| Golden Bay / Mohua | |
|---|---|
| Massacre Bay, Coal Bay | |
| Te Tai Tapu (Māori)[1] | |
 Landsat image of Golden Bay / Mohua | |
.png)  Golden Bay / Mohua Location of Golden Bay / Mohua | |
| Location | Upper South Island, New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 40°40′S 172°50′E / 40.667°S 172.833°E |
| Type | Bay |
| Etymology | Named after the Mohua and for the discovery of gold in the area |
| Part of | Tasman Sea |
| Primary inflows | Aorere River, Tākaka River, Motupipi River, Wainui River |
| Max. length | 28 kilometres (17 mi) |
| Max. width | 35 kilometres (22 mi) |
| Shore length1 | 104 kilometres (65 mi) |
| Islands | Tata Islands |
| Sections/sub-basins | Ruataniwha Inlet, Parapara Inlet, Wainui Bay |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Golden Bay / Mohua is a large shallow bay in New Zealand's Tasman District, near the northern tip of the South Island. An arm of the Tasman Sea, the bay lies northwest of Tasman Bay / Te Tai-o-Aorere and Cook Strait. It is protected in the north by Farewell Spit, a 26 km long arm of fine golden sand that is the country's longest sandspit. The Aorere and Tākaka rivers are the major waterways to flow into the bay from the south and the west.
The bay was once a resting area for migrating whales and dolphins such as southern right whales[2] and humpback whales, and pygmy blue whales may be observed off the bay as well.[3]
The west and northern regions of the bay are largely unpopulated. Along its southern coast are the towns of Tākaka and Collingwood, and the Abel Tasman National Park. Separation Point / Te Matau, the natural boundary between Golden and Tasman Bays, is in the park. North-eastern parts of Kahurangi National Park are in Golden Bay.
It is known for being a popular tourist destination, because of its good weather and relaxed, friendly lifestyle. Beaches such as Tata Beach are popular locations for retirees and holiday homes.
- ^ "New and altered place names of Te Tau Ihu". www.theprow.org.nz. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
- ^ "Sighting of rare whale". Stuff.
- ^ Torres G. L.. 2013. Evidence for an unrecognised blue whale foraging ground in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 47(2). ResearchGate. Retrieved on 3 March 2017