Waitakere Ranges

The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park and the internationally renowned and prolific art community it inspires make Waitakere a special place to visit. These drawcards provide a backdrop to all the accommodation, activities, cafes, and shopping you would expect from an urban centre.

The park is framed on its western side by Auckland’s wild west coast. Popular coastal destinations include the black sand surf beaches of Whatipu, Karekare, Piha and Te Henga/Bethells.

The park offers an abundance of recreational activities including swimming, surfing, tramping, fishing, boating, horse riding, running, walking, picnicking, camping, canyoning, sightseeing or simply relaxing. The sunsets are nothing short of spectacular.

Award winning movies like Jane Campion’s ‘The Piano’ and the popular TV series 'Xena’ and ‘Hercules’, all filmed here give the park an international profile.

Click on the thumbnail images for a closer look at the Waitakere area.