Palliser Bay is at the southern end of the

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

of New Zealand, to the southeast of

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

. It runs for 40 kilometres along the

Cook Strait Cook Strait () is a strait that separates the North Island, North and South Islands of New Zealand. The strait connects the Tasman Sea on the northwest with the South Pacific Ocean on the southeast. It is wide at its narrowest point,McLintock, ...

coast from

Turakirae Head Turakirae Head is a promontory and scientific reserve on the southern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It is located at the western end of Palliser Bay, 20 kilometres southeast of Wellington, at the southern end of the Remutaka Range. The he ...

at the southern end of the Remutaka Ranges to

Cape Palliser Cape Palliser is a promontory on the southern coast of New Zealand's North Island and is the southernmost point of the North Island; it is in fact considerably farther south than Nelson or Blenheim in the South Island. It is located at the eas ...

, the North Island's southernmost point. The coastline is exposed to the weather and winds. Inland from the bay is the plain of the Ruamahanga River, which has its outflow in the bay. This river flows through Lake Wairarapa, 10 kilometres from the coast. There are several notable geographical features in the area, including the Pūtangirua Pinnacles,

Kupe's Sail Ngā Rā-a-Kupe (), formerly known as Kupe's Sail, is a geological formation near the eastern end of Palliser Bay at the southern end of the North Island of New Zealand. It is composed of sedimentary rock which has been thrust up in an earthq ...

and the Whatarangi Bluff, the erosion of which has had dramatic effects on the coastline. Some of these cliffs are made of mudstone and are therefore easily eroded, and sometimes collapse.

References

External links

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Te Ara
- article on the Palliser Bay area Bays of the Wellington Region Cook Strait {{Wellington-geo-stub