Castlepoint Scenic Reserve
Castlepoint is one of the most spectacular sites along the Wairarapa coastline, featuring a fossil-rich limestone reef, the magnificent 162metre high Castle Rock, long stretches of beach and a sheltered lagoon.
The reef, lagoon, sand dunes, and Castle Rock are all part of Castlepoint Scenic Reserve and provide opportunity for a variety of water sport such as boating, surfing, swimming, canoeing and fishing.
Frequently visited by several species of dolphin, as well as fur seals, and occasionally small whale species, the reserve is also home to numerous sea birds. White-fronted terns, red-billed gulls, and black shags inhabit the south end of the reef, and reef herons and black-backed gulls nest on the sheer cliffs of Castle Rock. The reserve is also home to the Castlepoint daisy, Brachyglottis compactus, which grows only on the crumbled limestone of the reef and Castle Rock.
