sense-of-place web feedAwhitu Central Church
Built in 1877, the church is still in use today. This church along with the Kohekohe church is a recognised piece of historical architecture
Awhitu Central School Building.
Āwhitu Central school building is now used as the meeting place for the Awhitu Social Club on Friday nights and during the summer months there is a summer cafe on Sundays
Awhitu Environmental Camp
Awhitu Environmental Camp
Awhitu Park Pemembrance Plaque
Bronze plaque on conglomerate rock. "This park was officially opened by T.H Pearce, Chairman Auckland Regional Authority and A.K Corban, Chairman Regional Parks Committee on Saturday 8 November 1975
Awhitu Regional Park
The Park was officially opened in 1977. The park consists of 113 hectres, which you can wander over by following the well defined tracks. Walks take in some salt meadows, and salt marshes, a great lookout overlooking the harbour, and pieces of native bush.
Awhitu Warf
Awhitu Warf used to be located at the end of the Kauri Rd on the Dickies Landing Headland. It was built in 1877 and was used for about 70 odd years
Bachelor Button Walk
This amazing little walk is though the Awhitu ARC park marshland. It occurs every spring when the bachelor buttons flower forming a lovely lime yellow pathway.
Brooks Homestead
The Brooks arrived to Āwhitu in 1875, and built this homestead about 1800. The main weatherboard is pit sawn Kauri
Brooks Shack
The Brooks shifted onto the Awhitu Peninsula in 1875 and erected a shack simular to form now located near the main homestead.
Dickeys Landing
Dickey's Landing-Kauri Road once a important landing for trade boats is now considered the area name for the Headland off Kauri Road. Metal for Awhitu roads was shipped here. And one assumes gum and Kauri where shipped of in their heyday. When roads improved, the need for the landing diminished. The remains of the landing can still be seen.
Grahams Beach
White sandy tidal beach with sweeping views accross the Manukau harbour
Kauritutahi Beach Wharf
This small Wharf at Kauritutahi Beach located just down from Brooks Homestead in the Awhitu Regional Park gives lots of pleasure over summer. The wharf is tidal, no one ties thier boat up to it but it's great for jumping of when the tide is right.
Kauritutahi Creek
Kauritutahi Creek
Kingfisher nesting holes
Kingfisher holes can be found along the banks of the Manukau harbour. The bank on the left is at the Awhitu Regional park, just down from the carpark Kotare, the kingfisher love crabs found on the tidal mud flats
Kohekohe Church
Kohekohe Church: built in 1886, this small church is located in one of the most sublime visual backdrops
Lake Pokorua
Lake Pokorua, located in Kohekohe on the Awhitu Peninsula is of ecological significance in that the lake is seemingly impossibly located in sand dunes
Macro At Brooks
Macrocarpa At Brooks Farm
Matakawau
Matakawau is translated as Headland of the Shag. The Matakawu beachfront settlement is the largest on the Peninsula. The settlement mainly consists of holiday baches and retirement houses. It was subdivided between 1949 and1960.
Matakawau Catholic Church
Church opened 1954 after a 15 year long fund raising project Church is now used by Anglican and Presbyterian ministries.
Matakawau Point
Located at Matawau Point is a public reserve and all tidal boat ramp. You can fish of the point. Barbques and toilets are available on the reserve.
Matakawau Scenic Reserve
Good little 25 minute bush walk which has some of the few remaining Kauri trees on the Awhitu peninsula.
Matata Tohu Carving
Carving erected in 2000. Created to mark the ARCs parks 2000 anniversary. Salt meadows, rushland and sedgelands in the Awhitu Regional park provides habitat for the endemic fernbird (Matata) which is the subject of the carving
Orua Bay
Orua Bay: One of the most picturesque bays located on the Manukau Harbour. The bay has many holiday baches and retirement houses
Otamanewa Island
This picturesque small island is located in Matakawau Bay
Pollok Presbyterian Church
Pollok Presbyterian Church
Pollok School
Pollok school closed a few years ago due to falling school roles
Road to Lighthouse
Road to lighthouse has many views, this looks through a rusting barbed top wire fence down the gap towards Wattle bay.
Royal Spoonbills At Waipipi
On Manukau Harbour, the numbers of royal spoonbills and other waders have increased since sewage treatment ponds were removed in 2001
The African Queen
A rusting old boat located in Orua Bay colloquially known as 'The African Queen'
Waimatuku
Waimatuku (Hamiltons Gap)The name Waimatuku is Maori for “water of the Bittern. This is the name of the reserve at the entrance to the Hamilton's Gap. Road access to the gap is through west coast road. The place has a wild rugged, sublime aesthetic. The sand is black, the sand hills are immense.
Wattle Bay
Located over the hill from Orua Bay. Wattle bay is the last bay before you get to the heads.
World War 1 Cenotaph
The cenotaph is transcribed with the names of Awhitu residents who participated in active duty during World War One. It contains the names of those fallen and those who returned.