Daily Photo – Shag Point Reserve

Shortly after leaving Palmerston, having only just rejoined State Highway 1, I left it again and detoured through the small coastal settlement of Shag Point, a name that conjures up all sorts of wonderings about how it came to be, which I would guess is not nearly as salacious as one might think or hope. It’s a stunning coastline. In fact, at the risk of sounding controversial, I would like to suggest that the Shag Point coastline and the adjoining Katiki Beach Cove form one of the most underrated stretches of scenic coastline in the country.

Beyond the rocky promontory of Shag Point, a long sandy beach stretches for at least six kilometres, dotted with scattered volcanic boulders and with the sea sparkling in the sunlight. At the northernmost point stands a lighthouse dating back to 1878, while the southern end was occupied by Māori as far back as the fifteenth century. In the wider region, evidence from some of the earliest Polynesian settlements is thought to date back at least one thousand years. This was because the area was a popular food-gathering site for iwi, thanks to its plentiful marine life. This was where I now found myself, among an abundance of wildlife, so much so that if you are not careful you can quite literally trip over sea lions as you walk the paths that cover the headland. Something that is not quite as fun as it might sound, particularly if you have neglected to bring a spare change of underwear.