Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand Feb 6, 2025

Archway Islands, Wharariki Beach, South Island, New Zealand

Welcome to the Archway Islands—a group of four rock stacks at Wharariki Beach in New Zealand. The islands are a result of wind and coastal erosion that have shaped the rocks into arches, caves and stacks. The rocks, which are around 55–65 million years old, are made of quartz- and feldspar-rich sandstones and pebbly conglomerates. Rising from the waters of the Tasman Sea, these rugged islets became well known around the world after they were featured in a Windows 10 desktop screensaver in 2015. At low tide, curious wanderers can explore caves and rock pools and often spot lounging seals.

© Francesco Vaninetti/AWL/plainpicture

palette

Today in History

Feb 6, 2024Lake Tahoe

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 18, 2024Medieval city walls, Ávila, Spain
Aug 11, 2025Village of Santa Maddalena, Dolomites, Italy
Feb 24, 2025Giant cuttlefish, Whyalla, South Australia, Australia
Jan 18, 2025Dunes at White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Apr 5, 2024The Bahamas
Jan 8, 2026Yellow-chevroned parakeets
Sep 1, 2023Turkey tail mushroom
Jan 24, 2024Diamond Beach, Iceland
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Oct 7, 2023Grizzly bears, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA
Dec 23, 2024Two red-crowned cranes in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan
Dec 21, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Oct 29, 2023Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia, USA
Jun 15, 2024Surfer riding a wave in Nazaré, Portugal
Jan 11, 2025Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco
Jan 27, 2024Spot-billed toucanet, Brazil
Dec 1, 2023Jasper National Park, Canada
Dec 23, 2025Lagazzuolo Lake, Valmalenco, Lombardy, Italy
Mar 10, 2024Prosecco Hills, Veneto, Italy
Dec 16, 2025Medieval Aqueduct, Perugia, Italy
Oct 31, 2023Pumpkins and squashes
Jul 26, 2024Pont Neuf over the Seine, Paris, France
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States
Feb 2, 2025Alpine marmot
Jan 14, 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
May 28, 2024The Monastery of Roussanou
Dec 28, 2023Humpback whale
Oct 16, 2024Jurassic Coast, Dorset, England