Last updated November 2026
Tomahawk Beach is a south-facing surf beach about 7.5 kilometres south-east of central Dunedin, where the Otago Peninsula joins the mainland. It runs for about a kilometre between the cliffs of Lawyers Head and the volcanic headland of Tomahawk Bluff, with the outlet of Tomahawk Lagoon crossing the sand near the western end.
The beach is steep and the swell is usually strong, so rips are common and it is better suited to confident swimmers, surfers and walkers than to young children. Otago Regional Council tests the water at two points, west and east, every week over summer, and both hold a Good long-term grade on LAWA.
Swimming Facts
Before you swim: Tested weekly Nov–Mar by Otago Regional Council. Stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain. Latest result on LAWA
Today at Tomahawk Beach
Monday 9 NovemberWater quality track record
Good at all 2 testing spots (2019 to 2025)ShowHide
What the grades mean
Excellent and Good: rarely unsafe for swimming. Fair: usually fine, but avoid swimming after rain. Poor: often unsuitable, especially after rain, so check the latest result first.
Grades use LAWA’s method: the 95th percentile of routine enterococci results over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25, with at least 50 tests (Tomahawk Beach (West): 80 per 100 mL from 153 tests; Tomahawk Beach (East): 44 per 100 mL from 146 tests).
Practical Information
- Location
- Ocean Grove Reserve, between Lawyers Head and Tomahawk Bluff, Dunedin
- Distance from Dunedin
- About 7.5 km south-east of the city centre
- Water
- Open-coast surf beach on the Pacific Ocean, tidal
- Water quality
- Good at both testing points (LAWA long-term grade, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25)
- Testing
- Weekly from November to March by Otago Regional Council, at Tomahawk Beach (West) and Tomahawk Beach (East)
- Hazards
- Strong swell and rips near both headlands and often mid-beach
- Tide station
- Dunedin (LINZ)
- Facilities nearby
- Parking and a playground in Ocean Grove, a few hundred metres from the beach
About Tomahawk Beach
Tomahawk Beach lies within Ocean Grove Reserve on Dunedin’s south coast. To the west are the cliffs of Lawyers Head, and about 100 metres east of them the channel from Tomahawk Lagoon runs across the beach to the sea.
At the eastern end, Tomahawk Bluff, a promontory of black volcanic rock riddled with sea caves and topped by the Jack Fox Lookout, separates Tomahawk from Smaills Beach. At very low tide the two beaches join into one stretch of sand. Behind the beach, dunes and a steep slope rise towards the houses of Ocean Grove.
Before European settlement, Māori travelled along a walking track across Smaills and Tomahawk beaches between Ōtākou and Tomahawk Lagoon, according to Dunedin City Council’s coastal dune reserves management plan.
The land was set aside as a government reserve in 1897 and formally became Ocean Grove Reserve in 1931. Wind erosion of the dunes is an ongoing concern, and the council works with the Tomahawk Smaills Beachcare Trust to reshape and replant them.
Enterprise Dunedin describes Tomahawk and Smaills as beaches with excellent surf breaks and increasing numbers of wildlife. Yellow-eyed penguins, little blue penguins and New Zealand sea lions sometimes come ashore, and red-billed and black-backed gulls are common. Keep your distance from any sea lions or penguins, both for their safety and yours.
Tomahawk has become increasingly popular, and it is particularly favoured by dog walkers. Surfers tend to favour the eastern end, away from the wastewater concerns at the western end. Most motor vehicles are banned from Dunedin beaches under the council’s reserves and beaches bylaw, and vehicles have been stranded by the rising tide here.
Swimming and Water Quality at Tomahawk Beach
Otago Regional Council samples Tomahawk Beach every week from November to March at two points: Tomahawk Beach (West), near Lawyers Head and the lagoon outlet, and Tomahawk Beach (East), towards Tomahawk Bluff. Results are published on LAWA’s “Can I Swim Here?” pages.
Both points have a Good LAWA long-term grade, based on the council’s routine summer testing over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25. Over that time the large majority of samples at each point have met the guideline for swimming.
