When someone you love dies tragically, it is a pain that is indescribable to anyone else. It is a void in your heart that leaves you feeling alone and lost. A pain that I hope you don’t ever have to experience. John Cargill, son of Captain William Cargill, lost his youngest to a rip tide in the 1870s. As expected, John was devastated. Instead of falling into a deep depression, he used his grief and decided to create something beautiful in memory of his youngest daughter. He chipped away at a sandstone coastline south of Dunedin, New Zealand, creating a tunnel beach walkway. The results are spectacular.
To get to the tunnel, it’s about a 20 minute walk and the views are sensational.
Once you reach the tunnel, it is only 72 steps total in length.
Looking at the walls of the tunnel, you can tell this was all done by hand by the grieving father.
Once you walk through the short tunnel, you are here.
To your own private beach.
And it is absolutely beautiful.
I think it is safe to say his daughter would be pleased with this, too.
The only way to access this beach is through the private tunnel he created.
This beautiful tunnel beach walkway is worth every minute of it. There are incredible discoveries to be made within the rock along the way. Many people find ancient fossils or creative carvings too. You can learn more about where this is and directions here.