Gillespies Beach
Gillespies Beach
4.5
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
About
There are five walks and a campsite at Gillespie's Beach. Miners Cemetery Walking Track - Time: 5 min return Gillespie's Suction Dredge Walk - Time: 15 min loop Gillespies Bucket Dredge Walk - Time: 30 min return Miners Tunnel Track - Time: 1 hr 40 min return Galway Beach Tramping Track - Time: 3 hr 30 min return Getting there: Gillespies Beach is a 21 km drive from Fox Glacier Weheka township. Head west along Cook Flat Road passing the turn off to Lake Matheson and the Peak Viewpoint along the way. After 8 km turn off to Gillespies Beach Road and follow this for 11 km to the end. Half of the journey is on a narrow, unsealed road – keep left, and keep your speed to a minimum. The road is not suitable for towing vehicles.
Duration: 2-3 hours
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4.5
202 reviews
Excellent
96
Very good
68
Average
33
Poor
3
Terrible
2
Dave
Sheffield, UK146 contributions
Mar 2024 • Couples
Stunningly long beach with an absolute ton of shells and pebbles everywhere, it's not for sandcastles. We sat on a drift wood log for about two hrs just watching the waves crashing in.
There's a camp site just over the dune for online pre booked pitches and decent public toilets .
It's about another twenty mins drive from the Fox Glacier view point but well worth, especially if the weather is whipping the sea up like it was when we went.
There's a camp site just over the dune for online pre booked pitches and decent public toilets .
It's about another twenty mins drive from the Fox Glacier view point but well worth, especially if the weather is whipping the sea up like it was when we went.
Written 12 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JOJOWI
Wisconsin207 contributions
Nov 2019
Wanted to see sunset out there, so left Fox towards late afternoon/early evening, so we could check out the walks and to catch sunset. Be aware that the road is very narrow and winding so it will take awhile. First stop was the old Miner’s Cemetery. Very short walk to see a pretty small area with some old headstones. I enjoyed it because I like old cemeteries, husband wasn’t as into it. Continued on to the car park; several campers set up there. We did a short walk to see the old equipment lying around where it had just been abandoned. The longer walks were closed because of storm damage. Made our way to the beach – very neat, wild beach with lots of driftwood and excellent view of the mountains. Walked the beach a bit and then found a log to sit and watch the sunset with a few beverages we’d packed in a cooler. Took way too many photos! Pretty chilly with the wind, so glad we had jackets, especially as it got darker. We left while there was still a little light left because we didn’t want to be on that long, narrow road in the dark. Luckily we didn’t meet any traffic coming out.
Written 21 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Debbi D
mattapoisett, ma765 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
This was a beautifully wild beach. We never saw a person on our 3 hour walk. The stones are gorgeous. We walked along the miners trail on the way out all the way to the old miners cave which was so cool. On the way back we walked the whole way on the beach and were amazed at the great beach rocks and strong waves.
Written 11 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mywaypete
Haddam, CT42 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
This beach is located down a long gravel road. Stunning views of the wild Tasman Sea. Way too rough for swimming, but beautiful to take in. There’s a basic toilet facility, and drive up campers seem to enjoy overnights. From the beach, you also get fabulous views of the glaciers and surrounding alps around Mt Cook. If you’ve got time, I highly recommend this excursion.
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
yummymummyWellington
Wellington, New Zealand74 contributions
Jun 2020
A bit of a hair-raising drive to get here (windy), but well worth it. We walked along the beach to the Lagoon at the end (about an hour, just strolling). It feels very remote here. We had a good day weather wise and had a picnic when we got to the lagoon. Beware of the sand flies though!
Written 22 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evan
7 contributions
Feb 2021
We took the opportunity to visit the beach as we were in our 4 wheel drive. It is a gravel road and a little bumpy getting there but worth the trip. The beach is beautiful and without the sandflies we would have spent alot longer there.
Written 16 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosie
Exeter, UK203 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Invested in the crazy long gravel road in the hopes we'd come across a nice beach.
We were disappointed. The beach is stone, covered in horrible sand flies and very windy.
Yes, its isolated.. but for good reason, haha.
We were disappointed. The beach is stone, covered in horrible sand flies and very windy.
Yes, its isolated.. but for good reason, haha.
Written 10 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ERDFirefighter
Edmonton, Canada849 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
We decided to continue on the gravel road to the beach as it was a beautiful day and with the hope of seeing some nice birds while on the beach as well as a view of the Fox glacier. Well neither happened. The beach itself is nice and a person could spend a nice afternoon here. You decide if it is worth the gravel run.
Written 14 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
triny_bop
214 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
What a secret off the beaten track. We decided to camp here after the Copland track and we were not disappointed! The views of mt cook and Sefton were striking, as were the views of the towering bush clad hills and big pumping waves. What an epic peaceful haven to camp in, even with the sandflies biting.
We will be back! :-)
We will be back! :-)
Written 1 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelWhenever
Singapore, Singapore81 contributions
Dec 2014 • Family
I must say, it wasn't easy to search for the colony. We had to walk a long way along Galway Beach through the boulders slowly, and be consistently on alert mode as we do not want to be found in a situation where we were too close and trapped within the colony. The key is to espy the wild from a distance, yeah?
And we found them! Well, not a colony, but just a few sprawling on the sand. But I'll take it! Better than nothing right? Maybe it was the time we arrived, it was already late afternoon by then.
Regardless, elated as we were, we tried to contain our excitement so as to not scare them. All the mud dodging in the forest earlier was worth it! :D
For MORE INFORMATION and LOADS of pictures:
travelwhenever(dotcom)/treks-galway-gillespies-beach-tramping-fox-glacier/
And we found them! Well, not a colony, but just a few sprawling on the sand. But I'll take it! Better than nothing right? Maybe it was the time we arrived, it was already late afternoon by then.
Regardless, elated as we were, we tried to contain our excitement so as to not scare them. All the mud dodging in the forest earlier was worth it! :D
For MORE INFORMATION and LOADS of pictures:
travelwhenever(dotcom)/treks-galway-gillespies-beach-tramping-fox-glacier/
Written 3 November 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Can you camp at Gillespies beach with a motorhome?
Written 7 November 2018
I think it's possible, there were quite a few people camping there, also in tents. Depending on the size of your motorhome though....the road there is gravel and not to wide. Hope this is of help.
Written 8 November 2018
Kun je zonder eigen vervoer ook op Gillespie beach komen?
Written 25 February 2018
Need some ideas of what I can do or visit while my 3 travelling friends are doing the fox glacier flight around early March for 4 hours thanks
Written 16 September 2017
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