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

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
Feb 6, 2026Ra Gusela peak at Giau Pass, near Cortina dAmpezzo, Italy

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 18, 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
Apr 2, 2026Wildflower bloom, Central Valley, California, United States
Dec 14, 2023Boreal owl
May 18, 2025Pont St-Pierre across the Garonne River, Toulouse, France
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
Nov 19, 2024Tasmans Arch, Tasman National Park, Tasmania, Australia
Mar 8, 2025Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park, Germany
Nov 13, 2025Quiver trees, Namibia
Jan 7, 2026Turret Arch the in Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia flower
Aug 27, 2025Sørvágsvatn lake, island of Vágar, Faroe Islands
Mar 4, 2026Purple crocus flowers, Seven Rila Lakes, Bulgaria
Apr 1, 2026Japanese tree frog in a pink morning glory
May 15, 2026A family of sperm whales, Indian Ocean
Sep 21, 2024Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany
Dec 4, 2024Male white rhinoceroses
Oct 26, 2023Schönbrunn Palace Park, Vienna, Austria
July 9, 2026Rice fields at Sapa, Lào Cai, Vietnam
Feb 27, 2024Polar bear cubs
Jan 2, 2026Aerial view of Venice, Italy
Aug 23, 2025Greater flamingos, Camargue Regional Nature Park, France
Jan 19, 2026Abraham Lake, Alberta, Canada
Oct 14, 2024Coco Beach, Goa, India
Jul 17, 2024Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany
Jul 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Jan 4, 2024Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
May 6, 2026Thunderstorm above the plains, Bulgaria
Nov 19, 2025Hungarian Parliament Building, Budapest, Hungary
Apr 14, 2024Bowling Ball Beach, California, USA
May 21, 2026Tea terraces in Sichuan Province, China