8 minute read
ROAD TRIP: A journey through Waitākere
Auckland to Titirangi via Titirangi Rd - 23min, 16.1km
Auckland to Hauraki Gulf Islands
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Downtown Auckland to Rangitoto Island, 25min ferry ride
Downtown Auckland to Waiheke Island, 35min ferry ride
Downtown Auckland to Great Barrier Island, 4.5hr ferry ride (or 35min flight from Auckland Airport)
Dining on Waiheke Island
Chris McLennan
Sometimes a straight line isn’t the best way to a destination – especially when that destination is Waitākere, the area named for the ranges that run along the western edge of Auckland. Head along the northwestern motorway and watch for signposted turn-offs to Titirangi, to begin exploring.
There’s much to discover, from Māori settlement and inter-tribal conflict, to how Croatian immigrants created the thriving Auckland wine industry. Dig your feet into iron-rich sand and hear the surf boom, then walk through lush native bush in the Waitākere Ranges. Formed approximately 15 million years ago by volcanic activity, the ranges enjoy a higher annual rainfall (2000mm) than central Auckland (1268mm) – so pack a raincoat if skies look grey.
Snugly wrapped in a coat of green, bush-clad Titirangi village feels light years away from other Auckland suburbs. It’s the jumping-off point from which to visit many of the west coast beaches, yet Titirangi is also a destination in its own right.
CENTRAL AUCKLAND
Britomart, Central Auckland
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Before you leave the city, there is a lot of exploring to do. On the waterfront in central Auckland, VIADUCT HARBOUR and WYNYARD QUARTER are home to many bars and restaurants with sparkling harbour views. Newly built COMMERCIAL BAY is a mecca of flashy shops and global cuisine. PONSONBY RD is also on-trend for food and while you’re there, check out the designer boutiques. Shop for labels on QUEEN ST and on nearby KARANGAHAPE RD for vintage, retro and quirky. On your way to PARNELL, for elegant boutiques, galleries and cafés, spend time at the AUCKLAND DOMAIN and the WINTERGARDENS. While you’re there, visit the AUCKLAND MUSEUM. Just up the road is shopping haven NEWMARKET where you’ll find an enormous, modern mall, craft galleries and vintage boutiques. And in MT EDEN, discover a street full of genuine Kiwi life, with bookshops, fruit & vege shops, clothing boutiques and cafés. The city centre is not all hustle and bustle. CORNWALL PARK is an urban oasis. Within the 172ha gem is a working farm, cafés, avenues of elegant trees, walking trails, an observatory, and the volcanic summit of One Tree Hill. It’s very peaceful.
CENTRAL AUCKLAND - MUST-DO'S
> Sky Tower
> Auckland Zoo
> Kelly Tarlton’s
> Butterfly Creek
> MOTAT
> Mission Bay
Gentoo penguins
Kelly Tarlton's
HIGHLIGHTS
COLIN MCCAHON HOUSE - The famous New Zealand artist’s former home nestles among kauri trees and bush; it’s now a centre offering insights into McCahon’s life and work.
TITIRANGI VILLAGE MARKET - Arts, crafts, clothing and more made by ultra-talented locals, held on the last Sunday of each month.
MURIWAI’S GANNETS - A major drawcard of Muriwai is the gannet colony at Otakamiro Point. It’s an easy walk from the beach along a well-formed path to vantage points to see the colony. It’s impossible to say which is the best of the west’s BLACK-SAND BEACHES. Just make sure you visit at least one of these jewels: Whatipu, Karekare, Piha, Anawhata, Te Henga/Bethells Beach or Muriwai.
Muriwai
Luke Thurlby
VISIT A VINEYARD - Some of New Zealand’s oldest wine dynasties were established after Croatian immigrants put down roots in the early 1900s, and they produce some fine drops.
Winery in Waiheke Island
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LOPDELL PRECINCT – Enjoy the many surprises of Te Uru gallery; the community art at Lopdell House; and the Turkish inspired menu of Deco Eatery in Titirangi.
WHOA! STUDIOS – Fantastical and fun for kids of all ages, with shows, a film studio and a play park. Bonus: kid-friendly fine dining at The Grounds.
RIVERHEAD TAVERN – Pub eats on outdoor terraces with water views.
THE TASTING SHED, KUMEŪ – Rustic, tasty and regular award winners.
LITTLE CREATURES, Hobsonville Point: Brew pub inside a former seaplane hangar.
HALLERTAU BREWERY, RIVERHEAD – Beer garden with live music and food.Now open in Clevedon,too.
KUMEŪ WINERIES – Knock on cellar doors for tastings at Soljans Estate, Coopers Creek and Westbrook Winery. Stay for lunch.
ACTIVE OUT WEST
Blow away the cobwebs with activities ranging from gentle to pulsepounding.
