Muriwai Regional Park is a windswept rugged coastline on the west coast about 42 kilometres northwest of Auckland and Muriwai Beach is one of New Zealand's most spectacular black sand surf beaches. A gannet colony is located at the southern end of Muriwai beach and is an established breeding area for gannets. About 1,200 pairs of adult gannets nest here each summer and can be seen between August and March each year.br/br/The Australasian Gannet (Morus serrator), also known as Takapu (Maori), normally nest in large colonies on coastal islands; an exception to this being the colonies on New Zealands mainland at Muriwai, Cape Kidnappers and Farewell Spit.