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Bird watching

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Farm Animals - Viewing

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Horse riding

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Picnics

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Pram walks

Access for prams is possible around most of the park following the formed roads. The roads have a good surface for off-road prams to explore the views or walk to the harbour. There are steep sections of road and you may need to lift your pram over gates at times.

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Sheep Shearing (seasonal)

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Sightseeing

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Walks (1 hour or more)

A network of walking trails stretches across the farm, through the valleys and along the ridge tops, offering magnificent vistas of the Kaipara and surrounding areas.

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Walks (less than 1 hour)

A network of walking trails stretches across the farm, through the valleys and along the ridge tops, offering magnificent vistas of the Kaipara and surrounding areas.

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Wedding / civil union

Weddings and civil unions require a consent to be obtained prior to commencement. Some locations are very popular over the summer months and early booking is recommended. Please contact parks on 09 366 2000 to discuss your requirements.

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No dogs

Dogs are prohibited at this park

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Atiu Creek

The farm was gifted to the ARC by Jackie and Pierre Chatelanat who wanted to ensure that all New Zealanders could enjoy access to the Kaipara Harbour and that the cultural and heritage values of the area would be protected in perpetuity. In 2004, the Chatelanats placed a QE II Open Space covenant on Atiu Creek Farm.

Atiu Creek became a Regional Park on July 1, 2006. The ARC will develop the park as a countryside Regional Park, managed and operated on the principles of protection, preservation and enhancement of its natural and cultural values. This park was officially opened to the public on Saturday 5 April 2008.

Park facilities

Bach - view details

Interpretation

Mobility access

Native bush

Parking
In main area

Toilet block

History

The cultural and historical assets of Atiu Creek are equally impressive.

There are 17 known historic places on the farm plus a canoe portage area and an abandoned nineteenth-century oyster farm adjacent to the site.

The tangata whenua are Te Uri o Hau. There are numerous pa sites, including the extensive ridge pa which defended the strategic Opou Portage. The early European presence in the area is marked by the remnants of a nineteenth-century settler camp.

Native bush

The park enjoys extensive harbour frontage and has large tracts of native forest supporting a range of flora and fauna. In addition to 450 ha of easy, rolling grassed land, the property contains a number of significant areas of native forest and wetlands in the gullies.

It provides significant habitats for the three nationally threatened bird species: the NZ dabchick, brown teal, and the North Island brown kiwi.

Forest types present on Atiu Creek include regenerating kanuka forest and scrubland, mature pohutukawa coastal forest, kauri forest on the ridges, and totara forest with broadleaved forest in the gullies.

On the prominent Kauri Point there are sequences of totara forest on ridges to coastal pohutukawa-puriri forest to mangroves in the estuary. The park has intact areas of coastal forest which are now rare nationally.

Home to the NZ dabchick, brown teal, and the North Island brown kiwi.

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Park opening hours:

Summer:: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Winter:: 6:00am - 7:00pm

Weekend opening hours:

Summer:: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Winter:: 6:00am - 7:00pm

Public holiday opening hours:

Summer:: 6:00am - 9:00pm
Winter:: 6:00am - 7:00pm

How to get to Atiu Creek

Journey north on State Highway 1 to Wellsford. Turn left at the Caltex station and service centre onto Port Albert Road. Follow the signs to the park. The property lies on the Kaipara Harbour, on the Okahukura (Tapora) Peninsula. Please note there is no vehicle access beyond the main car park to Solomon's Bay. Please refer to the park map for walking or mountain bike details on distance, direction and time.

Distance from Auckland CBD: 113 km