You might have noticed a slight trend in these posts by now – they tend to involve beautiful spots around Otago that have interesting, but often dark, histories – and Murdering Beach is the ultimate example. It’s simultaneously a world-class surf break, a beautiful camping spot and the scene of some of the bloodiest events in Otago and New Zealand’s early history. It’s a hell of a spot.
The easiest way to get there is through Port Chalmers – turn left up the hill just before town and follow the signs. It’s a nice drive – you go over the top of the hills on that side of the harbour with subsequent stunning views, and eventually down a slightly dodgy steep gravel road – not recommended in a 2WD if it’s been wet!
But my trusty Nissan Bluebird warhorse handles it ok, and as we go down (me and Amanda and our friend Jane) we can see lines of surf stacked up to the horizon.
Murdering Beach is basically between Purakanui and Aramoana (see map) and only gets swell from the east, which apparently isn’t that common. But when it does, one end of the beach transforms into a superb right-hand point break that has local surfers peeing in their wetsuits with excitement.
It’s perfect when we walk out onto the rocks to have a look – endless three-foot waves peeling symmetrically off the point. There are about six surfers out, and they’re having a whale of a time – hooting and cheering as each catches a long perfect wave and then scuttles back out around the rocks and jumps back in like a penguin. Word must travel quick – as we watch the first of many board-covered surf-mobiles crawls down the hill to join them.
Meanwhile Jane has got all inspired by the infamous name of the beach, and is taking photos of things she finds on the rocky point as if it were a murder scene :
Murdering Beach has been a popular spot for as long as humans have been in Otago, although for most of that time it had a far more appealing name – Whareakeake. Behind the golden sand beach is a swampy flat that was once the setting of a large fortified Maori pa. In the 17th century Otago was covered with forest down to the waterline, and this would have been a great spot to live if you had to do so off the land – abundant seafood and birds in the forest, and in those days seals covering the rocks.
It was the New Zealand fur seal that first drew Europeans to Otago, and a member of the first crew in this area, William Tucker is the main reason the name of the beach was changed from Whareakeake to something far more sinister.
Tucker was at the centre of a nasty and violent conflict between European sealers and local Maori in which dozens of people were killed in the 1820’s – a terrible start to race relations in the deep south that not many people know about to this day.
A series of tit-for-tat raids was dividing the region, but somehow William Tucker settled in Whareakeake with a local wife and set about trying to make some money. When the pa-site was excavated by 20th century archeologists it was found to be unique in all New Zealand due to its high concentration of pounamu (greenstone) artifacts. The site had so much greenstone (whole items and tones of chips from their production) that it was mined like a gold field – people staked claims and dug out as much as they could.
There were very few weapons or tools but dozens of hei-tiki – human figures worn mainly as decoration. More were found on this one small Otago beach than in any other site in the country. What was even more unusual was they seemed to have been mass-produced using iron tools – and sold to visiting sailors. It seems William Tucker pioneered a trade that still exists today – making and selling greenstone tikis to tourists.
But his luck turned, big time. After being away for a couple of years, Tucker returned to Whareakeake in 1817 with a party of sealers. No-one is really sure why, but the sailors were suddenly attacked. Two were killed, and the rest ran for the beach and tried to launch their boat in the same waves that surfers love today.
Tucker, obviously a bit slow off the mark, appeared and attempted to join them. But as he inexplicably hesitated in the surf, perhaps in a last doomed attempt to make peace, the pursuing Maori warriors caught up. He is reported as crying “for God’s sake don’t leave me!” before being “cut limb from limb and carried away by the savages” in the words of Captain James Kelly who lived to fight another day.
So there you go – that’s why it’s called Murdering Beach. It’s a cracker spot, especially for summer camping missions, with seclusion, gorgeous landscapes and killer waves…
DIRECTIONS (also see map):
Just before the Port Chalmers shops, turn left up Blueskin Road until you’re on top of the hill.
Turn right into Purakanui Road, then right again after a few k’s into Heywood Point Road.
The steep “road” down to Murdering Beach is signposted off this. Watch out in wet weather!
Nice blog guys, really like the layout and colours. Nice photography, but really, you both should know the difference between a sealion and a fur seal..check out nzsealion.wordpress.com for real sealions 🙂
Billy, Yoshi and Andrew
a thousand apologies!
the seal-identification department of Sunday Drive have been suitably punished, and this gross zoological error fixed.
Thanks to Billy Yoshi and Andrew for their vigilance – so what is the difference anyway?
Quinn.