Gillespies Beach Miners Tunnel Walk - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
An easy 1 hour 40 minutes 3.6 km return walk, the first half of which is pretty darn ugly.
Map Data: Google, Digital Globe, Department of Conservation (DOC).

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below to explore this walk.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
An initially rather unattractive walk through gorse to a rusted old bucket dredge then along an unmaintained track on a barren beach. It gets nicer when e get to the lagoon and then enter the bush. The tunnel provided all-tide access for the miners.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
The first 15 minutes of this track follows a wide track through gorse. Not at all scenic.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Gorse everywhere. Yuck.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Thank goodness... The beach.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Actually the beach isn't all that scenic either...

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park.
But once we get about 40 minutes down the beach, it starts to get more visually appealing...

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Gillespies Lagoon

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
The tunnel was built to allow miners easier access to the beach.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
When we go back, we'll avoid the ugly gorse track and use the beach instead.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park
Beware of big waves and keep an eye out for this sign.

GILLESPIES BEACH MINERS TUNNEL WALK - Westland Tai Poutini National Park