Jack’s Point Lighthouse (Tuhawaiki), Timaru

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When you think of Timaru and beaches, one place comes to mind – Caroline Bay. But are there any other good beaches, or coastal walkways with beautiful views, away from Caroline Bay? I headed to Jack’s Point Lighthouse to find out.

A Clifftop Path

When arriving at the car park for Jack’s Point Lighthouse (Tuhawaiki) you’ll see two tracks – one to the left towards the lighthouse and one to the right. We went right first and were soon walking along the cliff tops with some awesome views to our left.

The thing that struck us the most was the colour of the water – almost tropical until you remember you’re in Timaru! We walked along this track for 5-10 minutes until it went down to the beach – a great start to an adventure in a very underrated place.

Jack’s Point Lighthouse

Back at the car park, we turned left and started walking towards the lighthouse. The track should take around 20 minutes each way and is easy. There are a couple of chances to get down to beach level – again, look at the water!

There are some awesome views from the track, especially as you get closer to the lighthouse. We visited this place on a perfect summer’s day, so it won’t always look this good. We were really impressed, and a little confused as to why this place isn’t more popular.

The lighthouse, built in the 1860s and originally situated in Wellington, is cool to look at. There’s a seat nearby where you can watch the waves crashing in, and if you’ve got the energy you can continue to walk around to the end of the track at Scarborough Road (more on that below).

Getting There

You can park at either Scarborough Road or Ellis Road (around 15 minutes from Timaru). Google Maps says you can drive right to the lighthouse but it’s not actually a road. You could walk the whole track – between Ellis and Scarborough Roads and back, but I reckon parking up at Ellis Road and walking from there and back is the best way, as this seems to be the most scenic part of the track. I’d also recommend the track on the right (which I mentioned at the start of this post) as the views there are quite different.

Other Things to Do in Timaru

Caroline Bay is the obvious attraction in Timaru, but there are other things to do. Take a stroll down the picturesque main street, check out the museum or drive to some of the cute small towns nearby. Check out our post about the best things to do in Timaru!

Are you planning a road trip around New Zealand? Check out our South Island Travel Guide!

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Jon Algie

I'm a South Island local -- born in Timaru and raised in Dunedin. I left the island in 2006 and returned 10 years later. Having seen a good chunk of the world I realised how special this place is -- the most beautiful island in the world! Seven years (and almost 400 posts) later I'm still helping locals and tourists alike plan their trips around the South Island.