In 2016, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake lifted this stretch of coastline by over two metres, exposing a surreal new landscape. Along Ward Beach, ancient rock layers linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs can now be seen at the northern end of the beach.
Scattered across the shoreline are large spherical dolomite concretions, shaped by the sea over millions of years. Once hidden underwater, these boulders are now exposed to wind and waves, creating one of New Zealand’s most fascinating and ever changing coastal scenes.
The Ward Beach Boulders are a fascinating natural attraction located on the coast of South Island in a small place called 'Ward'. The walk to the boulders are only approx 10 minutes North from the carpark.
Tip:
The beach is made of very small pebbles and hard to walk over, so good footwear is recommended especially if you are wanting to explore further
At the far northern end of the beach, you may find New Zealand fur seals (kekeno) hanging out at the Chancet Rocks if you continue on past the boulders. The main feature is the Chancet Rocks themselves, a series of tilted limestone layers that are packed with fossils. This is one of the few places in the world where you can see the K-Pg boundary, a thin layer of rock that marks the mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs. (please keep your distance from any seals you see in NZ)
Reviews:
'Beautiful spot, especially on a clear day. Avoid the easterly winds if you can, that can make it somewhat unpleasant. The best spot to view the concretions is just north of the car park. The beat view of the sea floor uplift, including K-T Boundary is about 1500m north along the beach, close to Chancet’s rock. Careful of the gravel on the beach. It can be deep in places, and stay well clear of the seals if you encounter any.' - Kevin, Google
'If you love Rock formations you will enjoy this walk 8mins from car park to the north , you can walk across stones or the formations , will be no good if you have any injuries as stones are small . It can smell at parts as there's stale water in some pools . Look for bathing seals ( keep your distance ) If you walk further apparently another 1.5k theres limestone lifted formations ( I didn't go that far ) google . Look for stone fossils, small stone gems , paua shells washed up . Fun for the children, just watch the surf rolling in especially at high tide ! Toilet available up by the camp but is a long drop - take some toilet paper just incase & hand wipes/ sanitizer as no water to wash.' - Mel, Google
'New Zealand is along the "Ring of Fire" which makes it quite susceptible to earthquakes. Big ones. On November 4 2016, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake (yes, that's a huge one) took place along multiple fault lines on the South Island. Here, about 83 miles from the epicenter, it caused the land to rise by as much as two meters (six feet) which brought the seafloor to the surface. It exposed an area of seafloor from the Cretaceous-Palaeogene Boundary and you can see from the large spherical boulders that have been shaped by the tides and waves. The beach is at the end of a long unpaved gravel road. There is a parking area and also a camping/caravan spot nearby. Once you park, it's about a mile or so along the beach to the boulders. Look out for sea lions and watch your step in the loose gravel of the beach.' - Bruce, Google
Handy sites:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62nPU-tpAUY
https://www.alltrails.com/poi/new-zealand/marlborough/ward/ward-beach
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ward-beach
https://www.geotrips.org.nz/trip.html?id=664
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/new-zealand/marlborough/chancet-rocks-walk
https://www.tartancoconuts.com/ward-beach.html
