Clay Cliffs, Geological formation in Waitaki District, New Zealand

The Omarama Clay Cliffs, also called the Ahuriri River Clay Cliffs, stand on the north bank of the Ahuriri River about 10 km west of Omarama. They consist of tilted layers of silt and gravel of the Hawkdun Group, eroded into tall pinnacles and sharp ridges above deep gullies. The strata were deposited one to two million years ago and later uplifted by the Ostler Fault.

The cliffs formed between 1 and 2 million years ago when glacial rivers continuously deposited sediments across the region. Over time these layers built up and were carved into the ridges and gullies visible today.

The name Omarama is Māori for "place of light", referring to the area's exceptionally clear skies. The cliffs stand on private land, and the car park charges a fee; the surrounding Ahuriri Conservation Park, created in 2005, took in Birchwood Station, which continued farming until its lease ended in 2010.

Access is from Henburn Road where parking and a self-pay honesty box system operate. Visit in clear weather when paths are safer and the layered colors show best to the eye.

The cliffs are on private land and most of the surrounding area lies within Ahuriri Conservation Park, created in 2005 from Birchwood Station, which continued farming until its lease ended in 2010. The parking area is paid, and the formations sit near the north bank of the Ahuriri River, about 10 km west of Omarama.