Diamond Harbour

Bays, coastal paths and a ferry across the harbour shape Diamond Harbour. Here, you can choose between walks, activities on the water and a visit to historic Stoddart Cottage. The experiences you want to focus on can help guide your choice of holiday base.

Bays, waterfront and beach

Diamond Harbour lies on the south side of Lyttelton Harbour and includes several distinctive bays: Charteris Bay, Hays Bay, Church Bay and Pūrau Bay. The immediate waterfront also features a variety of landscapes, ranging from flat areas to deep gullies covered in exotic flowering plants and trees.

Diamond Harbour Beach is a small stretch of rocky coastline with a swimming beach in front of Morgan’s Gully. At high tide, the beach can be used for swimming. It also provides access to the local wharf and ferry terminal. Activities in Diamond Harbour include swimming, fishing, boating, cycling and walking—a range that offers options for both days on the water and exercise on land.

Coastal paths and walks

There are walking tracks with different routes. The full Coastal Cliff Walkway is approximately 7.5 kilometres long and connects Purau Bay, Diamond Harbour/Te Waipapa and Church Bay. The Cliff Edge Track runs from the area below the bowling club in Stoddart Point Reserve to Church Bay.

The walking track also known as the Coastal Route runs from the area below the bowling club in Stoddart Point Reserve to the Purau Bay end of the reserve. It is a little rougher than the Cliff Edge Track. The Coastal Route offers views across the Purau waterfront and of Ripapa Island. If you choose tracks based on their route and terrain, these differences can help you decide which walk suits your plans.

The Mount Herbert Walkway/Te Ahu Pātiki begins at the Te Waipapa/Diamond Harbour wharf. This rugged track leads steeply uphill from the beach, following a stream bed through pine forest and regenerating bush. Mount Herbert/Te Ahu Pātiki, the highest peak on Banks Peninsula, is close to the township. It stands 920 metres high, and from the summit you can see across Banks Peninsula and the Canterbury Plains.

Stoddart Cottage and local art

Stoddart Cottage is Diamond Harbour’s oldest colonial home and the birthplace of painter Margaret Stoddart. A new art exhibition is installed in the main gallery each month. The Artisan Shop displays locally handcrafted arts and crafts. The cottage is open to the public for visits on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm, as well as on most public holidays; visits at other times can be arranged by appointment.

Stoddart Point Reserve has a picnic area popular with day-trippers. Alongside walking tracks and exhibitions, it offers a place to take a break outdoors.

Getting here and choosing a holiday base

The Diamond Harbour Ferry connects Lyttelton Port and Diamond Harbour across Whakaraupō/Lyttelton Harbour. The scenic ferry crossing from Lyttelton to Diamond Harbour takes ten minutes. The ferry service and the range of tracks, bays and cultural attractions give your trip different possible focuses. When choosing a holiday home, you can first consider whether you mainly want to go walking, spend time by the water or visit Stoddart Cottage.

More places to explore: Little River, Waiau, West Melton, Waipara, Swannanoa, Mount Peel, Staveley, Temuka.

For the regional travel overview: Canterbury.