White Beaches, wind swept scenery and picturesque farmland, does that description capture the imagination? These hidden treasures and more are only a car ride away on the The Awhitu Peninsula. One definition given for Awhitu, means longing to return – to feel regret for – to yearn for. Once you’ve visited the Peninsula you will agree that the definition is spot on.
The Awhitu Peninsula is the land mass that you can see across the Manukau Harbour from Titirangi, Auckland Airport and the Waitakare Ranges. If you are looking for a bit of a tiki tour and something different to do then read on.
Beaches to explore
As you head out of Waiuku along Awhitu Road you will find many beaches dotted along the Awhitu Peninsula coastline to enjoy. Some of the beaches have black sand and some white.
- Hamiltons Gap
- Te Toro
- Grahams Beach
- Big Bay
- Orua Bay
- Kauritūtahi Beach
- Brooks Beach
- Wattle Bay
- Hudsons Bay
Points of Interest
The first point of interest along Awhitu Road is Kohekohe Church. The contrast of the building against the green and blue backdrop is just stunning. The church was built in 1886 and decommissioned in 1976. It is now privately owned.
Pollok is the next stop. A small town that has an art gallery, and a community hall. A group of local artists have set up the Pollok Art Co-Op Make sure you stop of here and see if you can find some of my art work. Are you interested in history and would like to know more about the area? The shop has a number of books about the peninsula for sale too. If you’re visiting on the first Sunday of the month check out the newly established market held in the community hall.
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Artwork at the Market – Phil Jordan -
Beeswax wraps – The Lemon Pip -
Real Fruit Ice Cream
A few minutes further along the road is Matakawau. A bigger settlement which has a general store, petrol station, hall and the Awhitu school. If you’re in the area over Easter make sure you pop along to the school on the Saturday for the Annual Easter Auction, its not to be missed.
Also of interest is the short bush walk, the Matakawau Scenic Reserve, which is located next to the school.
Awhitu Regional Park
Continue along Awhitu Road until you reach Brook Road. Situated down Brook Road is the Awhitu Regional Park. Some of the land was once owned by the Brook family, and their home built in 1880 of Kauri still stands.
It is still a working farm today and consists of a total of 113 hectares of land. See if you can spot the sheep, cows and eels plus the many native birds when you visit. There are also some wetland areas to explore.
Two beaches are located in the park, Kauritutahi and Brook, both ideal for swimming. There is plenty of space within the park for lots of activities including camping, barbecues, walks, for more see the map
Manukau Heads Lighthouse
At the top of the Awhitu Peninsula is the Manukau Heads Lighthouse. Open to the public from 9am to 5pm daily, entry is via donation. Stairs inside lead to a viewing platform which overlooks the Manukau Harbour.
If you are lucky you may be able to spot the Hectors dolphin too. From there you can see across to the Waitakere ranges and also the Manukau Bar, the place where the HMS Orpheus ran aground in 1863. New Zealand’s worst maritime disaster with 190 lives lost.
The original light house was built in 1874, and was the first lighthouse lit with paraffin in New Zealand. In 1944 as a consequence of erosion, the lighthouse was moved. However, in 1986 the lighthouse became surplus to requirements as the Auckland Harbour board installed a more powerful light at the Signal Station. Read more about how the current light house came into existence on the Manukau Heads Lighthouse website.
Final word
Just the other day I heard that there was nothing to see or do up the peninsula so I hope that this blog dispels that notion. Also, this is not a comprehensive list of all there is to do. If you think there are other things that should be included please let me know. I would love to hear more about any walk there are that can be done up the Awhitu Peninsula.
If you would like to purchase the Awhitu print as pictured further up see the shop. To find out more about the area have a read of the post about Waiuku.
Thanks for taking the time to read my blog
Jenny
