Farewell Spit Eco Tour, Golden Bay

Qualmark endorsed visitor activity Departing from Collingwood, this tour takes in many of the highlights of Farewell Spit.

The northernmost point of the South Island, Farewell Spit has been a bird sanctuary since the 1930s when the importance of the area’s feeding grounds was first recognised. With a huge tidal range, at low tide the waters retreat out over 9km, revealing sand flats that sweep out towards the clear blue waters of the Golden Bay.

The feeding ground for numerous waders, this is one of the island’s most important sites for these birds and over 90 different species can be spotted here. However, an excursion here is for more than the bird lover, and, at the Farewell Spit lighthouse, there is time to explore the area’s historic buildings and enjoy refreshments provided in the old lighthouse keeper’s residence, which is over a century old.