Tunnel Beach, Dunedin

by

Last Updated on March 23, 2023 by Jon Algie

Tunnel Beach, surrounded by sandstone cliffs and part of a wonderfully rugged coastline, is one of Dunedin’s most iconic sights. The steps leading to the beach were commissioned by William Cargill way back in 1870s, creating a private paradise for his family to enjoy. These days it’s open to everyone, as long as they can handle the walk.

Walking to Tunnel Beach

From the car park at the top of the hill you’ll need to walk a fair distance down to the beach. It’s steep so make sure you wear good shoes. The views from the track are stunning — the powerful Pacific Ocean has created a coastline full of interesting features.

The most notable of these is the big arch protruding out into the sea. Once at the bottom of the hill you’ll see a flight of stone steps leading to Tunnel Beach.

READ MORE: 30 of the Best Things to Do in Dunedin

Tunnel Beach

Walking through a 140 year old tunnel is an interesting way to get to a beach. Tunnel beach is backed by sandstone cliffs and boulders and features a massive slab of earth extending into the water. If you visit at high tide you won’t be able to access much of the beach – check the tides before you go.

READ MORE: 26 of the Best Beaches in Dunedin

Above The Beach

It’s worth walking up to the top of that the small outcrop that juts out into the ocean. From there you can get a great view of the beach from above but be careful as it gets windy up there. 

Getting There

Some tour buses visit Tunnel Beach but most people visit by car. It’s a short distance from town heading south, further along you’ll find Blackhead, Brighton and Taieri Mouth, all of which are worth a look if you’re a beach fan. You could easily spend a day exploring this part of Dunedin.

You can also get there by bus but you’ll have to walk a bit — take the bus to Corstorphine and get off at the corner of Middleton Road and Stenhope Crescent (tell the driver you’re going to Tunnel Beach and they should tell you where to get off).– it’s around 30 minutes from there to the car park. From there it should take around an hour to walk to Tunnel Beach and back.

READ MORE: Dunedin Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Plan Your Trip

READ MORE: Don’t have your own transport in Dunedin? Check out the bus timetables — it’s not the easiest city to get around on public transport but it can be done.

Are you planning a trip to Dunedin? Check out our three – seven day Dunedin itinerary!

The following two tabs change content below.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profile

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.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Instagram profile

Latest posts by Jon Algie (see all)