Last updated October 2026
Lowry Bay is one of the Eastern Bays on the eastern shore of Wellington Harbour, in Lower Hutt, about 12 kilometres in a straight line from central Wellington. It is a narrow gravel beach between rocky outcrops, with Marine Drive running right alongside and a boat ramp and parking at the southern end.
A consent report prepared for Hutt City Council describes it as a locally important recreation beach with some regional use, and swimming rafts are moored offshore in summer.
Greater Wellington tests the water weekly over summer, and the beach holds a Fair LAWA long-term grade, so it is best avoided after rain. This guide also covers neighbouring Sorrento Bay, which is tested separately and also graded Fair.
Swimming Facts
Before you swim: Tested weekly Nov–Mar by Greater Wellington. Stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain. Latest result on LAWA
Today at Lowry Bay
Thursday 5 NovemberWater quality track record
Fair at all 2 testing spots (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 (Sorrento Bay: 288 per 100 mL from 72 tests; Cheviot Road: 400 per 100 mL from 72 tests).
Practical Information
- Location
- Marine Drive, Lowry Bay (Whiorau), Eastern Bays, Lower Hutt
- Distance from Wellington
- About 12 km in a straight line across the harbour; further by road via Petone and Seaview
- Water
- Sheltered harbour beach, gravel, tidal (nearest tide station: Wellington)
- Water quality
- Lowry Bay: Fair. Sorrento Bay: Fair (LAWA long-term grades, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25)
- Testing
- Greater Wellington: Lowry Bay weekly and Sorrento Bay every two weeks, November to March
- Dogs
- Lowry Bay: prohibited 9am to 8pm from 1 December to 31 March where signs say so. Sorrento Bay: prohibited at all times (bird protection area)
- Facilities nearby
- Parking and a boat ramp at the southern end of Lowry Bay. No toilets or changing rooms at the beach
About Lowry Bay
Lowry Bay sits between Sorrento Bay and York Bay on Marine Drive, the coastal road to Eastbourne. Hutt City Council uses the Māori name alongside the English one, as Whiorau/Lowry Bay, and Whiorau Reserve lies immediately to the south of the bay.
Te Ara notes that flat land on this stretch of coast is limited to Lowry Bay, Days Bay and Eastbourne, so Lowry Bay has a small, level valley floor behind the beach, while houses elsewhere along the bays climb the hillsides.
Like the rest of the Eastern Bays, the shoreline has been shaped by people. The consent report for the Eastern Bays shared path notes that these beaches have been altered significantly over time by roading and the periodic construction of seawalls.
The most recent change is Tupua Horo Nuku, Hutt City Council’s 4.4-kilometre seawall and shared path along Marine Drive between Point Howard and Windy Point.
Construction through Whiorau/Lowry Bay was completed in 2026, with mini steps and upgraded ramps giving access down to the beach. The report recommended beach nourishment south of the bus stop, where most of the beach recreation happens.
The Eastern Bays are used mostly by local residents for swimming, small boat launching, walking and dog walking. In Lowry Bay, people also gather shellfish in the sand below low tide and fish for flounder, and the Lowry Bay Yacht Club maintains sailing marks off the bay.
Whiorau Reserve, at the southern end, is where small boats are launched, and part of it is now a bird protection area.
Behind the bay, the bush-clad hills are part of East Harbour Regional Park. WellingtonNZ describes the Cheviot Road Track in the park as a steep one-hour walk through mature native bush, with views over Lowry Bay.
Swimming and Water Quality at Lowry Bay
Lowry Bay looks across Wellington Harbour and is sheltered from the open sea. The beach is narrow and gravelly, with rocky outcrops at each end. Swimming rafts are moored offshore in summer and are mostly used by locals.
The beach is not patrolled, and with a boat ramp at the southern end and yachts sailing off the bay, keep an eye out for boats.
Greater Wellington tests Lowry Bay at Cheviot Road every week from November to March, and the results go to LAWA. The site has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on 72 routine tests over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25. Of 94 tests between December 2019 and March 2025, 87% were suitable for swimming.
A Fair grade means the water is usually fine, but it is more likely to be unsuitable after rain washes contaminants into the harbour. Results were weaker in the last two summers in the record, with five tests unsuitable for swimming across 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim, and stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after heavy rain. LAWA also suggests a simple rule of thumb: if you cannot see your toes in knee-deep water, it is better not to swim.
Sorrento Bay Next Door
Sorrento Bay is the small bay immediately north of Lowry Bay, towards Point Howard. The Eastern Bays consent report describes it as an area used for local swimming, with some fishing and shellfishing from the rocks, and notes that there is no high-tide beach, so there is little dry sand when the tide is in.
The new seawall and shared path through Sorrento Bay was finished in 2025, with mini steps and ramps down to the water.
Greater Wellington tests Sorrento Bay every two weeks from November to March. It has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on 72 routine tests over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25, and 91% of 91 tests between December 2019 and March 2025 were suitable for swimming. The same advice applies: check LAWA first and wait 48 hours after heavy rain.
Dogs are prohibited at Sorrento Bay at all times. Hutt City Council made it one of several bird protection areas required by the shared path consent, which aim to provide nesting places for kororā (little penguins) and to protect a nest site of tōrea pango (variable oystercatchers).
Where to Learn More
LAWA and Greater Wellington: the latest “Can I Swim Here?” result and long-term grade for Lowry Bay at Cheviot Road. Search LAWA for Sorrento Bay to see its own results.
Hutt City Council: Tupua Horo Nuku: the Eastern Bays seawall and shared path along Marine Drive, with progress bay by bay.
Hutt City Council: dog exercise areas: where dogs are allowed, on and off the lead, on Lower Hutt beaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Lowry Bay?
Yes. Lowry Bay is a local swimming beach on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour, with swimming rafts moored offshore in summer. It is not patrolled, so check LAWA before you swim and stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain.
What is the water quality like at Lowry Bay?
Lowry Bay has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on summers 2020/21 to 2024/25. Of 94 tests between December 2019 and March 2025, 87% were suitable for swimming. Water quality is more likely to drop after rain.
When is the water at Lowry Bay tested?
Greater Wellington samples Lowry Bay every week from November to March. Neighbouring Sorrento Bay is sampled every two weeks over the same months.
Can you swim at Sorrento Bay?
Sorrento Bay is used for local swimming, but it has no high-tide beach. It has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, with 91% of 91 tests suitable for swimming between December 2019 and March 2025.
Are dogs allowed at Lowry Bay?
Dogs are prohibited on Lowry Bay beach from 9am to 8pm between 1 December and 31 March where signs say so. They are banned from Sorrento Bay at all times because of its bird protection area.
Are there toilets at Lowry Bay?
No. LAWA notes there are no toilets or changing facilities in the immediate area. Parking and a boat ramp are at the southern end of the beach.
Is there a walking track near Lowry Bay?
Yes. The hills behind the bay are part of East Harbour Regional Park, where the Cheviot Road Track is a steep one-hour walk through mature native bush, and the Tupua Horo Nuku shared path runs along the seafront.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Lowry Bay: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 2 Nov, via Tideteller.
- Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Greater Wellington), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to April 2025.