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Location & access
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route. Check the official route directions before travel.
Official location informationLocation source
DOC track reference point, not a verified trailhead, entrance or the whole route.
Reference point: -45.60294, 170.67567. WGS84 coordinates retained at the official service's returned precision; decimal resolution is not survey accuracy. Source positional accuracy is not specified.
DOC Maps walking and tramping reference point (WGS84), exact official-page GUID / Department of Conservation. Checked 2026-10-12.
Key facts
- Distance
- 4 km loop
- Walking time
- 1 hr 30 min
- Track grade
- Easy
- Location
- Dunedin area / Karitane/Waikouaiti area
- Dog access
- No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Checked against official sources on 8 October 2026. Rules and conditions are set by Department of Conservation — confirm with them before you go.
Route overview
Walk around Hawksbury lagoon in Waikouaiti and enjoy this wildlife refuge providing habitat for ducks and native birds which can be seen from the causeways that cross the pools.
This DOC directory entry covers Hawksbury lagoon and beach walk in Otago, within Dunedin area / Karitane/Waikouaiti area. Where DOC groups several walks, times and grades refer to the listed options rather than a single continuous itinerary.
Distance, time and grade
- Distance: 4 km loop
- Walking time: 1 hr 30 min
- DOC grade: Easy
Access and alerts
Source checked 2026-10-08. This page is a dated snapshot, not a live track-status report. Check current DOC route information immediately before travelling. An absence of listed alerts does not establish that a route is open.
Dog access
No dogs. Other pets on conservation land rules.
Description
From the beach end of Beach St, head left along the beach, then up river to the lagoon. Follow the causeway around the lagoon and then across it, back onto Beach St.
At different times of the year, large numbers of birds use the lagoon as a stop off place in their migration or for nesting. Birds include: royal spoonbill/kōtuku ngutupapa, white-faced heron/matuku moana, little shag/kawau paka, pied stilt/poaka and many more.
The lagoons are very shallow, less than half a metre deep and parts often dry out over summer.
Hawksbury Lagoon Inc help protect the lagoon.
Getting there
About 40 km north of Dunedin, turn onto Beach St off SH1 at Waikouaiti.
Know before you go
Dogs are allowed on a lead on the beach, but aren't allowed around the lagoon.
Any form of water transport is not permitted on lagoon.
Tsunami risk
This track is susceptible to tsunami. If a siren sounds or a tsunami alert is received move to higher ground and stay away from the coast until the risk or alert period is over.
Sources and reuse
Route descriptions and practical information reproduced from the Department of Conservation, Crown copyright, under CC BY 4.0, subject to DOC's copyright policy. Formatting has been adapted, including flattening page sections; follow the original DOC page for maps, section-specific layout, current notices and linked documents. Outdoor Next is independent and is not endorsed by DOC.
The accompanying photograph is published in DOC's official route gallery with an explicit reuse licence. Its original caption and credit are retained; it does not establish current track conditions.
