Last updated October 2026
The Timaru Breakwater that shelters Caroline Bay is the North Mole of PrimePort Timaru’s harbour, and it is working port land, not a public fishing spot.
The North Mole area is a gazetted port security area, and PrimePort says the public may not enter its secure areas at any time. That still leaves good options close by: PrimePort’s public fishing pontoon in the fishing harbour, opened in December 2023, and the beach at Caroline Bay.
Red cod are the traditional catch around Timaru’s harbour, with kahawai offshore in summer. This guide covers what is open, what to expect and the rules that apply.
Timaru Breakwater at a Glance
- Location
- Caroline Bay and PrimePort Timaru, Marine Parade, Timaru
- Breakwater access
- Not public: the North Mole is a gazetted port security area
- Where to fish
- PrimePort’s public fishing pontoon in the fishing harbour; Caroline Bay beach
- Water
- Open coast, sheltered by the harbour moles (sea)
- Main species
- Red cod; kahawai in summer; rig, elephant fish and spiny dogfish on this coast
- Best conditions
- Light northerly or north-westerly winds; avoid southerly swell
- Getting there
- Car parks off Marine Parade and Virtue Avenue; MyWay on-demand bus
- Tide port
- Timaru (LINZ standard port)
- Rules
- MPI South-East, plus Te Ahi Tarakihi Mātaitai bylaws in Caroline Bay
- Cost
- Free
- Low 5:17 am 0.9 m
- High 11:37 am 2.1 m
- Low 5:57 pm 0.9 m
Best times today: around 5:17 am, 11:37 am and 5:57 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 8:29 am and 8:51 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Timaru tides ›
Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
Setting and Background
Timaru had no natural harbour. By the time the Timaru Harbour Board formed in 1877, more than 20 ships had been wrecked on this coast, and breakwater work began in 1878.
The North Mole followed between 1888 and 1890 to stop sand filling the harbour. Sand then built up against its northern side, and that sand became Caroline Bay, which the council describes as the only sandy beach between Oamaru and Banks Peninsula.
So the breakwater is at the southern, harbour end of Caroline Bay, not the northern end. The port is run by PrimePort Timaru, which is owned jointly by Timaru District Council and Port of Tauranga.
In 2014 the North Mole area, from Marine Parade along the seaward side of the North Mole Wharf and including the area known as the Shoreline, was gazetted as a port security area. The Eastern Mole north of Talbot Street is also excluded from the district plan’s public access schedule, and PrimePort blocks access there at times for safety.
The rocks around the port are also home to kororā, little penguins. Their nesting areas include the fenced Marine Parade boulders, the reclamation north of the boat ramp, the Eastern Extension and the erosion rocks below the Benvenue Cliffs. Timaru District Council calls them the only significant breeding habitat between Banks Peninsula and Oamaru.
Kāti Huirapa hold mana whenua here, represented by Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua. The coast was a travel route between Wairewa and Waitarakao (Washdyke Lagoon), and the Te Ahi Tarakihi Mātaitai Reserve, which takes in Caroline Bay, is of great significance to mana whenua.
How to Fish Around the Timaru Breakwater
Where to fish
- PrimePort fishing pontoon: a 12 metre public pontoon inside the port’s fishing harbour, opened by PrimePort in December 2023. Follow PrimePort’s signs to it and stay out of fenced operational areas.
- Caroline Bay beach: a council reserve with a sandy beach sheltered by the harbour. Fish it when the beach is quiet, and keep well away from swimmers in summer.
- Not the breakwater or moles: do not climb fences or walk the North Mole or Eastern Extension. They are port land, and the rock edges are penguin nesting areas.
What to catch
- Red cod: the classic Timaru harbour fish. They come close to shore in hungry schools, often at dusk, which suits children. Any simple running or ledger rig with a fresh bait works.
- Kahawai: mostly a summer fish here, and most reports come from small boats off Timaru. On this coast they gather around river mouths.
- Rig, elephant fish and spiny dogfish: make up much of the shore catch from the Hurunui to Timaru in summer and autumn.
- Snapper and kingfish: not a shore prospect here. We found no reliable report of either being caught from the shore at Timaru.
Conditions
Light northerly or north-westerly winds are best on this coast. Southerly winds and swell make it rough and unsafe: big swells broke the Caroline Bay swimming pontoon in December 2024, and seas regularly crash onto the Benvenue Cliffs and Dashing Rocks north of the bay.
Rules and Safety
- Port security: PrimePort does not allow public entry to any of its secure areas at any time. Park outside operational areas.
- Sea fishing rules: MPI’s South-East rules apply. No licence is needed for sea fishing.
- Te Ahi Tarakihi Mātaitai Reserve: the waters of Caroline Bay are inside it. Its boundary runs along the north-western side of the Caroline Bay wharf. Since 2019 its bylaws limit pāua, kina, mussels (kūtai) and flatfish (pātiki), and all other shellfish are prohibited. Check MPI’s map and limits before taking anything.
- Penguins: kororā breed from July to February and moult from January to March. Keep off the rock areas, take all line and hooks home, and keep lights and noise down along Marine Parade after dusk.
- Water quality: West Caroline Bay was rated poor in the 2023 recreational water report. Do not swim near the Whale Creek stormwater outlet, and avoid the water for two to three days after heavy rain. Check LAWA for current results.
- Dogs: not allowed in the Caroline Bay reserve. On the beach they are banned from 1 October to 31 March and all year in the signed penguin areas at both ends.
Getting There and Facilities
- Parking: Caroline Bay car parks are reached from Marine Parade and Virtue Avenue. Do not park inside port operational areas.
- Walking: from the town centre, take the Bay Hill piazza stairs or lift and the overbridge, or the Wai-iti Road underpass.
- Bus: MyWay by Metro is an on-demand service, booked on 03 688 55 44 or the app.
- Facilities: Caroline Bay has a playground, barbecues and mini golf. Marine Parade is lit by the port’s security lights.
Tackle and Bait Nearby
- Hunting & Fishing Timaru, Unit 1, The Landings, 50 Theodosia Street.
- Davo’s Fishing Hunting & Sport, 186 Hilton Highway, Washdyke.
Trusted Sources
MPI South-East fishing rules: limits and closures, including the Timaru mātaitai reserves.
MPI: Timaru mātaitai map: the boundary of Te Ahi Tarakihi Mātaitai Reserve.
PrimePort Timaru: security: port security areas and public access.
Common Questions
Can you fish off the Timaru breakwater?
No. The breakwater is the harbour’s North Mole, which is port land and a gazetted port security area. PrimePort does not allow public entry.
Where can I fish near Caroline Bay instead?
From PrimePort’s public fishing pontoon in the fishing harbour, opened in December 2023, or from Caroline Bay beach.
What can you catch at Timaru?
Red cod are the traditional catch around the harbour. Kahawai turn up in summer, and rig, elephant fish and spiny dogfish are common shore catches on this coast.
Are there snapper or kingfish at Timaru?
Not from the shore. We found no reliable report of either being caught from the shore here.
Is Caroline Bay a mātaitai?
Yes. It is inside Te Ahi Tarakihi Mātaitai Reserve, where the bylaws limit pāua, kina, mussels and flatfish and ban other shellfish.
Can I bring my dog?
Not into the Caroline Bay reserve, and not onto the beach from 1 October to 31 March or into the signed penguin areas at any time.
Do I need a licence?
No licence is needed for sea fishing, but MPI’s South-East rules and the mātaitai bylaws apply.
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