Gemstone Beach
A pebble beach near Orepuki where you can find colourful semi-precious stones such as garnet, chalcedony and jade on the intertidal zone.
Gemstone Beach lies on the eastern shore of Te Waewae Bay. Waves constantly push semi-precious pebbles washed down from inland up onto the beach. Collecting stones is the main attraction. You'll commonly find garnet, quartz, jasper and agate, and occasionally opal. The beach changes with storms, so sometimes it's mostly sand and sometimes mostly stones. The best time to collect is at low tide. The waves can be rough, so swimming is not advised. Entry is free, and it's about an hour's drive from Invercargill.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Monkey Island (Te Puka-o-Takitimu)
- Colac Bay
- Riverton (Aparima)
- Oreti Beach
- Sandy Point Domain
- E Hayes & Sons (World's Fastest Indian)
- Classic Motorcycle Mecca
- Thomsons Bush