Christchurch, the largest town on the South Island, lies on the central part of the island's eastern coast. In the northeastern part of suburban Christchurch, on the coast, is the community of Waimairi Beach. Starting at Waimairi Beach, there is a long stretch of beach backed by a forest that extends north about 9 kilometers to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. Parts of this long beach are frequented by nude bathers. Other than at Waimairi Beach at the southern end, the only access to this 9-kilometer stretch is at Spencer Park, which is about halfway between Waimairi Beach and the river mouth. People who go to the beach for nude bathing usually enter the beach from Spencer Park.

Perhaps because Christchurch has ample beachfront abutting its eastern suburbs, Spencer Park Beach is lightly visited, even at its main point of access. Nonetheless, clothing should be worn in the central area of the beach, next to the parking areas and the surf club. However, once you park, you can walk in either direction to find zones of the beach where nudity is customary.

If you park at the end of Heyders Road, which is the northern of the two pinpointed parking areas, walk north on the beach (to the left when facing the water) and after a few hundred meters you will reach the nudist zone that is attended mainly by straight couples. Since this part of the beach becomes a spit that is backed by a lagoon and has no other points of access, you can be naked about as far as you'd care to walk. The beach continues several kilometers to the mouth of the Waimakariri River, and most of this stretch is likely to be completely deserted, especially the farther north you go.

To get to the part of the beach preferred by gay men, turn right just before you get to the end of Heyders Road and park a bit past the surf club. Walk south on the beach (to the right when facing the water) and you will reach the gay nude zone of the beach, which also has ample space.

Be advised that the northern (straight) end of the beach is more isolated and less likely to have through traffic compared to the southern end, and local naturists have negotiated with authorities to tacitly accept the northern part of the beach as a safe haven for naturists. No such agreement exists for the southern (gay) end of the beach, where textiles (usually dog walkers) sometimes pass through. Thus, nudity can be freely practiced on the northern end, but nudists are advised to cover up in the presence of textile passersby on the southern end.

more info from Free Beaches New Zealand (scroll down to Spencerville)

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GPS: -43.4249, 172.7135

town, region, island, country
  Brooklands (suburban Christchurch), Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand

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