Last updated October 2026
Tilby Point is a harbour-edge reserve beside Fergusson Park in Matua, on the southern side of Tauranga Harbour, about 5 kilometres from the Tauranga city centre in a straight line. It is an easy harbour swim close to the city, with a small boat ramp, toilets, a barbecue and a playground within a short walk of the water.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council tests the water weekly from October to March. The site has a Fair long-term grade on LAWA, which means the water is usually fine for swimming but is best avoided after rain, and 93% of tests over six summers were suitable.
Swimming Facts
Before you swim: Tested weekly Oct–Mar by Bay of Plenty Regional Council. Stay out for 48 hours after heavy rain. Latest result on LAWA
Today at Tilby Point
Friday 30 OctoberWater quality track record
What the grades mean
Excellent and Good: rarely unsafe for swimming. Fair: usually fine, but avoid swimming after rain. Poor: often unsuitable, especially after rain, so check the latest result first.
Grades use LAWA’s method: the 95th percentile of routine enterococci results over the five summers from 2020/21 to 2024/25, with at least 50 tests (256 per 100 mL from 111 tests).
Practical Information
- Location
- Tilby Point, beside Fergusson Park, Tilby Drive, Matua, Tauranga
- Distance from Tauranga
- About 5 km from the city centre in a straight line
- Water
- Tidal harbour. Nearest tide station: Tauranga
- Water quality
- Fair (LAWA long-term grade, summers 2020/21 to 2024/25): avoid swimming after rain
- Testing
- Weekly from October to March by Bay of Plenty Regional Council
- Boat ramp
- Small trailer boats, usable about three hours either side of high tide
- Facilities nearby
- Toilets by the boat ramp (open 24 hours), barbecue, drinking water, playground and parking
About Tilby Point
Tilby Point sits on the harbour edge of Fergusson Park, a large council park at 90 Tilby Drive in the suburb of Matua. Tauranga City Council describes Fergusson Park as home to football and cricket and a popular spot for walking along the harbour.
The point itself looks out over the southern reaches of Tauranga Harbour, and the shoreline here is tidal, with a boat ramp used by small trailer boats around high tide.
The land has a long Māori history. An interpretation panel made around 2015 for Tauranga City Council and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, titled Fergusson Park and the Tilby Farm: The Māori history, tells the story of Matuaiwi pā and of the Ngāpuhi raids and occupation of Matuaiwi Pā and the wider Tauranga area in the 1820s and 1830s.
The panel also explains the naming of Kaiarero Point at the north-west corner of Fergusson Park. A copy of the panel text is held in the Sladden Collection at Tauranga City Libraries.
The panel’s title refers to the Tilby farm, and the Tilby name is also carried by Tilby Drive and Tilby Point. Today the area is a busy suburban park: football and cricket teams use the fields, walkers follow the harbour edge, and on summer days families use the reserve for a picnic, a barbecue and a swim at high tide.
Swimming and Water Quality at Tilby Point
Bay of Plenty Regional Council samples Tauranga Harbour at Tilby Point every week from October to March and publishes the results on LAWA’s Can I Swim Here? pages.
The council lists Tilby Point among its estuarine and harbour swimming sites, and in January 2026 SunLive reported Tilby Point Reserve in Matua among the Bay of Plenty’s suitable swimming spots that summer.
The site has a Fair LAWA long-term grade, based on 111 routine tests over the summers of 2020/21 to 2024/25. Across 138 tests between October 2019 and March 2025, 93% were suitable for swimming.
A Fair grade means the water is usually fine, but it can carry higher levels of bacteria after rain, when runoff from the city and surrounding land reaches the harbour.
Check the latest result on LAWA before you swim, and stay out of the water for at least 48 hours after heavy rain.
Bay of Plenty Regional Council advises avoiding swimming for two to three days after heavy or prolonged rain, and keeping away from places where contamination is likely, such as stormwater or wastewater outlets. Any current health warnings are posted by Toi Te Ora Public Health.
The harbour here is shallow at low tide: Tauranga City Council notes that the boat ramp is only accessible for about three hours either side of high tide. Plan to swim around high tide, keep clear of the boat ramp and any boats launching or retrieving, and keep a close eye on children in the water.
Getting There and Facilities
Tilby Point is about 5 kilometres from the Tauranga city centre in a straight line. The main Fergusson Park car park is reached from Tilby Drive in Matua.
Toilets next to the boat ramp are open 24 hours, and the park is open from 5.30am to 10pm all year. A barbecue, drinking water and a playground are all within a few hundred metres of the shore.
The boat ramp suits small trailer boats only: Tauranga City Council sets a maximum vessel length of 4 metres, a maximum vessel weight of 2 tonnes and a combined vehicle and vessel limit of 4 tonnes.
Where to Learn More
LAWA and Bay of Plenty Regional Council: the latest Can I Swim Here? result and long-term grade for Tauranga Harbour at Tilby Point.
Tauranga City Council: Fergusson Park details, including parking, opening hours and toilets by the boat ramp.
Tauranga City Council: marine and boating: boat ramp details for Fergusson Park, including tide access and size limits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you swim at Tilby Point?
Yes. Tilby Point is one of Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s monitored Tauranga Harbour swimming sites. It has a Fair grade, so check LAWA first, swim around high tide and stay out for at least 48 hours after heavy rain.
What is the water quality like at Tilby Point?
The site has a Fair LAWA long-term grade for summers 2020/21 to 2024/25. Of 138 tests between October 2019 and March 2025, 93% were suitable for swimming. Water quality can drop after rain.
When is the water at Tilby Point tested?
Bay of Plenty Regional Council samples the site weekly from October to March, and the results are published on LAWA.
Where is Tilby Point?
Tilby Point is beside Fergusson Park on Tilby Drive in Matua, on the southern side of Tauranga Harbour, about 5 kilometres from the Tauranga city centre in a straight line.
What facilities are at Tilby Point?
There are toilets by the boat ramp that are open 24 hours, plus a barbecue, drinking water, a playground and parking in Fergusson Park.
Is the harbour at Tilby Point tidal?
Yes. The water is shallow at low tide, and the boat ramp is only usable for about three hours either side of high tide. The nearest tide station is Tauranga.
Can you launch a boat at Tilby Point?
Yes, but only small trailer boats up to 4 metres long and 2 tonnes, around high tide.
What is the history of Fergusson Park?
A council and Heritage New Zealand interpretation panel tells the story of Matuaiwi Pā, Ngāpuhi raids in the 1820s and 1830s, the naming of Kaiarero Point and the Tilby farm.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Sources and data notes 2
- Today at Tilby Point: Tides: LINZ, CC BY 4.0; predictions only. Sea temperature: NASA JPL MUR satellite data for 28 Oct, via Tideteller.
- Water quality track record: Water quality: © LAWA and partner organisations (Bay of Plenty Regional Council), licensed under CC BY 4.0, results to March 2025.