Ward Beach, looking towards the carpark from near the Flaxbourne River mouth.
Ward Beach stones.
Zoophycos trace fossil stone from Ward Beach.
Small Ward Beach agate.
I first drove out to Ward Beach in August 2020. Since then, I have visited it from time to time during my South Island fossicking trips, often during the journey back north. The following are Posts on TumbleStone Blog describing my visits to date, listed in chronological order:
- “Another South Island Fossicking Trip, February/ March 2021 – Last Two Days (Leithfield Beach, Kaikoura Coast, Ward Beach)” -The entry for Day 24, Friday 12 March, features a number of zoophycos stones from the Kaikoura Coast and Ward Beach plus five other stones from Ward Beach.
- “FB Group Posts: 26, 27 & 30 June 2021 – Kakanui, Timaru and Ward Beach, Then Home” – Wednesday 30 June, heavy swell, fossicked around Flaxbourne River mouth as well as carpark beach.
- “W” is for “Ward Beach Zoophycos” and “X” is for “X-Figures When Veins Cross in a Stone” – Not really a fossicking Post. From weekly alphabetical series in Facebook Group “New Zealand Lapidary, Rocks, Minerals, Fossils”. November 2021.
- “February-March 2022 Fossicking Trip: Stone of the Day #27, Ward Beach Agate” – The most detailed account of my fossicks here so far, going as far north as the Chancet Rocks.
- “June-July 2022 Fossicking Trip: 1) Ward Beach” – A short Post about a 90 minutes winter fossick.
- “June-July 2022 Fossicking Trip: 19) Ward Beach Bonus“ – After a storm, the beach is covered with wood and trees that have come down the Flaxbourne River.
- “Southern Sojourn: The Trip South – Wednesday 18 January, Ward Beach and Leithfield Beach” – Two hour fossick in January 2023, moving southwards this time, over the Flaxbourne River.
- “Southern Sojourn 2023(59): The Trip North – Ward Beach Fossick and Overnight Motel Stay, Thursday 4 May” – A 90 minute fossick while all the stones were wet from rain, finding a gorgeous black stone with agate veins.
- “Early 2024 Fossicking Trip – Part 1, ‘So Many Miles…’ Ward Beach, Timaru and Kakanui, Tuesday 13 February and Wednesday 14 February” – I spent an hour on the beach just after high tide. There were some dolphins in the bay this day.
- “Early 2024 Fossicking Trip – Part 34, Final Fossick of the Trip, Ward Beach, Monday 25 March” – I spent just over an hour here.
- “September 2024 Stone Collecting Trip – Part 1, Ward Beach Surprises, Monday 2 September” – During a 40 minute fossick I collected 70 stones, many of them very interesting.
- “September 2024 Stone Collecting Trip –Part 25, Intriguing Discovery at Ward Beach, Wednesday 2 October” -A fossick lasting just over two hours. This Post features 24 of my finds. The intriguing discovery was later identified as likely to be a fossil shell – it featured in the 2025 TumbleStone Calender (month of May).
- “March 2025 Stone Collecting Trip – Part 1, Ward Beach and Hector’s Dolphins, Thursday 27 February” – A short fossick, collecting 30 stones. Highlight was seeing the dolphins again.
- “March 2025 Stone Collecting Trip – Part 31, Last Stop, Ward Beach, Wednesday 2 April” – An hour-long fossick, looking especially for trace fossils in limestone pebbles.
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