time of day to see penguins but there were sea lions basking on the sand and playing in the ocean. The only reason I didn't give this a 10 is that the walk back up the sand dune is incredibly steep, such a killer.

    Reviewed over 9 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Steep but rewarding, beautiful views and location and not as hard as it looks.

    Reviewed over 9 years ago and experienced in January 2015

  • 4.5/5

    A 40 minute return walk down to a very nice beach.

    Possible wildlife encounters (seals, penguins, sea lions).

    Reviewed over 9 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    Exciting to look for penguins.

    Reviewed over 9 years ago

  • 4.5/5

    A very nice beach with dunes ans seals.

    While walking downhill the dunes expect a challanging walk upwards later, cause the sand is loose. Take binoculars with you and go to the end of the beach. There is a shelter where you can view sea-lions

    Reviewed over 9 years ago and experienced in January 2015

  • 3.5/5

    Nice walk, we got to see lots of seals and lovely nature.

    Reviewed about 10 years ago and experienced in March 2014

  • 4.5/5

    Very nice walk on the beach with sea lions and very nice beach.

    Reviewed over 10 years ago and experienced in January 2014

  • 3.5/5

    Nice walk on the beach and we saw sea lions.

    Reviewed over 10 years ago and experienced in January 2014

  • 5.0/5

    From the park on the furtherest road, walking down the dunes.

    Reviewed over 10 years ago and experienced in December 2013

  • 5.0/5

    see sea lions , seals I've been there around morning.

    They were sleeping on the beach.Cute !! Great Experience in my life.

    Reviewed about 11 years ago

    THAILAND
    Tan's avatar

    Tan

  • 5.0/5

    Great walk.

    Reviewed over 11 years ago

  • 5.0/5

    Excellent free experience!

    However no signage on needing to be moderately to very fit for the walk back. We made it down the dune easily and saw hooker sea lions basking on the beach. Very close viewing. An amazing experience. Hint: try to not bulk up too much in clothing before going down. Just a windproof jacket should do. Not as cold down n the beach as it is up on the hill - and bulky clothing makes it very hard to get back up the hill!

    Reviewed about 12 years ago

  • 4.0/5

    Ranger on the beach nice to talk to.

    Reviewed about 12 years ago and experienced in March 2012

  • 4.0/5

    Visit the Otago Peninsula at Dunedin.

    Take the high road. Beautiful area, lovely views and bay. Bad Sandflies!!! Watch penguins for free!!

    Reviewed about 12 years ago and experienced in March 2012