Last updated October 2026
Halfmoon Bay is the bay at Oban, the main settlement on Stewart Island/Rakiura, and it is where visitors arrive after the one-hour ferry crossing from Bluff or the 20-minute flight from Invercargill.
Environment Southland tests the water at two spots here every summer: the township waterfront at Elgin Terrace, and Bathing Beach, a short walk away, which the Department of Conservation describes as a popular and sheltered swimming area with a white-sand beach.
Bathing Beach holds a Good long-term grade on LAWA, and the waterfront spot a Fair grade. A playground, toilets and parking sit close to the waterfront, and the short walks around the bay lead to several more small beaches.
Swimming Facts
Environment Southland tests Halfmoon Bay weekly from December to March. Check the latest result before you swim, and stay out of the water for 48 hours after heavy rain.
Today’s result on LAWAToday at Halfmoon Bay
Sunday 18 OctoberWater quality track record
Good at 1 testing spot, Fair at 1 (2019 to 2025)ShowHide
What the grades mean
Excellent and Good: rarely unsafe for swimming. Fair: usually fine, but avoid swimming after rain. Poor: often unsuitable, especially after rain, so check the latest result first.
Grades use LAWA’s method: the 95th percentile of routine enterococci results over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25, with at least 50 tests (Elgin Terrace: 388 per 100 mL from 84 tests; Bathing Beach: 80 per 100 mL from 84 tests).
Practical Information
- Location
- Halfmoon Bay, Oban, Stewart Island/Rakiura (Southland District)
- Getting there
- Ferry from Bluff (about 1 hour) or a flight from Invercargill Airport (about 20 minutes), then a shuttle from the Ryan’s Creek airstrip
- Bathing Beach
- About 30 minutes return on foot from the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre, on road and track that are sometimes steep
- Water
- Sheltered sea bay, tidal (nearest tide station: Halfmoon Bay / Oban)
- Water quality
- Bathing Beach Good; Elgin Terrace waterfront Fair (LAWA long-term grades)
- Testing
- Weekly from December to March by Environment Southland
- Facilities
- Playground, toilets and parking near the waterfront
- Lifeguards
- None listed
- Cost
- Free (ferry or flight fares apply to reach the island)
About Halfmoon Bay
Halfmoon Bay and its township, Oban, make up the main settlement on Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand’s third largest island. Tourism New Zealand describes it as a fishing town of about 400 people that also serves as the base for hikers and birdwatchers, with a Department of Conservation visitor centre, a few essential shops and places to eat.
Most of the island’s hiking tracks start here, and excursions from the bay include visits to Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara Open Sanctuary.
The bay has long been the focus of activity on the island. DOC records that by 1870 Halfmoon Bay was a small but active township and a base for the fishing and timber industries, with a post office, a school and road links following.
A telephone cable was laid across Foveaux Strait in 1902, and a refrigerator plant gave the fishing industry an important boost in 1920. Fishing, salmon and mussel farming and tourism are the island’s main industries today.
Several small beaches lie within walking distance of the waterfront. Bathing Beach sits beside the Mill Creek estuary, where remnants of timber from the early milling days can still be seen along the creek edge at low tide.
Following the coast road the other way leads to Lonnekers Beach, where the island’s first licensed hotel opened in 1875, with rock pools at its eastern end. Further on, the rock pools around Ringaringa hold plenty of intertidal life.
Swimming and Water Quality at Halfmoon Bay
Environment Southland tests the water at two spots in Halfmoon Bay every week from December to March, as part of its monitoring of popular recreational spots that Southlanders helped identify, and the results go onto LAWA. At sea sites it tests for enterococci, bacteria that indicate the water may contain other disease-causing germs.
Halfmoon Bay at Bathing Beach has a Good LAWA long-term grade, which means the water is rarely unsuitable for swimming. Of 100 tests from December 2019 to March 2025, 98% were suitable for swimming.
Halfmoon Bay at Elgin Terrace, on the township waterfront, has a Fair grade: usually fine, but avoid swimming there after rain.
Of 100 tests over the same period, 88% were suitable for swimming. Both long-term grades are based on routine tests over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25. They are a track record, not a promise for any particular day.
Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim, and stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after heavy rain. The tests cover bacteria only, so take note of any signs or warnings at the beach.
The ferry arrives in Halfmoon Bay, so keep clear of the wharf and any boat traffic. No lifeguard service is listed, so swim with others and keep children close.
Getting There and Walking to Bathing Beach
The ferry to Stewart Island/Rakiura leaves from Bluff and takes about an hour, landing at Halfmoon Bay. Flights leave from Invercargill Airport and take about 20 minutes, and a shuttle brings passengers from the Ryan’s Creek airstrip into the township.
To reach Bathing Beach, turn left at the Halfmoon Bay waterfront, walk past the general store, and turn right into Kamahi Road just as the road starts to climb the hill.
Follow Kamahi Road around to the Bathing Beach signpost. DOC allows about 30 minutes return from the Rakiura National Park Visitor Centre; the walk follows road and track, both sometimes steep, and the track is maintained by Southland District Council.
Birds Around the Bay
Birdlife is a big part of a visit. DOC notes that people arriving by boat often see sooty shearwaters, gulls, Buller’s mollymawks, cape pigeons and little penguins, and that bellbirds, tūī, parakeets, fantails and pigeons are easy to see near Halfmoon Bay. On summer evenings kākā call from the trees around the township.
Where to Learn More
LAWA and Environment Southland: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and the long-term water quality grade for Halfmoon Bay at Bathing Beach.
Department of Conservation: Oban day walks: directions and walking times for Bathing Beach, Lonnekers Beach, Ringaringa and the other short walks from Halfmoon Bay.
Environment Southland: Summer swimming: how the council tests popular swimming spots each summer, with a link to its live results map.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Halfmoon Bay?
Yes. Environment Southland tests two spots here every week over summer, and DOC describes nearby Bathing Beach as a popular and sheltered swimming area. Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim, and stay out for at least 48 hours after heavy rain.
What is the water quality like?
Bathing Beach has a Good LAWA long-term grade, with 98% of 100 tests suitable for swimming from December 2019 to March 2025. The Elgin Terrace waterfront spot has a Fair grade, with 88% of 100 tests suitable, so avoid swimming there after rain.
Where is Bathing Beach?
A short walk from the Halfmoon Bay waterfront, beside the Mill Creek estuary. Turn left at the waterfront, pass the general store and follow Kamahi Road to the signpost. DOC allows about 30 minutes return from the visitor centre.
How do I get to Halfmoon Bay from Invercargill?
Fly from Invercargill Airport (about 20 minutes, then a shuttle from the airstrip), or drive to Bluff and take the ferry, which takes about an hour.
When is the water tested?
Environment Southland samples both spots every week from December to March, and the results go onto LAWA.
Are there lifeguards at Halfmoon Bay?
No lifeguard service is listed. Swim with others, keep children close, and keep clear of the wharf and any boat traffic.
Are there toilets and a playground?
Yes. There is a playground, public toilets and parking close to the Halfmoon Bay waterfront.
What else is there to do around the bay?
DOC lists a range of short walks from the township, including Observation Rock, Lonnekers Beach to Ringaringa Beach, and the rock pools around Ringaringa. Excursions from the bay include visits to Ulva Island/Te Wharawhara.
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