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, a miniature railway 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.

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. Amoung 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.