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Park Activities

Art in the parks
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Art in the parks

The pou (post) stands as a guardian to Arataki, inside you will find whakairo (carvings)

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Education
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Education

Each year schoolchildren embark on Arataki's 'pathway to learning' where they participate in hands on environmental education programmes.

8 out of 10

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Dogs
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Dogs

Dogs are allowed on a lead but not permitted inside the visitor centre.

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Walks (1 hour or more)
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Walks (1 hour or more)

The Arataki Nature Trail is a good introduction to the native plants and wildlife of the Waitakere Ranges. The visitor centre can give you more advice about the tracks in the Waitakeres.

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Tracks

Arataki Nature Trail
75 minutes / 1 km
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Arataki Nature Trail

Walk
Time: 75 minutes
Distance: 1 km

Park at the Arataki Visitor Centre, the track starts across the road and is a good introduction to the native plants and wildlife of the Waitakere Ranges

Pram friendly: No

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Arataki Visitor Centre

Arataki Visitor Centre is renowned for its rainforest and native wildlife, but also for its wealth of recreational opportunities.

  • Want to know where to go and what to do in the Waitakere Ranges? Arataki Visitor Centre is your gateway to all that the park has to offer
  • Talk to the expert park staff and get their recommendations on track conditions, weather or tides
  • Pick up an information brochure or track map to help you find your way around the park
  • Book a campsite or lodge accommodation
  • Find out how you can become a volunteer and have fun while you help to protect and enhance the Waitakere Ranges
  • Pick up information on any of Auckland's 26 regional parks managed by the ARC
  • Phone the Arataki Visitor Centre on 09 817 0077.
  • Please note that refurbishments will be taking place on the ground floor of the Arataki Visitor Centre from early next year. Construction is due to start in the second week of January and finish in mid-March 2009.  Find out more about the Arataki Visitor Centre refurbishments.

Park facilities

Campervan access
Self contained campervans are able to stay up to 2 nights in the Arataki Visitor Centre carpark

History

The Waitakere Ranges are rich in history. Te Kawerau a Maki occupied land from Whatipu to Muriwai, and have close ties with the land today. Ngati Whatua occupied land at Muriwai and also have close ties today.

The arrival of Europeans from the 1830s onwards meant huge changes. Thousands of native trees were logged and land was cleared for farming.

Several books outlining the history of the Waitakere Ranges are available at the Arataki Visitor Centre.

Carvings

Carvings created by local Iwi (tribe) Te Kawerau a Maki are a main feature of Arataki.

An 11m high Pou (guardian post) at the entrance, represents ancestors of Te Kawerau a Maki and is one of the largest of its kind in New Zealand. Inside are five other ancestral guardian carvings. For more information about the carvings the booklet titled 'Nga Tohu a Nga Tupuna' is available at Arataki.

Picture of Arataki Visitor Centre
Discover stories and secrets of Waitakere Ranges Regional Park with a stop at the Arataki Visitor Centre.

Park opening hours:

Opens:
10am (winter)
9am (summer)
Closes:
4pm (winter)
5pm (summer)

How to get there

The visitor centre is on Scenic Drive, 6km from Titirangi.

From Auckland, take the North Western Motorway (State Highway 16). Take the Great North Rd exit and go left along Great North Rd. Where Great North Rd branches to the left, continue straight ahead through Ash St past the racecourse until reaching a major intersection with Great North and Titirangi Rds. Go straight ahead until reaching Titirangi. At the roundabout at the end of the village, take the second road which is Scenic Drive.  Continue 6km to get to the visitor centre.

Distance from Auckland:
30 minutes
  
Get directions with Google Maps


Track closures

The Upper Nihotupu Dam is being upgraded from April 2009 - December 2009.

From Monday through to Saturday during this period the following track closures will be in place:

  • Christies track
  • Summit track
  • Nihotupu walk (the service road to the Upper Nihotupu Dam)

Access to the dam via these tracks will still be possible on Sundays. 

Friends of Arataki

The Friends of Arataki is a friendly group of people who share a love of the Waitakere Ranges. They are involved in fundraising, promotion and volunteer projects. For more information and to become a member phone Yvonne Pivac on 09 827 3803.