NEW ZEALAND FREE BEACHES

From: richard@West.Sun.COM (Richard M. Mathews)

  New Zealand has no national laws prohibiting nudity, save where it is
  intended to be offensive.  Some local bodies have regulated against
  nudity on their beaches, however they have not yet managed to police
  such by-laws in an effective way.  Police, if they questioned someone
  in response to a complaint against nudity, would usually request that
  the nude person dress, rather than arrest them.

  You should assume on NZ free beaches that you will need to bring your
  own food and drink.  None that I have visited have toilet facilities
  (or changing rooms!).

  The Free Beach Group lists the following "main" nudist beaches:

  Uretiti: From State Highway 1, 6 km north of Waipu, North of Auckland,
  turn into the Uretiti Beach Recreation Reserve.  Big camping ground
  among pine trees.  No dogs, no open fires.  Petrol and stores at Waipu
  or Ruakaka, 3 km further on.  Recent attempts for people to go nude in
  the (mixed nudist and textile) camp ground has been discouraged by
  rangers.

  Pohutukawa Bay (Long Bay): From the Auckland Harbour Bridge, drive up
  the Northern Motorway, through the Sunset Road lights and turn right at
  the end into Rosedale Road, at the second sign to East Coast Bays.  Turn
  left into East Coast Bays Road, go 3 km, turn right at the roundabout
  into Carlisle Road.  Follow the main road 4 km past the Torbay shops to
  the ARC park at the end.  Park at the far north end carpark, walk north
  30 minutes to the second beach along.  Track over the cliffs is good if
  the tide is in.  Bus goes from the top of Victoria Street to the beach
  from Auckland city.  Trees on the beach for shade.

  St Leonards Beach: From Takapuna on Auckland's North Shore, drive south
  2 km along Lake Road, turn left into St Leonards Road and park at the
  end.  Beach is down cliff path at end of road.  Recently this beach has
  been the target of local council moves to ban nudity.  There have been
  no arrests and the action of the council is largely through the media.
  Beach is in the middle of Auckland city and very popular with nudists
  and non-nudists alike.  Although the cliffs make foot access difficult,
  the water front is very busy with boats and jet skis.  The Bayswater bus
  will drop you at the end of St Leonards Road, from Victoria Street West
  in central Auckland.  Takapuna Grammar School identifies the road in.

  Little Palm Beach: Waiheke Island, by virtue of the QuickCat boat service,
  has become almost a suburb of Auckland, with many islanders commuting to
  the city to work each day.  The ferry ticket can include the cost of the
  bus trip to Palm Beach or you can hire bikes or mopeds for the day.  Walk
  from Palm Beach around the rocks or over the headland to your left.  This
  beach has been a safe nudist beach since a 1970s attempt to prosecute a
  nude bather with very publicly lost by the authorities.  Swimming is
  perfect and the local grocery store is only a five minute walk down the
  beach, if you can be bothered getting dressed.

  Orpheus Bay (Emiel's Beach): From Titirangi in West Auckland, follow the
  signs towards Huia, turning left at sign to Huia Point Lookout.  Track
  entrance is 200m along, in the far corner of a grassed parking area, the
  Con Bryan Tract.  A small sandy beach backed by bush-clad hills, best in
  mid-summer.  Good swimming and fishing.  No camping.

  Papamoa: From Tauranga, on the east coast of the North Island, follow
  signs towards Mount Maunganui, turn right just over the railway line at
  the roundabout, into Girven Road.  Near the sea, turn right into Maranui
  Road at sign to Papamoa.  Go 2 km past the Bay Park Raceway and park on
  the grass by the Papamoa Beach sign.  Track 50m over the sand dunes to
  the beach.  This beach is very easy access for those who do not want to,
  or are unable to, walk far to enjoy a good ocean beach.

  Pekapeka: From State Highway 1 6 km north of Waikanae (on the west coast
  of the North Island, towards Wellington) turn west into Te Hapua Road,
  3 km to the end.  Track 100m to the beach, walk to your left 10 - 15
  minutes.  No camping.

  Breaker Bay: From the end of State Highway 1 in Wellington, follow the
  signs to the airport, turning right at the second roundabout at signs to
  Airport-Strathmore-Seatoun.  Turn left into Broadway at sign to Seatoun,
  go past the Strathmore shops, up the hill and through the tunnel.  Turn
  immediately right into Ludlam Road, then second right into Inglis Street,
  up the hill and through a road cutting (Pass of Branda).  Two car parks
  are on your left at the bottom of the him, or go by bus to Seatoun and
  walk 1 km along Inglis Street to the beach.

  Spencerville Beach: From the State Highway 1 Motorway north of Christchurch
  in the South Island, turn off at sign to Chaneys and follow signs to
  Spencerville, 7 km to Spencer Park picnic and recreation grounds.  Going
  from Christchurch, drive along Marshlands Road and turn into Lower Styx
  Road at sign to Spencerville 5 km.  At the beach, keep left along a
  bumpy road among trees and park at the end.  Walk to your left along
  the sandspit.  There is a motor camp and a store.
  	[Original from Brent Thomson <veritas@iconz.co.nz>]