Ture mō te taraiwa i tātahi Rules for driving on Muriwai and Karioitahi beaches

To drive on Muriwai and Karioitahi beaches, you must hold a beach driving permit, which you need to renew each year. See apply for a beach driving permit or renew a beach driving permit.

Under the law, beaches are legal roads, so all road rules apply.

This includes:

• speed limits
• licensing of drivers
• vehicle and motorbike registration and warrant of fitness
• alcohol use
• seatbelts
• helmets
• driving behaviour.

Beaches are policed. You must carry a photo ID and your beach driving permit when you use your vehicle on the beach.

• Muriwai Beach from Coast Road access to 650m north: 30km/h
• Muriwai Beach from 650m north of Coast Road access to southern extent of New Zealand Defense Force bombing range: 60km/h
• Muriwai Beach at Rimmer Road and Wilson Road access points: 30km/h
• Karioitahi Beach from 1000m north of Karioitahi Road to 1000m south of Karioitahi Road: 20km/h
• Beyond these areas: 60km/h.

• Take safety equipment, including a spade and a rope.
• Always drive with headlights on.
• Stick to the hard part of the beach below the high tide line. Check tide times before you go out.
• Access to the beach is limited to three hours either side of low tide.
• Look out for partially submerged objects.
• Stay off the dunes - fragile dune systems are damaged by vehicle use.
• Always slow down when there are people or animals around.
• Be aware of shorebirds nesting at high tide.
• No lighting of fires on the beach or dunes.
• You must always have your beach driving permit when you are driving on the beach - having it on your mobile phone or device is fine.

For more information about what you can and can't do at these beaches (including rules about lighting fires) see Muriwai Regional Park Karioitahi / Karioitahi Reserve