Caroline Bay

                          
Beach & Facilities
Dig your toes into the warm sand, play beach cricket, splash in the waves or take a stroll along the waters edge. Caroline Bay is a stunning sandy beach just minutes from the main street. Enjoy easy scenic walks, through picturesque Caroline Bay and along nearby coastal tracks. At dusk Caroline Bay is home to the world’s smallest penguins, which are viewable from Marine Parade walkway.
Caroline Bay was voted a top 10 family beach by AA Traveller. It's sheltered bay, and shallow waters make it perfect place for the whole family to enjoy.  It's a great beach for paddle boarding, boogie boarding, kayaking, and sailing. The Timaru fishing platform and end of the wharf are popular spots for fishing.
Within the Caroline Bay grounds you will find the Southern Hemisphere’s largest playground, New Zealand’s first free outdoor pickleball court, little penguins, skate park, mini golf course, paddling pool, bird aviary, carnival rides in the summer months and a rose garden.
The annual Caroline Bay Carnival has daily entertainment with live bands, concerts, competitions, rides and games. Join the fun at Caroline Bay and the Soundshell from 26 December 2025 to 11 January 2026.
CPlay
Experience the award-winning CPlay Playground at Caroline Bay, the largest playground in the Southern Hemisphere! Climb aboard a shipwreck, conquer a towering 10m high lighthouse slide, explore the mahika kai-inspired play zone, and soar through the air on a 50-meter tandem flying fox. A fun playground designed to suit a range of abilities and ages. A bike skills park is a fun learning environment for kids on their scooters and bikes. Pickleball and basketball courts, skate park and paddling pool are all in the same area which makes up the largest playground in New Zealand.
Surfing
Jack’s Point and Pātītī Point are two popular surfing spots just minutes from Timaru’s CBD. A 10 minute drive from the city, Jack’s Point is a right hand point break on a rocky, stony point at Scarborough, south of Timaru. Suited to advanced to expert surfers, Jack’s Point gives a good length wave with several sections. Pātītī Point is a popular, left hand point break off the end of the point. Ideal for intermediate to expert surfers, the wave has a steep, fast drop in and fast, powerful hollow sections.
Walk & Bike Tracks
Two of the region’s most popular walks start from the Timaru CBD. Head to Caroline Bay to start the popular Dashing Rocks Coastal Walk or head south past the port to join the Coastal Walk heading out to Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point.
The Dashing Rocks Coastal Walk is a 1 hour return loop from Caroline Bay. Enjoy panoramic views over Caroline Bay and wander over ancient lava flows from Mount Horrible. Walk past Benvenue cliffs and the historic Blackett’s Lighthouse.
The Coastal Track is a good hour one way from Marine Parade or the wharf through to the start of Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point track. Walking past Pātītī Point and along the coastline you get some fantastic ocean views.
Tuhawaiki (Jack’s) Point track is a 5km track from one end to the other or to the lighthouse and back. This will take you about an hour from a Scarborough road to the lighthouse and back, slightly shorter from Ellis Road to the lighthouse and back. A very popular track in the summer with spectacular coastal views and occasionally views of surfers at the point.
The Caroline Bay track is an easy walk around the area. Follow the board walks along the beach, through the playground area, past the rose garden and up the piazza back into Timaru CBD. There are multiple access points around the bay precinct.