geographic points of interest

Awhitu Central Church

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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

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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

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Located at the end of Hatton road, the camp is managed by Waiuku College

Awhitu Park Remembrance 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

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The Park was officially opened in 1977. The park consists of 113 hectares, 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 Wharf

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Awhitu Warf used to be located at the end of Kauri Rd on the Dickies Landing headland It was built in 1877 and was used for about 70 years.

Bachelor Button Walk

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This amazing little walk is through the Awhitu ARC park marshland. It occurs every spring when the bachelor buttons flower forming a lovely lime yellow pathway

Brook's Shack

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The Brook's shifted onto the Awhitu Peninsula in 1875 and erected a shack simular to form now located near the main homestead.

Brooks Homestead

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The Brook's arrived at Āwhitu in 1875, and built this homestead about 1800. The main weatherboard is pit sawn Kauri

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

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White sandy tidal beach with sweeping views accross the Manukau harbour

Kauritutahi Beach Wharf

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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 their boat up to it but it's great for jumping off when the tide is right.

Kauritutahi Creek

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On the outgoing tide locals jump off the boat ramp/wharf at the end of Featon Aveand get swept down the creek and around the bend to the main swimming hole which you can see in the distance

Kingfisher nesting holes

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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.

Kohekohe Church

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Kohekohe Church: built in 1886, this small church is located against one of the most sublime visual backdrops

Lake Pokorua

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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

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Macrocarpa At Brooks Farm

Matakawau

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Matakawau is translated as Headland of the Shag. The Matakawau 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

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Church opened 1954 after a 15 year long fund raising project Church is now used by Anglican and Presbyterian ministries.

Matakawau Point

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Located at Matakawau Point is a public reserve and all tidal boat ramp. You can fish off the point. Barbeque's and toilets are available on the reserve.

Matakawau Scenic Reserve

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Good little 25 minute bush walk which has some of the few remaining Kauri trees on the Awhitu peninsula.

Matata Tohu Carving

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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

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Orua Bay: One of the most picturesque bays located on the Manukau Harbour. The bay has many holiday baches and retirement houses

Otamanewa Island

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This picturesque small island is located in Matakawau Bay

Pollok Presbyterian Church

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Pollok Presbyterian Church

Pollok School

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Pollok school closed a few years ago due to falling school roles. It is now registered as Historic Place -Category ii

Road to Lighthouse

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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

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On Manukau Harbour, the numbers of royal spoonbills and other waders have increased since sewage treatment ponds were removed in 2001

The African Queen

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A rusting old boat located in Orua Bay colloquially known as 'The African Queen'

Waimatuku

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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

Wattle Bay

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Located over the hill from Orua Bay. Wattle bay is the last bay before you get to the heads.

World War 1 Cenotaph

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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.

Information published here is gathered by Awhitu Enterprise. Awhitu Enterprise is a not-for-profit organisation supporting local community and economic development on the Awhitu Peninsula

If you uncover any information, which is inaccurate, or out of date, please let Awhitu Enterprise know.

Awhitu Enterprise Contact Details:
  • Postal: Awhitu Enterprise, R D 4, Waiuku
  • Phone: (09) 2351616 Please leave message on answer phone
  • Location: Awhitu Info Centre, Awhitu Road, Matakawau, Franklin District , Auckland Region, New Zealand
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