Moeraki Boulders

Asteroids, dinosaur droppings or space craft ball bearings?

Hundreds of huge marble-like boulders strewn along the windswept beach like giant turtle eggs: that's what's been dumped on the sands at Moeraki, just south of Oamaru.

Best seen at low tide, these beautiful spherical stones — some up to four-metres in circumference — can be seen emerging from the cliffs and disappearing into the sand and the sea.

The coastal elements are slowly eroding the boulders into fascinating shapes and uncovering new ones.

There's been a bit of debate as to how the Moeraki Boulders got there – much of it rather colourful.

According to Maori tradition, the boulders are gourds and calabashes washed ashore from the voyaging canoe Araiteuru when it was wrecked upon landfall some 1,000 years ago.

The reality is more about geology. These boulders were formed over millions of years on the sea floor by a layering process similar to the formation of oyster pearls. The seabed was uplifted to form coastal cliffs that have eroded over time so the boulders tumbled down onto the beach.

A world-famous destination, Moeraki is also great to visit for other reasons. This charming fishing town has a yellow-eyed penguin sanctuary and a seal colony. The Kotahitanga Church (built in 1862) contains beautiful stained glass windows that were made in Rome.