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Park activities

Bird watching
Farm Animals - Viewing
Horse riding
Mountain biking
Picnics
Pram walks
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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)
Sightseeing
Walks (1 hour or more)
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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.

6 out of 10

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Walks (less than 1 hour)
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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.

5 out of 10

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Wedding / civil union
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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
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No dogs

Dogs are prohibited at this park

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Print view

Atiu Creek

Now open to the public.

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
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.

Picture of Atiu Creek
Home to the NZ dabchick, brown teal, and the North Island brown kiwi.
Open map in ARC-GIS
(our mapping application)

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.

Distance from Auckland CBD: 113 km

  
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Opening a gift

The official opening of Atiu Creek Regional Park

 
Atiu Creek Regional Park was officially opened to the public on Saturday 5 April by the Governor-General The Honourable Anand Satyanand and his wife Mrs Susan Satyanand.

Auckland Regional Council Chairman Michael Lee and Councillors Sandra Coney and Christine Rose spoke about the tremendous gift made by Pierre and Jackie Chatelanat. Sir Brian Lochore, Chairman of the QEII National Trust spoke on behalf of the trust about the covenant placed on this property and the protection of open space by private landowners.

Click here to read His Excellency's speech