Auckland - New Zealand's North Island - page 206

NORTH AUCKLAND
The Auckland supercity sprawls 90km north of the CBD to just past the point where SH16
and SH1 converge at Wellsford. Beaches, regional parks, tramping trails, quaint villages,
wine, kayaking and snorkelling are the main drawcards.
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Long Bay Regional Park
The northernmost of Auckland's east coast bays, Long Bay is a popular family picnic and
swimming spot, attracting over a million visitors a year. A three-hour-return coastal walk
heads north from the sandy beach to the Okura River, taking in secluded Grannys Bay and
Pohutukawa Bay (which attracts nude bathers).
Regular buses head to Long Bay from Albert St in the city (adult/child $6.80/4, one
hour). If you're driving, leave the Northern Motorway at the Oteha Valley Rd exit, head to-
wards Browns Bay and follow the signs.
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Shakespear Regional Park
Shooting out eastward just before Orewa, the Whangaparaoa Peninsula is a heavily deve-
loped spit of land with a sizable South African expat community. At its tip is this gorgeous
376-hectare regional park, its native wildlife protected by a 1.7km pest-proof fence.
Sheep, cows, peacocks and pukeko ramble over the grassy headland, while pohutukawa-
lined Te Haruhi Bay provides great views of the gulf islands and the city. Walking tracks take
between 40 minutes and two hours, exploring native forest, WWII gun embankments,
Maori sites and lookouts. If you can't bear to leave, there's an idyllic beachfront campsite (
09-301 0101; www.arc.govt.nz ; adult/child $13/6) with flush toilets and cold showers.
It's possible to get here via a torturous two-hour bus trip from Albert St. The one-way
fare is $10.30, so it's best to buy a $16 Discovery day pass. An alternative is to take the 360
Discovery MAP GOOGLE MAP ( 0800 360 3472; www.360discovery.co.nz ; adult/child $14/8.30) ferry service
to Gulf Harbour , a Noddy-town development of matching townhouses, a marina, country club