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Story: Beach culture

New Zealand Motor Cup, Muriwai Beach

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New Zealand Motor Cup, Muriwai Beach

In the early days of motoring, people frequently drove on the hard flat surface of the beach. The first car races were at Muriwai Beach in 1921. This beach was still holding car races five years later.

Using this item

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira

Reference: Album 277

Permission of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Jock Phillips, Beach culture – Travellers on the beach, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/9100/new-zealand-motor-cup-muriwai-beach (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Jock Phillips, published 2 March 2009.