Red Rocks (Pariwhero) is on the south coast of Wellington, about 8 km from the city centre, and reached via a 4-km walk or drive along the rugged coastal road from Owhiro Bay. The rocks themselves are genuinely ancient — Precambrian red basalt formed over 500 million years ago — and striking against the grey-green sea. In winter (June to September) a colony of New Zealand fur seals hauls out here to rest and play in the rock pools.
The coastal walk from Island Bay or Owhiro Bay to Red Rocks takes about 1.5–2 hours each way along a rough track. The south coast scenery is completely different from the city-facing harbourside: raw, windswept, with big swells hitting the rocks. On a clear day the Kaikoura mountains on the South Island are visible across the Strait. Do not get between a seal and the water — they can move fast and their bite is serious.