A Good grade means the water has rarely been found unsuitable for swimming, but it is a long-term record, not a guarantee for any given day, so check the latest result on LAWA before you go in.
Heavy rain is the main risk to water quality here. The Tahuna wastewater treatment plant is nearby, and the western end of the beach has at times been affected by its outflow.
After major storms, overflows of partially treated wastewater have led Dunedin City Council to put up signs and advise swimmers, surfers and shellfish gatherers to stay out of the water at Tomahawk until testing showed it had cleared.
Stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after heavy rain, and longer if the council has signs up or the water looks murky.
Tomahawk Beach is inside Ōrau Marine Reserve, which came into effect on 1 July 2026 and runs from St Clair to Harakeke Point. It is a no-take area, so gathering shellfish, fishing and taking any other marine life are banned here. See the DOC Ōrau Marine Reserve page for the rules and boundary.
The surf itself is the bigger day-to-day hazard. The beach shelves steeply, the swell is usually strong, and rips form near both headlands and often in the middle of the beach.
St Clair Surf Life Saving Club has warned that Tomahawk is unpatrolled and that the rip near Lawyers Head sits right where the most convenient swimming spot is, and its volunteers are often called over to help swimmers in trouble.
If the surf looks big, stay out, and for a patrolled swim head to St Clair or St Kilda in summer.
Getting There and Facilities
Tomahawk Beach is reached through the suburb of Ocean Grove, on Tomahawk Road south-east of Andersons Bay. Parking and a playground are a few hundred metres from the sand. Stay on the formed access ways through the dunes, which the council and the Tomahawk Smaills Beachcare Trust have replanted to hold the sand.
A walk along the sand to Tomahawk Bluff and, at low tide, round to Smaills Beach makes a good outing. Check the tide before you go so you are not cut off at the headland.
Where to Learn More
LAWA and Otago Regional Council: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and long-term grade for Tomahawk Beach (West). The eastern point has its own page.
LAWA and Otago Regional Council: the latest result and long-term grade for Tomahawk Beach (East), towards Tomahawk Bluff.
Enterprise Dunedin: visitor guide to Dunedin’s beaches, including Tomahawk, Smaills and the patrolled beaches at St Clair and St Kilda.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Tomahawk Beach?
Yes, but take care. The water is tested weekly over summer, but the beach is steep, the surf is usually strong and rips are common. Swim only if you are confident in surf, check the latest result on LAWA, and stay out for at least 48 hours after heavy rain.
What is the water quality like at Tomahawk Beach?
Both testing points, Tomahawk Beach (West) and Tomahawk Beach (East), have a Good LAWA long-term grade, based on summers 2020/21 to 2024/25. Water quality can drop after heavy rain, when wastewater overflows have affected the beach in the past.
Is Tomahawk Beach patrolled by lifeguards?
St Clair Surf Life Saving Club has described Tomahawk as unpatrolled. For a patrolled swim in summer, go to St Clair or St Kilda.
Where are the rips at Tomahawk Beach?
Rips form near both headlands and often in the middle of the beach. The rip near Lawyers Head is close to the most convenient place to get in the water, so be especially careful at the western end.
When is the water at Tomahawk Beach tested?
Otago Regional Council samples two points on the beach every week from November to March, and the results go on LAWA.
Will I see wildlife at Tomahawk Beach?
Possibly. Sea lions, yellow-eyed penguins and little blue penguins sometimes come ashore. Keep your distance and keep dogs well away from them.
How far is Tomahawk Beach from Dunedin?
About 7.5 kilometres south-east of the city centre, through Andersons Bay and Ocean Grove.
Can you walk from Tomahawk Beach to Smaills Beach?
At very low tide the two beaches join around Tomahawk Bluff. Check the tide before setting off so you are not cut off on the way back.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Tomahawk Beach: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 7 Nov, via Tideteller.
- Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Otago Regional Council), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to April 2025. Facilities: © OpenStreetMap contributors.