Goat Island is New Zealand's first Marine Reserve. For more than 30 years marine life has been fully protected from any form of fishing. For marine lovers, this experience is one you will never forget.
Goat Island is located only 100 metres from the safe beach access in the Marine Reserve. It is famous for it's amazing
snorkeling and
diving providing safe and shallow conditions for all the family to explore. With the channel only 2 metres deep and west of the island 3-8 metres deep, this protected environment remains calm and an easy place to snorkel. You can
snorkel straight off the beach in the Marine Reserve all year round, making it a convenient way to see an abundance of marine life. Drop into
Goat Island Dive & Snorkel and pick up your hire gear.
Goat Island Beach
For those not wanting to Snorkel Goat Island there is plenty to see and do in Leigh. Walk around the rocks to the right at low tide and you'll come across the Blue Maomao channel cutting through the rocks. It's an awesome sight with Snapper, Parore and Blue Maomao darting around in the channel. Or stroll down the beach towards Pakiri Beach (go left) until you reach the rock flats with rock pools displaying many of the oceans critters left behind with the tide.
OPEN THIS SEASON, BRAND NEW ATTRACTION - AUCKLAND LEIGH MARINE UNIVERSITY
To the right of the beach, cross the one lane bridge and walk up the hill to the NEW EDITH BLACKWELL INTERPRETATIVE VISITOR CENTRE hosting a wealth of information and history about the Goat Island Marine Reserve. $10 Adults, $5 children and $20 for a family (2 adults, 2 children).