This wild ocean beach is 5 minutes walk from the Allans Beach Road carpark.

Special wildlife such as sea lions frequent this beach. Do not linger on beaches where wildlife may come ashore.

From Dunedin the two main routes to Portobello are either Portobello Road or Highcliff Road.

From Portobello turn onto Allans Beach Road. The carpark is at the end of the road.

To protect wildlife, dogs are not allowed on the eastern end of the beach, but are allowed on a leash at the western end.

Swimming can be dangerous where there are strong winds and currents.

The nearest toilets are in Portobello.

Dunedin Wildlife Care Code

Dunedin is home to rare and special wildlife. Do not disturb, touch, feed or go too close to wildlife. Keep dogs under control as they can harm wildlife.

Sea lions and other seals

View all seal and sea lions from a safe distance of at least 20 m and do not disturb them. If you must pass sea lions on the beach, keep as much distance as possible and do not loiter.

Penguins

Stay at least 50 m away from penguins. Never approach them. Do not block their entry and exit from the water as this prevents them from returning to feed chicks. Do not use flash photography.

Red-billed gulls

Do not feed or harass gulls. Don’t let dogs chase them. They are endangered and vulnerable to human disturbance.

Drones and wildlife

It is an offence to fly drones within 150 m of marine mammals or 300 m vertically above. The use of drones is prohibited in many sensitive areas and can require a permit elsewhere. 

Find more information on recreational drone use on conservation land.