Last updated October 2026
Tolaga Bay Wharf, at the southern end of the bay at Ūawa about 55 km north of Gisborne, is a 660 metre concrete wharf and a Category 1 historic place.
Only the inshore half is open. The outer half has been fenced off since Cyclone Hale in January 2023, and in September 2026 Gisborne District Council said there were no plans for repairs.
Locals still fish and walk the open half, and the council has called the wharf a valued fishing spot for the community. Kahawai are the most reliable fish nearby, mainly at the Ūawa River mouth, and kingfish are possible.
At a Glance
- Location
- End of Wharf Road, off SH35, 2 km south of Tolaga Bay township
- Status
- Inshore half open; outer half closed since January 2023
- Water
- Tolaga Bay, open east coast (sea)
- Main species
- Kahawai (mainly at the Ūawa River mouth); kingfish possible
- Getting there
- About 55 km north of Gisborne on SH35
- Parking
- Small car park at the Cooks Cove Walkway entrance; larger beach car park by the holiday park
- Toilets
- Near the wharf and at Cooks Cove (DOC)
- Tide port
- Gisborne, with LINZ’s Tolaga Bay Wharf offset (+8 minutes)
- Rules
- MPI Central area; no licence needed for sea fishing
- Cost
- Free
- High about 3:55 am
- Low about 10:07 am
- High about 4:22 pm
- Low about 10:39 pm
Best times today: around 3:55 am, 10:07 am, 4:22 pm and 10:39 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 10:13 am and 10:35 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Gisborne tides ›
Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ), adjusted from Gisborne using LINZ secondary port offsets. Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
Getting to Know Tolaga Bay Wharf
The Tolaga Bay Harbour Board built the wharf between 1926 and 1929 so coastal ships could load wool and other produce from the East Coast. It opened on 22 November 1929, with Sir Apirana Ngata among the speakers.
Heritage New Zealand describes it as the longest concrete wharf in an open roadstead in New Zealand. It closed to cargo in 1966 and to shipping in 1967.
By the 1990s the structure was in very poor condition. The Tolaga Bay Save The Wharf Trust formed in 1999 and raised money for restoration in stages from 2001, and about $5.5 million of work was finished in 2014, mostly on the inshore half. Storms since then, and woody debris washed down in floods, have done the most damage to the outer half.
In February 2024 the council reopened the wharf to the halfway point after checking the structure and measuring the water depth there at high and low tide.
The outer section stays closed because of missing piles, hanging steel rods and corroded concrete. Repair funding sits with the council’s 2027 to 2037 Long Term Plan, which goes out for public consultation in March and April 2027.
The district was known to its first people as Ūawa. Te Aitanga a Hauiti, descendants of the chief Hauiti, are the iwi of the area, and local Māori have long valued the wharf as a place to gather food. Just around the headland is Cooks Cove (Opoutama), where James Cook’s Endeavour anchored in October 1769.
How to Fish Tolaga Bay Wharf
Where and when
Fish from the open inshore half, inside the fence. Heritage New Zealand records line fishing off the wharf, and fishing.net.nz rates the wharf as worth fishing, with the Ūawa River mouth good for kahawai.
Reliable spot-by-spot reports for the wharf itself are thin, so treat it as a place to try rather than a sure thing. Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water, and calm days with little swell are the safest.
What to catch and what to use
- Kahawai: the most reliable fish in the bay, especially around the river mouth. Small metal lures or a strip of fresh bait both work.
- Kingfish: possible. Use heavy gear, because a hooked kingfish will head for the piles.
- Snags: woody debris from floods hits the wharf and collects around the piles, so expect to lose some gear close in.
What to bring
A long-handled landing net or drop net (it is a long lift from the water), spare rigs, and food and bait from Gisborne or Tolaga Bay township. Take all line and rubbish home.
Rules and Safety
- Stay behind the fence. The outer half is closed because it is unsafe. People have been climbing through the barriers, and the council has been replacing the fence. Do not go past it, and do not jump off the wharf.
- Fishing rules: MPI’s Central area rules apply. No licence is needed for sea fishing.
- Nearby closures: MPI has closed Motuoroi (Anaura Bay) and Tangoiro/Waihirere, north of Tolaga Bay, to all finfish and shellfish, including crayfish, from 26 July 2025 to 25 July 2027, at the request of the local hapū trust. They do not cover the wharf, but check the map if you fish further north.
- After rain: the council advises staying out of the water for two to three days after heavy rain. Floods also wash forestry slash into the bay.
- Swell: the bay is open to the north-east and storms come from the east. High swell is what has damaged the wharf, so do not fish it in big seas.
Getting There and Facilities
- Road: turn off SH35 onto Wharf Road 2 km south of the township. Tolaga Bay is about 55 km north of Gisborne.
- Parking: a small car park at the Cooks Cove Walkway entrance, and a larger beach car park next to the holiday park about 200 m further on.
- Toilets: near the wharf and at the cove.
- Holiday park: Tolaga Bay TOP 10 Holiday Park, 167 Wharf Road, next to the wharf, has a shop and kayak hire.
- Cooks Cove Walkway: starts beside the wharf road and crosses Hauiti Incorporation land to the cove and the hole-in-the-wall rock arch, about 2.5 hours return. Fishing gear and firearms are not allowed on the walkway, and it cannot be used to reach fishing spots. It closes each year for lambing from August to Labour Weekend, so check DOC before you go.
Tackle and Bait Nearby
- Hunting & Fishing Gisborne, 310 Gladstone Road, Gisborne, about 55 km south. We could not confirm a tackle shop in Tolaga Bay itself.
Where to Learn More
Gisborne District Council: Tolaga Bay Wharf: the council’s notice on the partial reopening and closure.
MPI Central fishing rules: current limits and closures for the area.
Heritage New Zealand: Tolaga Bay Wharf: the wharf’s history and heritage listing.
Common Questions
Is Tolaga Bay Wharf open?
Only the inshore half. The outer half has been closed since Cyclone Hale in January 2023, and in September 2026 the council said there were no plans for repairs.
Can you fish from Tolaga Bay Wharf?
Yes, from the open inshore half. Stay behind the fence.
What can you catch at Tolaga Bay?
Kahawai are the most reliable, especially around the Ūawa River mouth. Kingfish are possible.
How long is Tolaga Bay Wharf?
660 metres. Heritage New Zealand describes it as the longest concrete wharf in an open roadstead in New Zealand.
How far is Tolaga Bay from Gisborne?
About 55 km north on SH35. Wharf Road is 2 km south of the township.
Are there toilets at the wharf?
Yes. DOC lists toilets near the wharf and at Cooks Cove.
Can I take fishing gear on the Cooks Cove Walkway?
No. Fishing gear and firearms are not allowed on the walkway, which crosses private Māori land.
Do I need a licence?
No licence is needed for sea fishing, but MPI’s Central area rules apply.
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