11 October 2026
Cloudy with a few light showers, clearing to fine early evening. Northerlies, turning westerly in the afternoon, dying out early evening.
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1 / 1Farewell Spit Nature Reserve and Pūponga Farm Park
Fossil Point Track
Walk across the base of Farewell Spit to Fossil Point, where you may see seals and fossils.
Distance
5.4 km
Walking time
90 min loop
Difficulty
Easy
Dogs
Not allowed
Wheelchair access
Not marked friendly
Current status
Alerts and track conditions
No active alerts found. Conditions can still change, so check again before leaving.
Weather outlook
Nelson forecast
Issued 11 Oct 2026, 4:35 pm
12 October 2026
Mainly fine, areas of morning and evening cloud. Drizzle developing about the western ranges at night. Northerlies developing for a time in the afternoon.
13 October 2026
A few showers. Northwesterlies developing in the morning.
14 October 2026
Rain becoming persistent with heavy falls in the afternoon. Northerlies developing in the morning.
15 October 2026
Showers developing in the morning. Southerlies developing in the evening.
Regional guidance only; elevation and terrain can produce different conditions.
Explore the area
Fossil Point Track on the map
See the full route on the map
Explore the track route and surrounding area before you set out.
About Fossil Point Track
From the Triangle Flat car park, follow the track across open farmland and coastal bush to reach Ocean Beach. Turn left and walk along the beach to Fossil Point. Look for fossilised shells and worm casts in mudstone boulders that have fallen from the cliffs. Seals are often seen playing in the surf — keep at least 20 metres away. For a longer circuit (6 km, 1 hour 30 minutes), follow the same track to Ocean Beach, but turn right. Walk along the beach to the Farewell Spit Crossing 4WD road. Cross the spit here and follow the track back to the car park.
Essential information for Fossil Point Track
General visiting rules No dogs or other pets are allowed. Firearms are prohibited. Camping is not permitted on both Farewell Spit Nature Reserve and the Pūponga Farm Park. Take your rubbish away with you when you leave. Do not light fires or smoke. No fishing in the nature reserve. Stay at least 20 m from seals There are a group of seal pups that use pools on the beach to play in. Please respect their home by following these rules: Keep a respectful distance (at least 20 metres) Do not follow or chase the seals. It is an offense under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 to harass seals. Visiting Farewell Spit Quicksand hazard There is an intermittent issue with quicksand within the flat sand pans at the base of Farewell Spit. This hazard exists in the flat open sand areas within the dunes, not out on the beach. The beaches, marked tracks and roads are safe for travel. Foot access only No vehicles or bikes are permitted on the beach past the car park at Triangle Flat. Visiting Pūponga Farm Park Seemingly harmless acts, such as leaving a gate open or taking a pet for a walk can have drastic consequences for farm management. Follow these rules when visiting the farm: Cars and motorcycles must stay on formed roads and car park areas. Leave gates as you find them; don't be tempted to close an open gate - it's open for a purpose! Hay and bull paddocks, and the airstrip (during operations), are off limits to visitors. Livestock, birds and plants are not to be disturbed or interfered with. At times the farm may be closed to the public. This is usually during lambing or calving, or when the fire risk is extreme. During such times, visitors are asked to keep to roads and car parks.
Getting there for Fossil Point Track
From Collingwood, follow Collingwood-Puponga Main Road toward Pūponga. This road becomes Wharariki Road when it leaves the coast. At the start of Wharariki Road, turn right onto Freeman Access Road and follow it to the Triangle Flat car park. Use this location in Google Maps to help find your way there.
Helpful resources
We encourage you to continue gaining the skills and knowledge required for a safe trip. The NZ Mountain Safety Council has lots of free resources and information you can use. These can be accessed via www.mountainsafety.org.nz . Level up in your outdoor knowledge with these interactive online learning tools: Trip Planning Tramping / field Skills Basic Navigation River Safety Additionally, check out the range of helpful videos available from the NZ Mountain Safety Council YouTube channel .
Dog access for Fossil Point Track
No dogs.
Before you walk Fossil Point Track
Track information, access and weather can change. Confirm current alerts and land-manager information close to departure, tell someone your plans, and carry equipment appropriate for the route and conditions.