Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock, Granite rock formation in Tasman Bay, New Zealand.

Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock is a Cretaceous granite rock in Tasman Bay, about 50 metres off the coast between Kaiteriteri and Mārahau. A natural joint splits it into two unequal masses: a broader rounded half on the left and a taller, pointed half on the right, with a narrow gap between them. A smaller low rock section sits partly above the water to the right.

The granite is of Cretaceous age, but the cleft is a natural joint, a plane of weakness in the rock that rain and waves widened over time. The sources give no date for when the split formed. The name Split Apple Rock was made official in 1988 and altered to Tokangawhā / Split Apple Rock in August 2014.

The Māori name Tokangawhā means 'burst open rock' and comes from local stories about gods who split the boulder during a competition. This link to oral tradition gives the place significance for the local community.

The formation is easiest to reach at low tide when you can wade through shallow water, or you can book a boat tour from Kaiteriteri for different viewing angles. The best time to visit is when the water level is low and the surroundings are more accessible.

The cleft is a natural joint, a plane of weakness in the Cretaceous granite that rain and waves widened over time; the sources give no date for it. The two masses are not symmetrical: the photo shows a broad rounded block on the left and a taller pointed one on the right, with a small bird perched on its apex.