• Welcome
• Why Plastic Bags?
• Progress so far
• Golden Bay, South Island, NZ
• Collingwood is NZ's 1st Town
• How the Bag Ladies was formed

Golden  Bay is located at the very northwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand, an isolated rural area with fabulous landscapes, friendly communitiy and lots to do.  It gets its name from the Gold Rush in the 1850's but is now better known for its golden sandy beaches. 

 Golden Bay is a small community of 5000 people - including farmers, fishermen, artist communities and people who want to enjoy the unspoilt beauty of its beaches, rivers, mountains and bush.  

It has three main residential areas, the main town Takaka, Pohara a beach-side residential area with a first class deep water harbour and.the town of Collingwood, infamous for its gold finds in the 1850's when it was going to be New Zealand's first capital city.  Collingwood's coastal location, with the wide estuary of the Aorere River and the distinctive Whakamara Hills make it a scenic "must" (see below) as it is the gateway to many of Golden Bay's treasures.

One of the region's most spectacular natural wonders is Farewell Spit - the longest natural sandbar in the world.

Farewell Spit is located 22km further on from Collingwood. Maori people named the spit Onetahua, meaning 'heaped up sand' - the long sandbar stretches out 35km from the very tip of the South Island. Experience the changing landscapes, seascapes and skies as you journey with us to a place where nature is paramount and city life is a million miles away.  There are gannet colonies and a lighthouse that still operates today.

Tourist attractions are also the Waikoropupu (Pupu) Springs with the New Zealand's largest fresh water springs, the delightful Wainui Waterfalls, the delightful tropical Kaihoka Lakes Reserve, the Mangarakau Swamp home to many types of flora and fauna, the fabulous Te Anaroa Caves, the exciting historic gold fields and the historic Salisbury bridge, a swingbridge over the mighty Aorere River which had been washed away several times in the past. 

Seals, gannets, white herons, penguins, dolphins and the occasional whale are regularly seen in the Bay.  And there are scallops, whitebaiting, cockling and fishing to appeal to folk at various times in the year.

There is much to do for keen trampers - who could walk the Heaphy Track, or the coast track in the Abel Tasman National Park or enjoy a one day walk in the shorter but none the less interesting Kaituna Track.  There are eels, freshwater crayfish and a colony of native landsnails to spot and a full range of coastal, bush or aquatic plants to enjoy.

Kayaking and canoeing, sink hole exploration, caving and rock climbing are also outdoor pursuits for the adventurous.

We want to keep Golden Bay Beautiful for the people who live here and the people who visit and return again and again.