Thornton Bay is a small coastal settlement of approximately 330 people according to the 2023 census, and it’s an ideal place to stop for a family swim, launch your kayaks, catch a sunset, explore the rock pools, or cast a fishing line out.

If you’re staying in Thames, it’s worth the short drive up the coast to the bay, where there’s plenty of parking under the pōhutukawa trees. There’s also a public toilet at the bottom of Adam’s Rd, just across the road about halfway up the bay. There are some picnic tables, grassy areas for those who don’t like sitting on sand and a few benches as well.

This is a great spot to catch the sunset, and often Thames locals will do exactly that – head up the coast for sunset hour.

Thornton Bay is the physical seaward boundary between Ngāti Maru to the south and Ngati Tāmatera to the north.

The Māori name for this area is Te Wharau – ‘a shelter (built for travellers)’.

It was a flourishing Ngāti Maru kāinga (village) as evidenced by pā sites, urupa (burial grounds) and old Māori fish traps – rocks placed to trap fish in the falling tide, which are visible in the bay at low tide.

The bay is named after R. Thornton, an orchardist who settled in the area in 1890.

On your way up the coast, you might want to stop at Tararu Historical Cemetery for some grave browsing.

Location

Thornton Bay is located 8km north of Thames township on the Thames Coastal Highway (SH25).