WAITĀKERE RANGES REGIONAL PARK – This truly spectacular bush-clad range is well worth exploring. Visit the Arataki Visitor Centre on Scenic Drive to learn about the area and for information on which walking tracks are open.
LEARN TO SURF – Take on the challenge of the west coast’s waves the smart way – under the guidance of professionals from a surf school in Piha or Muriwai.
Surfer on Piha Beach
Todd Eyre
WOODHILL FOREST – Get into mountain biking, four-wheel driving, horse riding, treetop adventure courses, motorcycling and more.
Mountain bikers
Woodhill Forest/ATEED
KAYAK THE MOTU MĀNAWA-POLLEN ISLAND MARINE RESERVE – Launch a kayak at the end of Pt Chevalier’s Walker Rd to explore tidal channels and mangroves. It’s a rich feeding ground for birds, from white-faced herons and godwits to the endangered banded rail.
AWOL CANYONING ADVENTURES – Cave jumps and waterfall abseils in Piha Canyon.
Karekare Falls
Camilla Rutherford
A DOSE OF ART
Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, Titirangi
Sam Hartnett
TE URU WAITĀKERE CONTEMPORARY GALLERY in Titirangi is something special. Soft light and curved spaces dominate the interior of this architecturally lauded building, which houses world-class exhibitions and offers glorious views. If you’d like to take something special home, local artists and craftspeople are well represented in Te Uru’s excellent gift shop.
Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery, Titirangi
Sam Hartnett
MARKET MATTERS
Why not buy your food and treats direct from the people who make them? There are lots of options to do so at one of West Auckland’s fresh markets.
BORIC FOOD MARKET – This family-owned Kumeū establishment offers a specialty food market,deli and farm-style playground. Produce is grownnext door.
ŌRATIA FARMERS’ MARKET – Rock up to Hoani Waititi Marae on a Saturday morning for fresh produce and food products, coffee, breakfast and live music.
AVONDALE MARKET – Every Sunday, an estimated 15,000-20,000 people converge on Avondale Racecourse. There are strong Polynesian and Asian influences in the produce, food, crafts and clothes on sale.
GREEN BAY STREET FOOD – Run by volunteers, zero waste and full of food trucks – this is a market with heart.Check their Facebook page for locations.
DAY TRIP TO AN ISLAND IN THE GULF
Hihi/stitchbird
Mark Meredith
A visit to Auckland is not complete without a visit to RANGITOTO ISLAND. Ferry services deliver day trippers to the island, timed to allow for a walk to its summit and back. It’s a fascinating walk through a volcanic landscape, shaded much of the way by native trees. The view from the peak is sensational.
For something very special, consider a 75-minute ferry trip from downtown Auckland to TIRITIRI MATANGI, an island sanctuary for New Zealand native birds. It’s a nature lover’s paradise.
GREAT BARRIER ISLAND
Aotea Track, Great Barrier Island
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Ruggedly beautiful, isolated Great Barrier Island is on the edge of the Hauraki Gulf, a short flight or a 4.5-hour ferry trip away. Stay at least a few days to explore its coastline,walking trails, history and culture and to experience the incredible night sky. Another of Great Barrier’s many divine experiences involves a short walk through native forest to a nature-made hot spring.
Great Barrier was the first island in the world to become a DARK SKY SANCTUARY. It’s claimed that 5000 stars are visible on a clear night – about 10 times as many as across the rest of Auckland.
A drive along the east coast reveals WHITE-SAND BEACHES, in contrast to the western side wherethe beaches are rocky andsheltered.
The AOTEA TRACK makes an enticing multi-day walk for both beginners and hardened hikers. CHARTER A FISHING BOAT or join a HELI-FISHING tour to find the best fishing spots around the island.
Discover the island’s NATIVE WILDLIFE, with great birdwatching, snorkelling and diving spots.
KAITOKE HOT SPRINGS An easy, 45-minute walk leads to natural hot springs.
Sunset at Mt Heale hut, Great Barrier Island
Todd Eyre Photography
WAIHEKE ISLAND
Te Whau vineyard, Waiheke Island
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Waiheke Island is top of the visitor list for those seeking top-quality wineries and restaurants, classy cafés, boutique shopping and art galleries. As well as its sophisticated side, Waiheke has many great beaches, walking trails and historic sites to explore.
Gelato Company, Waiheke Island
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Just 40 minutes away by ferry, Waiheke Island feels like a world away. It’s a suburb of Auckland, with many residents commuting to the city each day, so has more infrastructure than other islands in the gulf. Several ferries run every day.
There is plenty of accommodation here and getting around is easy too, via buses, taxies, rental cars, bikes and mopeds. You can even hire stylish retro scooters from Island Scoot, all painted in original Italian colours.
