Boulder Bank
Track category
Route
Time:
2-3 hr one way
Description
A walk along the Nelson Boulder Bank is an opportunity not to be missed. The eight kilometre walk, from Boulder bank Drive to 'The Cut' takes 2-3 hours one way. The Boulder Bank is rough, dry and very exposed, so be prepared for all kinds of weather and wear strong shoes.
Getting there
Access to the Boulder Bank is from Boulder Bank Drive (off Atawhai Drive (State Highway 6)) or by boat from Nelson. A ferry service is available from Nelson.
Places to stay
Camping is prohibited in this area. Private accommodation is widely available in the Waimea Basin.
About the area
The internationally-renowned Nelson Boulder Bank is a natural spit of boulders, formed of the debris of land slips from the Mackay Bluffs, swept southwards by sea currents over 10,000 years. The bank is 13 kilometres long, the last eight kilometres forming a spit which separates Tasman Bay from Nelson Haven. It's width varies from 55 metres at high tide to 240 metres at low tide.
Boulder Bank. Photo: Trish Grant
Maori camped on the bank and fished there. They used boulders from the bank - some up to 50 kg - to hammer the rough forms of stone tools from quarries in the nearby hills.
The shelter offered by the Boulder Bank was a major factor in choosing the site of Nelson. In 1848 a beacon was erected near the end of the bank and, in 1862, the cast iron lighthouse building that remains today. In 1906 a cut was made in the bank to allow easier passage to Nelson Harbour for shipping. 'The Cut' now separates Haulashore Island from the bank.
Plan and prepare
- Be wary of sudden weather changes.
- If boating in Nelson Haven, check tides and sea conditions before departing.
- No fires.
Guides and commercial tourism providers