Cape Foulwind – Fur Seals & Great Scenery

Cape Foulwind – A Great Place for a Stunning Walk !

Cape Foulwind is a prominent headland on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, overlooking the Tasman Sea. It is located 10 kilometres west of the town of Westport.

It was previously named Rocky Cape by Abel Tasman, the first European to visit it, in 1642. The present name was bestowed upon this promontory by English explorer James Cook in 1770 after his ship Endeavour was blown quite a distance offshore from this point.

Tauranga Bay at Cape Foulwind is home to a fur seal breeding colony, which is accessible by a well-maintained walking track. There is a longer track which crosses over undulating farmland, and along the edge of a scenic coastal escarpment. This walk extends from the Cape Foulwind Road to Tauranga Bay. Average walking time is approximately 1.5 hours.