Discovering Fossil Point Track
Fossil Point Track is located at the western end of Golden Bay on the South Island, right at the entrance to Farewell Spit. This track is a gateway to Ocean Beach and Fossil Point, and an opportunity to explore the southwest side of the spit. The area is known for its stunning coastal views and the chance to see fossils embedded in the rocks.
Walking the Track
From the car park, follow the marked trail across the farm to reach the north side of the spit. This walk takes approximately 30 minutes and leads you to Ocean Beach, which faces the Tasman Sea. From there, walk south along the beach to Fossil Point for 10 minutes, with its interesting cliffs and rock formations. Be prepared for very wet paddocks, even extended puddles, if it has recently rained.
The last section of the walk is through coastal bush and dune shrubbery. As you near the beach, you'll encounter a connecting track for the Puponga Hilltop Track, which both returns to the car park and extends to Cape Farewell and Wharariki Beach. This track also allows you to do the walk as a loop, gaining around 100 metres in height with outstanding views. The loop adds about 10 minutes to the walk.
You can also do an extended loop to Fossil Point by heading east along the south coast of Farewell Spit, then crossing over the dunes to Ocean Beach on the north side, then walking west along the beach. Depending on how far you choose to explore before crossing over to Ocean Beach, this loop can take anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours.
How to Get There
From Collingwood, take Puponga Main Road north to Pūponga. Turn right onto Freeman Access at the end of the main road at Puponga. After about a kilometre, you will find a large parking area situated next to the start of Farewell Spit on its southern side.
Other areas to explore from Collingwood include the Whanganui Inlet and Kaihoka Lakes, and the Aorere Valley.
