Last updated October 2026
Seatoun Wharf is a public timber and concrete wharf about 80 metres long at Seatoun, on the Miramar Peninsula near the entrance to Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington Harbour. Wellington City Council rebuilt it in 2021 and 2022, with new decking, ladders and a life ring.
Local anglers know it for gurnard and red cod, and in recent seasons it has also produced good snapper and trevally. The bottom is sandy with few snags, and the water flowing in from the harbour entrance runs past the end. It is sheltered from southerlies, close to a bus stop, and free to fish.
At a Glance
- Location
- Marine Parade, Seatoun, at the Worser Bay end of Seatoun Beach, Miramar Peninsula
- Water
- Wellington Harbour, near the entrance (sea)
- Main species
- Gurnard, red cod, snapper and trevally; kahawai and blue cod at times
- Bottom
- Sandy, with few snags
- Best time
- Around dawn and dusk; snapper from October to May
- Getting there
- Metlink buses to Seatoun; stops on Marine Parade about 180 m from the wharf
- Toilets
- Worser Bay Beach changing rooms, a short walk north
- Tide port
- Wellington (LINZ standard port)
- Rules
- MPI Central; outside Taputeranga Marine Reserve; no licence needed
- Cost
- Free
- Low 1:28 am 0.7 m
- High 7:39 am 1.7 m
- Low 2:03 pm 0.7 m
- High 8:04 pm 1.6 m
Best times today: around 1:28 am, 7:39 am, 2:03 pm and 8:04 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 2:26 am and 2:50 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Wellington tides ›
Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
What You'll Find Here
Seatoun Wharf runs out from Marine Parade about 300 metres north-west of Seatoun Beach, at the Worser Bay end. A long, narrow pier with timber handrails leads to a wider square head set at an angle to the pier.
The council described it as about 120 years old in 2022. Before the road tunnel was built in 1906 and 1907, Seatoun could only be reached by boat, and a daily ferry steamer called here.
From mid-2021 to late 2022 Wellington City Council spent about $2.8 million repairing the wharf. The work strengthened the piles under the head, replaced all the decking with new hardwood, added bracing to the outer section, fitted new fenders, and installed new ladders and a life ring.
The Days Bay ferry did not return after the work: the operator said the wharf is exposed to strong tides and only one of its boats could berth there at all tides.
The wharf has a place in one of New Zealand’s worst maritime disasters. On 10 April 1968 a lifeboat from the inter-island ferry Wahine came ashore alongside Seatoun Wharf, and two of the three lifeboats that stayed afloat landed at Seatoun.
The Wahine memorial in nearby Churchill Park, made from the ship’s anchor and chain, points toward the wreck site beyond Steeple Rock.
How to Fish Seatoun Wharf
Where and when
Most anglers fish from the square head at the end. It reaches the water flowing in from the main harbour entrance, and one local angler called it the best easy shore access to that water. The bottom is sandy with no snags to speak of, so bottom rigs come back cleanly.
The wharf sits in the lee of the peninsula and stays fishable in a southerly, when Breaker Bay just around the point is not. The tide runs strongly past the wharf, so carry a range of sinker weights.
Harbour-wide advice from Wellington tackle shop owner Pete Lamb: snapper bite best in the hour either side of the change of light, at dawn and dusk. In the harbour, the tide tends to run out with a northerly and in with a southerly, and fishing usually goes better when the wind and tide are running the same way.
What to catch and when
- Gurnard: the wharf’s best-known catch, mostly from spring through summer.
- Red cod: common here, especially through winter.
- Snapper: a February 2023 fishing report named Seatoun Wharf and the beach beside it as the latest hot spot, with some really decent snapper. In the harbour, snapper are about from October to May.
- Trevally: reported off the wharf in October 2024.
- Kahawai and blue cod: caught here at times, with kahawai most common in winter.
Rigs and bait
A running rig works well for snapper, gurnard and trevally on the sandy bottom. Flasher or ledger rigs with 2/0 to 4/0 hooks are the usual choice for gurnard and red cod.
Squid, pilchard and fresh fish fillet are the standard baits, and berley helps bring fish in. Use only as much weight as you need to hold bottom as the tide changes.
Getting There and Facilities
- Bus: Metlink buses run to Seatoun, with stops on Marine Parade about 180 m from the wharf. Check Metlink for the current route and times.
- Parking and toilets: the nearest council parking and facilities are at Worser Bay Beach, a short walk north along Marine Parade: angle parking in front of the changing rooms, with toilets and cold showers.
- Dogs: on Worser Bay Beach, dogs may be off the leash before 10am and after 7pm from 1 December to 1 March, and at any time from 2 March to 30 November.
- Boats: Seatoun has a small boat ramp, the Worser Bay boat club is next door, and a waterski access lane runs out from the southern end of Worser Bay. Keep an eye on boats coming and going.
- Ferry: the Days Bay to Seatoun ferry did not resume after the 2022 repairs.
Rules and Safety
- Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Central area rules. Check the current limits on the MPI website or the NZ Fishing Rules app before you go. No licence is needed for sea fishing.
- Taputeranga Marine Reserve, on Wellington’s south coast, is no-take, but it does not include Seatoun. The wharf is about 3.5 km east of the reserve’s eastern edge, inside the harbour.
- Under Greater Wellington’s navigation bylaws, nobody may swim or dive within 50 m of a wharf while a vessel is manoeuvring nearby, and fishing gear must not be left where it could obstruct boats.
- Water quality: in February 2026 the Moa Point wastewater plant failure closed beaches on the south coast, including Breaker Bay around the point from Seatoun. Those beaches reopened on 25 February 2026. Do not gather shellfish near pipes or outfalls, or for a few days after heavy rain, and check LAWA before you go.
- Tides run hard past the wharf. The 2017 condition report found no rail around the edge of the wharf head, so keep children close and in lifejackets, and know where the ladders and life ring are.
Tackle and Bait Nearby
- Pete Lamb Fishing: 15 Kingsford Smith Street, Rongotai, about 5 km from the wharf. Tackle, bait and berley, open seven days.
Find Out More
MPI Central fishing rules: current limits and closures for Wellington Harbour.
DOC: Taputeranga Marine Reserve boundaries: where the no-take reserve on the south coast begins and ends.
LINZ tide predictions: official tide tables for the Wellington standard port.
Seatoun Wharf: Common Questions
What can you catch at Seatoun Wharf?
Gurnard and red cod are the regular catches. Snapper and trevally have been reported here in recent seasons, and kahawai and blue cod turn up at times.
When is the best time to fish Seatoun Wharf?
Dawn and dusk, especially for snapper, which are in the harbour from about October to May. Gurnard are best from spring through summer, and red cod in winter.
Is Seatoun Wharf open?
Yes. Wellington City Council rebuilt the wharf in 2021 and 2022 and it reopened in late 2022 with new decking, ladders and a life ring.
Is Seatoun Wharf good in a southerly?
It is sheltered from southerlies, unlike Breaker Bay just around the point.
Is Seatoun Wharf inside a marine reserve?
No. Taputeranga Marine Reserve is on the south coast, about 3.5 km to the west. MPI’s Central rules apply at the wharf.
How do I get to Seatoun Wharf by bus?
Metlink buses run to Seatoun, and the stops on Marine Parade are about 180 m from the wharf. Check Metlink for the current route.
Do I need a fishing licence?
No. You do not need a licence for sea fishing in New Zealand, but MPI’s Central area rules apply.
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