Victory Beach is named for the wreck of the steam ship "Victory" in 1861 at the southern end of the beach. The extensive sand dunes behind the beach form the Okia flat, which is extensively grazed. Major geological features in the area include the Pyramids and the radial basalt flow in the cliff north-east of the Pyramids.

The walk should be started either from the carpark at the end of Dick Road or alternatively leave your transport where Dick Road leaves the salt marsh flats west of Okia Flat. The walk is described here as starting from the car park at the end of the road.

From the car park go over the stile onto the wide farm track crossing the paddocks towards the Pyramids in the distance. Thousands of years ago this would have been the edge of the sea - the bay has been filled by sand drifting along the coast from the Clutha River. In 15 minutes you reach the gate into the Okia Flat reserve.

At the gate is a small box with some interpretative leaflets for the reserve. If you take one of these leaflets you will have to walk back to the box to return it! Just in front of you is the smaller Pyramid (Te Matai o Kia). It can be climbed by the obvious track on the western side. This is quite rough in places, but the view from the top is well worth it.

When you have descended to the base again, skirt the Pyramid on the north side along the track and look at the caves at the base of the rock. These were occupied by maori using this area. In the cliffs above the cave are some fine columnar basalt features. The path forks around this point. The north-eastern path follows the base of the cliffs to a large-scale basalt 'rose' feature on the cliff to the north of the larger Pyramid (the one you didn't climb). The 'rose' is about 10 minutes walk and well worth it. The feature was formed as basalt cooled around a lava flow in the cliff.

You can walk a loop around the northern end of the Okia Flat from the basalt 'rose'. The nature walk identified on the interpretative leaflet ascends the slopes west of the Okia Flat, for a short departure from this route.

Alternatively, return to the smaller Pyramid and follow the marked track across the ancient dunes towards the beach. Various interpretive panels are situated in the dunes explaining what the Department of Conservation hopes to achieve in the reserve.

After about 20 minutes walk, you arrive on the beach. Victory Beach is a wide sweeping expanse of sand about 3 km long, backed by vegetated dunes. Penguins nest in the dunes and sea lions may be seen sleeping on the beach. If you wish to see yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho) in the evening, walk to the northern end of the beach (about 2.5 km return) and hide well. Penguins are nervous about predators and will not come ashore if they can see you. Fur seal pups can be seen in the rocks at the northern end of the beach in summer.

Turn round at the northern end of the beach and walk the full 3 km to the south, where the flywheel from the wreck of the Victory can be seen at low tide just before the entrance to Papanui inlet. A large maori settlement was situated at this site at least 500 years ago.

At the inlet, follow the shore line around the dunes. At high tide, you may have to walk inland a short distance because the inlet fills right up to the toe of the dunes. Sea lions sometimes cruise around Papanui Inlet fishing. Be wary if they swim near you - they may explode from the deep channel next to the beach and charge at you.

A few hundred metres in from the sea are two old cribs (holiday homes) that are gradually being lost to erosion of the sand dunes by tidal inlet flows. Continue to follow the shoreline up the inlet until you arrive at the marshes, where traces of failed coastal protection measures mark the old shoreline.

Turn right when you join the road and follow the gravel road back to the car park. If you choose to start the walk at this point, park where the road meets the shoreline.