This Series of Posts provide an introduction to Gemstone Beach (Orepuki, Southland, New Zealand) and a basic guide to many of the stones commonly found on that beach. Part One presented the location and geographical context for Gemstone Beach, and described its carpark and local beach warnings. This Part sets out the main features of Gemstone Beach. Part Three will refer to some already existing sources of information on Gemstone Beach stones, and will discuss the meaning of “gemstone”. Part Four provides some brief definitions of important geological terms useful in the later Posts that describe individual types of stones in detail.
WHAT YOU SEE WHEN WALKING ONTO GEMSTONE BEACH
There are a couple of small tracks from the carpark to the top of a bank overlooking the beach. A short but steep path, slippery in the wet, then goes down onto the beach. To the left is a small unnamed stream, about 25 metres away (see photos below) – it nearly always flows straight across the beach and is very shallow. The cliff-backed beach continues in that direction (which is really southwards) in a long sweeping curve towards Monkey Island about three kilometres away. There tends to be fewer and fewer stones as you move along this stretch southwards beyond the unnamed stream. NOTE: Occasionally the sea covers the stones with sand – but walking north and crossing the Taunoa Stream will take you to stones.
To the right in front of the carpark is a stretch of sand that leads towards the Taunoa Stream which flows onto the beach about 150 metres away – sometimes this stream can flow across the beach right in front of the carpark (as described further below), and after rain it can be difficult to ford. See the photos below of this stretch of beach. Beyond the Taunoa Stream, the stones tend to increase significantly in number, all the way northwards along to the mouth of the Waiau River some 12 kilometres in the distance. It is the 200 metre area between the two streams that strictly constitutes Gemstone Beach.
Do not drive your car onto the beach. The sand and gravel is often soft and I have seen a number of vehicles bogged down. If a vehicle gets stuck, there is a risk the tide can come in and engulf it. It can take time to find assistance. Quad bikes can sometimes be seen on the beach – they are (usually) able to cope with the terrain.
MAIN FEATURES OF GEMSTONE BEACH
The two streams define the boundaries of the beach, though it is easy to ford the unnamed stream to the left of the carpark, and the more adventurous will usually be able to ford the Taunoa Stream (to the right of the carpark) if footwear is taken off and trousers rolled up. There is a cliff near the Taunoa Stream, behind which is an old cottage which can be glimpsed from the beach (see photos below).
The Taunoa Stream varies significantly with regards to volume of water flow, depth and course (see photos below). At times it will meander across the beach up towards the carpark, and it can also create high banks in the sand and gravel over two metres in height.
In August 2023, Gordon Sherwood’s YouTube Channel, New Zealand Rocks Downunder, posted a video of Gordon’s visit to Gemstone Beach – you can get a good idea of the road to the beach, the entry onto the beach, and what the stones and sand look like here.
A Heritage Trails sign that used to stand at the beach stated: “Storms keep the beach in a constant change, one day stones are piled high, the next tide will sweep it to sand again.” The beach between the two streams often has a lot of stones across it, but sometimes many of the stones can be buried in sand. Stones can more often be found closer to the waves rather than further up the beach, and more often at the Taunoa Stream end. Stones are exposed on the beds of both streams, as the current runs over them and washes the sand away, and so the stone-hunter will always find stones there. The occasional pool on the beach also has a bed of stones when the nearby area might only be sand.
The waves washing up onto the beach can be deceptive – they are often more powerful than they appear, and they can sweep further up the beach than expected, partly due to the gentle slope. At the highest of high tides, waves can sweep right up to the foot of the cliffs near the Taunoa Stream, and even prevent people from walking down onto the beach in front of the carpark. The best time to look for stones is when the tide is going out. This minimises the chances of being surprised by a bigger wave or being trapped against a cliff.
Beach conditions can vary significantly with the weather. Driftwood can often be found high up the beach, with more than usual being there after a storm. Rough weather can also create sea foam which can be blown by the wind onto the beach. Two good examples of a stormy Gemstone Beach are “What a Difference a Storm Makes”, a Post from Chrissy Lampitt’s “Tumble and Polish” Blog, and “Rock hounding in a Storm”, a Youtube Video by Nicola Gray.
The third Post in this Series reviews a couple of sources of information on Gemstone Beach stones and defines precious and semi-precious gemstones. Later Posts will look in more detail at different types of stones.
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