Timeline
05:19
Pariwhero/Red Rocks Seal Colony
Arrive at the Pariwhero/Red Rocks Seal Colony car park. The walk along the beach is rocky and often very windy, so dress warmly and secure your hat. Head west towards the disused quarry and visitors centre area to find a good vantage point. The sun sets toward the WSW, but for sunrise, you want to face the opposite direction to catch the light hitting the distinctive red rocks (Jasper) and the pass through the rock face from the east.
06:04
Pariwhero/Red Rocks Seal Colony
Watch the sunrise at 06:04. The golden light starts about 20 minutes later, illuminating the red rocks and the seal colony just on the other side of the pass. Keep your distance; these are wild animals.
07:04
Walk to Mingle Cafe & Eatery for breakfast or coffee. It is open from 08:00 on Saturdays, which aligns with the January 15 date. This is a convenient spot to warm up after the cold morning walk.
Local tip
The walk is windy. Bring layers.
Check before you go
- Mingle Cafe & Eatery opens at 08:00 on Saturdays.
Worth knowing
- Mingle Cafe & Eatery is open at 07:04 only on We
Built from places in the Wikivoyage guide to Wellington (CC BY-SA 4.0), with open map data from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).