Winter Weekend Itinerary: ALL EYES SOUTH

To rush through South Auckland in a hurry to the next stop would be a mistake. A myriad of experiences await all those who delve a little deeper.

FRIDAY: ACTIVE INDULGENCE

Ease your way into a relaxed weekend with a morning High Tea at Fisher House in Highbrook, a 20-minute drive south of central Auckland. Available between 9am and 11am, pick at sweet pastries in the former grounds of Sir Woolf and Lady Fisher. Built in 1962 as a 71-hectare racing horse stud farm, it’s preened to perfection.

With rounded bellies, drive a further 15 minutes west to Manukau Harbour, the larger of Auckland’s twin harbours and a spectacle of tidal flats and wading birds. The harbour’s inner reaches can be admired from Mangere Bridge, a bonny village bristling with community spirit.

Six minutes from here is Ambury Regional Park, gateway to the Manukau Coastal Cycleway. Grazing the waterfront, this 14km return route is flat and easy. Follow the trail to Ōtuataua Stonefields with its resident large-scale archaeological remnants.

TOP TIP: No bike? No worries. Hire your wheels from Torpedo7 in Manukau.

Not solely an ancient volcano with impressive 360-degree views, Māngere Mountain encompasses an Education Centre and gardens. If you have energy left in the tank, guided 90-minute walks are available.

With appetites rife once more, head to Pah Homestead in Hillsborough, a 10-minute drive north. Located in an impressive Italianate heritage building, the café sits atop a hill overlooking Monte Cecilia Park. Tuck into a light lunch before admiring some of the 9000-strong collection of contemporary artworks curated from the Wallace Arts Trust Collection, then pop into the shop, and an emporium of fantastic one-of-a-kind crafts. A walk around the sweeping park is equally hard to resist.

Finish the day at Villa Maria Estate winery. The newly renamed Tasting Room combines wine tasting with small platters, served in the vineyard’s stately surroundings.

SATURDAY: BARGAINS, GARDENS & GLAMPING

Otara Flea Market, South Auckland

For an experience unique to South Auckland, rise and shine for the Otara Flea Market in Manukau. Erupting from 6am every Saturday, discover 150 lively stores peddling everything from Polynesian crafts to fresh produce and a kaleidoscope of bric-à-brac. There are food stalls where Pacific flavours prevail, live music and vibrant cultural performances. Cash is king so load your pockets with gold.

Spend the afternoon at Auckland Botanic Gardens in Manurewa. An all-round crowd pleaser, this great green expanse has something for everyone, and dogs are welcome too, albeit on a leash. Kids love the award-winning Potter Children’s Garden which is both educational and enthralling. There are large-scale outdoor sculptures, 10 hectares of forest and lakes, an edible garden for those after backyard inspiration and just about every imaginable plant species for the die-hard horticulturists. Peckish? There’s a café, too.

Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa, South Auckland

Auckland Council

Stay at Castaways Resort tonight. Perched on a wild cliffside over Karioitahi Beach, their glamping experiences include luxury coastal tents with fire pits and outdoor bathtubs. But first, dinner. From the gardens, detour to The Munted Jandal in Waiuku. Famed for both its amusing name and gourmet takeaway burgers, it’s just a nine-minute drive from Castaway Resort. Skedaddle home and chow down before a stunning oceanscape.

SUNDAY: MODERN LUXURIES MEET BYGONE MARVELS

Manukau Heads Lighthouse, South Auckland

Castaways Resort in Karioitahi Beach conveniently neighbours Bersantai Day Spa, so once you’ve awoken to the thrum of waves, slide over for some indulgent self-care. Perhaps an outdoor Balinese coconut milk bath tickles your fancy.

Once polished and prepped for the day, drive 40 minutes north to Manukau Heads Lighthouse. The route is one of spectacular beauty. Pinned to the tip of Āwhitu Peninsula, the lighthouse is over 140 years old and unlike many of its kin, fully open to the public. Ascend to the upper deck for panoramic harbour views.

From here, swing east for wine tasting at Āwhitu Wines, home of rose, syrah and chardonnay, before retracing your route back down the peninsula.

Stop at Kentish Hotel for fish and chips. Located in Waiuku, this handsome old abode was built in 1851, and is the oldest licensed alehouse in Aotearoa. You can then curve north to Glenbrook, all but a 14-minute drive away, for a ride on the vintage Glenbrook rails. It pays to check ahead as the temperamental steam locomotive doesn’t always chug.

As your day comes to a satisfying end, descend on Bracu Restaurant for dinner. Located in the Bombay Hills and enveloped by olive groves, you can sit before a crackling fireplace and feast on contemporary Mediterranean cuisine.