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Park activities

Boating
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Boating

The marine reserve makes for pleasant boating and diving but remember it is strictly 'look but don't touch'.

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Diving
Dog walking with restrictions
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Dog walking with restrictions

All park land above the mean high water mark and adjoining beaches north of Vaughan stream - dogs are prohibited at all times. Below high water mark to Vaughan stream - dogs are allowed except during daylight savings between 10am and 6.30pm. Dogs must be under direct and continuous control at all times.

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Education
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Education

Long Bay lies adjacent to the Okura Marine Reserve. Marine environment programmes are available for primary school children.

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Kayaking
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Kayaking

In calm weather kayaks are launched easily. A quiet paddle will take you to Piripiri Point and into the Okura River.

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Orienteering
Paragliding
Picnics
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Picnics

There are 7 bookable sites suitable for groups. Groups of 75 must obtain a permit. Otherwise find your own favourite spot.

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Sightseeing
Surfing
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Surfing

If there's a big swell on the east coast then you can occasionally get waves here. Offshore in a westerly.

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Swimming
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Swimming

Long Bay is a family beach, children should be watched at all times. Pohutukawa and Granny's Bay are also popular and not as crowded, though you may come across nude bathers.

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

Take a longer walk towards the Okura River taking in Granny's Bay and Pohutukawa Bay.

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Walks (less than 1 hour)
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Walks (less than 1 hour)

Take a short walk from Vaughan Homestead up through the farm land.

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Wedding / civil union
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Wedding / civil union

Long Bay has a wedding site or Vaughan Homestead is another option. Sites may also be booked for wedding receptions. 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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Tracks

Coastal Walk
3 hours / 6 km
Nature Trail
 ½ hour / 0 km
Print view

Long Bay

Long Bay Regional Park is a favourite for many Aucklanders, attracting well over one million visitors a year. It provides a backdrop to the great stretch of beach that gives the park its name.

Safe swimming, a wealth of shady picnic spots, plenty of open space for games and disabled-friendly playground make this a great place for all the family to enjoy.

The sweeping beach adjoins a marine reserve while the park itself also has stands of native bush, the historic Vaughan Homestead and a restaurant.

From the park you can explore the coast as far as north as Okura.

Park facilities

Bookable Site - view details
Designated SCC Parking Area - view details
Mobility access (partial)
Long Bay has a great deal to offer people with limited mobility. The southern end of the park is made up of grassed areas bordered by a long sandy beach on one side and a road on the other. The grassed areas are all on fairly gently rolling slopes. Click here for a PDF fact sheet about limited mobility access at Long Bay.
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BBQ
10 electric BBQs, 6 single wood BBQs and 4 double wood BBQs.
Beaches
There are three beaches, Long Bay, Pohutukawa Bay and Granny's Bay.
Campervan access
Summer and Winter: Self contained campervans can stay for 1 night in the SCC carparking area.
Cellphone coverage
Historic homesteads
Interpretation
Limited mobility parking
There are accessible car parks near each of the 3 toilet blocks. North ground: grass car parks are flat and accessible. Playground: marked mobility car park on tarmac. South ground: marked mobility car park on tarmac. These car parks are monitored for unauthorised use by the park rangers.
Limited mobility toilet
There are 3 sets of toilets in the park all with disability access toilet cubicles.
Notice board
Parking
Picnic tables
There are 7 bookable sites suitable for groups. Groups of 75 must obtain a permit. Otherwise you can find your own favourite spot.
Potable water
Pram access
The picnic area and the beach are pram friendly.
Ranger contact phone
Ranger office
Sealed access road
Security gates
Security surveillance
Toilet block

History

Maori occupants of Long Bay gave it the name Oneroa, meaning long expanse of sand. Ngati Kahu was the main tribal group to live here until European settlement began in the 1850s. The Vaughan family bought 600 hectares at Long Bay in 1862 and farmed sheep on the property during the next 100 years. George Vaughan built the Vaughan Homestead as a farm cottage in 1863. It was extended and altered over the years but the Torbay Historical Society has restored it to its present form. The Vaughan family ran the current picnic areas as a camping ground until they sold the park to the Auckland Regional Council in 1965. Among the park's interesting historical sites is a World War II gun emplacement north of the beach (on the Coastal Walk). This was part of a defence network to protect the Waitemata harbour from Japanese invasion.

Wildlife

The marine reserve includes rock pools to see at low tide. All sea life is protected here so do not take or damage any marine life. Look out for crabs, sea anemones, sea snails, barnacles, seaweed (Neptune's necklace and sea lettuce), pacific oysters and mussels. Dolphins often visit the waters of the reserve.

Native Bush

A significant area of mature coastal forest (Vaughan Bush) with a canopy of pohutakawa, puriri and taraire exists on the northern slopes of the Vaughan Stream. A fringe of pohutukawa forest extends north from Vaughan Bush to the Okura Estuary. Mixed manuka/kanuka shrubland also occurs on the cliffs in patches.

Picture of Long Bay
Put on your walking shoes and and head north along the coast - there are excellent views out over the Hauraki Gulf.

Park opening hours

Pedestrian access
 
Open 24 hours
Gate opening hours
 
Daylight savings (summer):
6:00am - 9:00pm
Non daylight savings (winter):
6:00am - 9:00pm
Download map
 
Open map of this park in ARC-GIS
(our mapping application)

How to get to Long Bay

From Auckland, head north on State Highway 1 (Northern Motorway) and take the Oteha Valley Road off-ramp. Turn right and follow Oteha Valley Road to the traffic lights. Go straight ahead into Carlisle Road and follow the AA signs through Torbay to Long Bay. The Park access road leads off Beach Road.

Distance from Auckland CBD: 30 km

  
Get directions with Google Maps
Public transport information:
A regular bus service operates between Auckland CBD and Long Bay. • Buses to drop off people then park in Bus Park in the Southern ground.
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