Tahunanui Beach Foreshore and Tahunanui Recreation Reserve

70 Beach Road

Tahunanui, Nelson

Located in Tahunanui with access from Rocks and Beach Roads.

The Tahunanui Reserve is a 93 hectare triangular site between the Waimea inlet and the coastal cliffs of the Port Hills. It includes the beach, the dunes, the back beach embayment, a motor camp, sports fields and the flat developed areas of land.

The coastal area was only recently formed - much of the beach and sand dunes that we know today have been formed since 1909. This area continues to change.

The estuary is also home to many different birds and fish and some rare plants. From waders and herons, egrets and spoonbills to the estuarine tussock, the estuary is a wildlife habitat of outstanding value. It is also the only known site of the rare nocturnal back beach marine beetle.

Tahunanui Beach Recreation Areas

Black buoys keep swimmers safe at Tahunanui

The three black buoys at Tahunanui Beach are there to keep swimmers safe and denote the area exclusively for them.

Nelson City Council controls harbour safety and that includes ensuring all water users can safely carry out recreation activities.

Nelson Harbourmaster Stuart Whitehouse says it is one of the ways Council manages the demand on its coastal waters for a range of competing uses and the controls are set out in the Navigation Safety Bylaw.

"Tahunanui Beach is the iconic summer location for Nelson and has an enviable reputation as a safe area to swim. The black buoys mark out an area where families and swimmers can freely enjoy the warm waters of Tasman Bay."

“The area of the black buoys marks the area reserved for swimmers and body boarders where no motorised craft are allowed.”

There is an access lane for any non-motorised craft such as windsurfers and kayaks, between the first and second black buoy, closest to Rocks Road and the beach in front of the Abel Tasman statue. At the other end, after the third buoy is where other sports such as kite boarding can safely launch well away from swimmers.

Find more information here on the Navigation Safety.

Tahunanui Reserve Management Plan, 2004

The plan divides the reserve into three management areas: Coastal, Inland and the Motor Camp. Each area has different recreational and landscape characteristics and so needs to be managed in different ways.

The eastern end of the reserve provides for a higher level of developed facilities, including a wide variety of commercial activities and intensive erosion control effort where necessary.

The western end is more recreational and natural in character, and so here the plan looks at restoring and enhancing the natural and ecological values, letting natural processes continue, and providing opportunities for public enjoyment and education about these values.

The Motor Camp area serves primarily as a facility for visitors, also providing opportunities for recreation outside busy holiday periods.

Go to the Tahunanui Reserve Management Plan and the Tahunanui Management Plan areas

Amenities

• Beach Café
• Beach
• Beach Volley Ball Courts
• BMX Track
• Commercial Fun Park (including trampoline, megaslide, mini golf, bumper boats, go karts)
• Natureland
• Nellie Nightingale Library
• Nelson Roller Rink
• Nelson Society of Modellers
• Nelson Surf Life Saving Club
• Playgrounds and fitness equipment
• Sports fields
• Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park

Dogs

• Dogs are prohibited from Tahunanui Reserve Main Beach, playgrounds, playing areas of sports fields and public buildings.
• Dogs are allowed off-leash in other areas.