About Ahipara Campground
Ahipara Campground is commonly referred to as the "Gateway to the 90 mile beach". Popular activities include swimming, surfcasting, surfing, boating, fishing, kite flying, hang gliding, shell fishing and of course walking along the Tasman Sea.
The name "Ninety Mile Beach" is a bit misleading as it is closer to 55 miles (88 km). The most common theory of the root of the name stems from the days when missionaries traveled by horse. Generally, horses could travel 30 miles / day without needing rest. It took 3 days to travel the length of the beach leading the missionaries to think they had traveled 90 miles because they did not take the slower pace of the horses into account.
New Zealand has officially classed this beach as a public highway and it was used as a runway for airmail in 1932. The worlds biggest snapper surf-fishing contest takes place annually at the end of the swimming season.
The name Ahipara comes from the M?ori language and means "Sacred Fire" after an ancient fire that continuously burned where the school currently stands. "
