Karitane Beach

Walk, swim, surf, fish or simply relax in this picturesque village on the coast north of Dunedin.

The small seaside settlement of Karitane, set in rolling country near the mouth of the Waikouaiti River, is a popular holiday retreat for Dunedin people.

Karitane is renowned for its scenic beauty, golden beach, tranquil environment, and Maori and European history. It was the location of a pre-European Maori kaik (undefended village); close by is the site of Huriawa Pa, a fortified Maori village strategically set on a rock promontory above the coast. European sealers and whalers began to arrive as early as the 1820s and a whaling station was established at Karitane in 1837.

Today, Karitane is a base for various ocean activities, including kayaking and fishing charters. A walk along the beach and the walkways of the Huriawa Penninsula will often provide encounters with fur seals or sea lions, as well as the wide range of sea birds.

To the keen surfer, the Dunedin coast offers uncrowded beaches with plenty of beach breaks. There is a consistent swell, white sand and clear waters. Karitane is described as Dunedin's 'big wave' spot - not for the inexperienced surfer.

The name Karitane is linked with pioneering pediatrician and psychiatrist Sir Truby King, who worked at the nearby Seacliff Asylum. King was the founder of the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, which established numerous neonatal institutes known throughout the country as Karitane Hospitals, starting in Dunedin in 1907. Plunket, as the society is affectionately known, has been a positive and supporting network for generations of New Zealand parents.