New Zealand's most famous surf beach

Piha is New Zealand's most famous surf beach. Situated on the west coast of the North Island, 40 kilometers from the city of Auckland, this black iron-sand beach has a reputation for awesome surf. After competing here against a New Zealand surf team in 1950, an Australian surf life saving team said they never wanted to compete on the beach again...and they haven't. When Uncle Toby's Iron Man contest was held at Piha in 1997, canoes were snapped in two.

Piha was the birthplace of board riding in New Zealand, introduced by two Californian lifeguards in 1956. The first surf boat in New Zealand was owned by the Piha Surf Life Saving Club. In the 1930s, club members developed the 'teardrop' surf ski as a rescue craft. In the 1970s Piha was instrumental in inaugurating the first helicopter surf rescue service in New Zealand.

Piha has rips and currents and is very unforgiving of the foolhardy so it's important to only swim in patrolled areas. Take a look at the surf club signs and flags, so you know what's safe and what's not.

Piha is not just surf and sand. With rugged cliffs and the majestic Lion Rock standing guard over the beach, the scenery is dramatic and inspiring. The beach is backed by the Waitakere Ranges, a protected parkland of sub-tropical forest, accessible through numerous bush tracks.

Piha has a small beach community - mostly bach owners with some residents. The lifestyle is laidback and simple, but there are all the basic amenities for the good life.

Try it out. Life's a beach.

About this site

This site is written by Sandra Coney, a member of the Pearce family, one of the first families to buy land when Piha was subdivided in the 1930s. The family continue to be bach owners at Piha.

An author and journalist, she wrote Piha: A History in Images, and has an extensive collection of photographs and historical material about Piha.

The editorial position of this web site is to argue for protecting the uniqueness of Piha. It is against commercial development in the form of subdivision, resorts, cafes, bars, malls, and other trappings of urban life.

The experience of Piha should be kept simple: enjoy nature at its wildest and most awe-inspiring. Humans can't improve it.

Some of the pages contain several photographs and may take some time to download - notably the photo gallery and the history pages.

This site is still under development - email Sandra Coney with any comments.

Copyright Sandra Coney.

Web design and maintainence Jean Hughes

You are visitor no since 21 February 2000