Bruce Bay is a small settlement located approximately 40 kilometres south of Fox Glacier on the banks of the Mahitahi River.

The resident population of Bruce Bay and Paringa in the 2013 Cenus was 33.

Bruce Bay is also the location of the Te Tauaka Waka a Maui Marae opened on 25 January 2005 which looks directly at the Tasman Sea. Bruce Bay was where Maui first landed in New Zealand from Hawaii and the marae bears his name in commemoration of this feat. He then traversed the South Island before fishing up the North Island.

There are only about a dozen permanent residences at Bruce Bay as well as a sprinkling of holiday homes and baches and the area is known for its abundant bird life, fantastic fishing, white baiting and hunting and the magnificence of the sunsets.

The Annual Bruce Bay Sports Day held at Labour Weekend sees woodchoppers come from all over New Zealand to compete and the dance held in the evening goes into the small hours. A museum to commemorate the rich history of the area is now planned to be built adjacent to the Hall.

Bruce Bay is also the nesting site for the Antarctic penguins which nest in the native bush to the south of the river while Hector Dolphins and the odd siting of whales are often able to viewed from the main road.

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