TS2 – BIRDLINGS FLAT

Birdlings Flat lies directly south of Christchurch. Source: Google Maps.

Birdlings Flat. Source: Google Maps.

Birdlings Flat circled in black, where Kaitorete Spit meets Banks Peninsula. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaitorete_Spit#/media/File:Aerial_view_Lake_Ellesmere_2.jpg.

Birdlings Flat beach, looking towards the cliffs of Banks Peninsula.

Birdlings Flat is a stone beach immediately south of Banks Peninsula, half-way up the east coast of the South Island. It is about 50 kilometres south of the city of Christchurch. Banks Peninsula is of volcanic origin but the Flat is located on the far eastern end of a large gravel spit called Kaitorete Spit. A good introduction is provided on GeoTrips. The beach at Birdlings Flat is perhaps the most well-known among stone fossickers in New Zealand, especially for small beach agates. But much care needs to be taken when fossicking close to the sea, the waves being strong and dangerous, especially close to the cliffs of Banks Peninsula. There are three pages (so far) on TumbleStone Two on Birdlings Flat – this one of introductory and general information, a second on the Gemstone and Fossil Museum, and a third on my stone fossicking there.

Posts on TumbleStone Blog which provide an Introduction to Birdlings Flat:

• “Thirty New Zealand TumbleStones for the USA – Part Three: Ten from Birdlings Flat” – An introduction to the beach, with location maps, aerial photos and drone footage, plus a couple of handfuls of polished stones from the beach. December 2020.
• “Birdlings Flat I: What the Books say” – Four extracts on Birdlings Flat from rockhounding books.
• “Birdlings Flat II: Location Map and Satellite View” – May 2016.
• “Birdlings Flat III: Selection of Online Sources” – Written in May 2016 and up-dated in 2017, this Post contains 15 links to information, photos and videos related to Birdlings Flat.
• “My Visit to Birdlings Flat, Day 1 of 2” – First of three Posts on my first visit to Birdlings Flat and its Museum. May 2016.

Other TumbleStoneTwo Pages on Birdlings Flat:

BIRDLINGS FLAT: GEMSTONE & FOSSIL MUSEUM

BIRDLINGS FLAT: MY STONE FOSSICKING

HOME – FOSSICKING BEACHES – BEACH STONES – TUMBLE-POLISHING – ABOUT ME

Author: tumblestoneblog

Retired Academic, male, living in the New Zealand countryside near Whanganui with his wife as well as Jasper the dog, Fluffy the cat, Dancer and Penny, the horses, and a shed half-full of stones. Email john.tumblestone@gmail.com. View all posts by tumblestoneblog