Police were first called to the incident just before 3pm.
A police media spokesperson said a man had fallen off a cliff at Musick Point.
A St John media alert confirmed four of its vehicles attended the incident and treated one patient. The patient was in a serious condition from an extreme fall, the alert said.
Police, St John, Fire and Emergency and the Police Eagle helicopter were all in attendance.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) spokesman said they were going to use a stokes basket to get the man into a position where he could be winched up by a helicopter.
The position of the tide had meant a sea rescue was not possible, he said.
The incident happened near Musick Point Rd. Photo / via Google Maps