Vehicles on the Beach

Motorbikes

Two wheel motorbikes are prohibited from all beaches and dunes along the Northern Pegasus Bay Coastal strip.

Quad Bikes

Quad bikes are permitted to drive on the beach as they are classified as a motor vehicle. They can't be used for recreational driving or driving for pleasure, they must be legal to drive on the road and follow the rules for Driving On The Beach as detailed below.

Driving On The Beach

For the safety and enjoyment of all users, and to protect special wildlife areas, there are areas along the northern Pegasus Bay coastal strip where vehicles are prohibited or restricted. Check out the map (pdf, 3.5 MB) to view the areas you can and can’t go before heading out.

Here are some of the key things you need to know before taking your vehicle to the Northern Pegasus Bay beaches:

  • Recreational driving or driving for pleasure is not permitted on any area of the Northern Pegasus Bay coastal strip.
  • To protect our fragile coastal dune system, vehicles are not permitted to drive on any dunes in Northern Pegasus Bay
  • All vehicles must drive below the last high tide mark, unless it’s unsafe to do otherwise, except at the Waimakariri River Mouth or using a specifed access route.
  • Vehicles must give way and show consideration to people, horses, other animals and birds at all times
  • Approved four wheel drive clubs may obtain exemptions which allow them to drive on prohibited or restricted areas of the beach for civil defence or rescue training, and for track, beach or facility maintenance, rubbish removal and pest control
  • No vehicles are to drive through a flagged surf lifesaving patrol area
  • Speed limits apply, you should drive no faster than 30km/h and slow down to 10km/h when within 50 metres of people.
  • Access from the Waimakariri District’s northern boundary at Ashworth’s Beach to the Ashley – Rakahuri Estuary is only for the purpose of boat launching or retrieval, fishing, white baiting and mahinga kai gathering.
  • Access from the Waimakariri River Mouth to the Pines Ocean Outfall is for the above purposes as well as taking recreation equipment to the water's edge and for holders of mobility stickers.
  • Vehicle access is available from the Ashley – Rakahuri River Mouth car park to the Ashley – Rakahuri River mouth during the whitebait season.  This access is by permit only with permits being available from the Waimakariri District Council’s Customer Service Team.

And remember, the beach is a road, all the road rules and the law still apply in these areas.