Shakespear Regional Park

Last updated

Shakespear Regional Park
Walking trails at Shakespear Regional Park.jpg
Walking trails at Shakespear Regional Park
NZ-Auckland plain map.png
Disc Plain red.svg
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Coordinates 36°36′29″S174°49′23″E / 36.608°S 174.823°E / -36.608; 174.823
Area500 hectares (1,200 acres) [1]
Operated by Auckland Council

Shakespear Regional Park is a nature park in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is located at the tip of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and is named after the Shakespear family which bought the land in the 1880s from local Maori. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

The park includes the Tamaki Leadership Centre, a Royal New Zealand Navy base. [4]

Geography

Tui in the harakeke (flax) at Shakespear Regional Park Tui in the harakeke (flax) at Shakespear Regional Park.jpg
Tui in the harakeke (flax) at Shakespear Regional Park

The park is located at the end of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. [1] Much of the coastline is lined by sandstone cliffs, which shelter the beach-lined Te Haruhi Bay. At the Park's western border, a narrow lowland separates Okoromai Bay and Army Bay. [4]

Most of the regional park is the Shakespear Open Sanctuary, a collaboration between the Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society and local authorities. [5] Kiwi birds have been spotted in the sanctuary. [6]

A 1.7-kilometre (1.1 mi) pest/predator-proof fence across the peninsula, completed in March 2011, protects the park's wildlife. [7] This includes resident invertebrates and lizards, along with birds migrating from the nearby Tiritiri Matangi island sanctuary. [8] Brodifacoum poison airdrops were conducted in July 2011 to eradicate mammalian pests. [9]

History

The Kawerau hapū Ngāti Kahu traditionally inhabited the area, prior to the arrival of Europeans. Ngāti Kahu's major focuses of settlement were around Te Haruhi Bay and Army Bay. [10] Whangaparaoa Peninsula was purchased by the government in 1853, after which settlers began developing the land for grazing. [10] Ngāti Kahu continued to live on the land until the 1890s. [10] The Shakespear family acquired many of the landholdings in 1883, [11] and farmed the area for much of the 20th century. [10]

The northern area of the park was acquired by the New Zealand Army during World War II. [10] The Army still occupies the site, and because of this, pillboxes can be found around the park. [1]

In 1967 the Shakespear family sold their land to the Auckland Regional Council, who established the Shakespear Regional Park. [10]

Recreation

There are three main walkways in the park: Heritage Trail, Lookout Track and Tiri Tiri Track. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Shore, New Zealand</span> Subregion of Auckland, New Zealand

The North Shore is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The area is defined as the northern shores of the Waitematā Harbour as far north as the Ōkura River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiritiri Matangi Island</span> Island located in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand

Tiritiri Matangi Island is located in the Hauraki Gulf of New Zealand, 3.4 km (2.1 mi) east of the Whangaparāoa Peninsula in the North Island and 30 km (19 mi) north east of Auckland. The 2.2 km2 (1 sq mi) island is an open nature reserve managed by the Supporters of Tiritiri Matangi Incorporated, under the supervision of the Department of Conservation and is noted for its bird life, including takahē, North Island kōkako and kiwi. It attracts between 30,000 and 32,000 visitors a year, the latter figure being the maximum allowed by the Auckland Conservation Management Strategy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Coast Bays</span> Area of the North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand

East Coast Bays is a string of small suburbs that form the northernmost part of the North Shore, part of the contiguous Auckland metropolitan area in New Zealand. The suburbs line the north-east coast of the city along the shore of the Hauraki Gulf and Rangitoto Channel. They include, from north to south, Long Bay, Torbay, Waiake Bay, Browns Bay, Rothesay Bay, Murrays Bay, Mairangi Bay, Campbells Bay and Castor Bay. Most of the East Coast Bays are covered under the East Coast Bays subdivision of the Hibiscus and Bays local board area.

Whangaparāoa Peninsula Suburban area in Auckland Council, Auckland, New Zealand

The Whangaparāoa Peninsula is a suburban area about 30–50 km north of Auckland, New Zealand. It had 33,390 residents in 2018. It stretches from Red Beach, where it connects to Kingsway, Orewa and Silverdale, and extends to Army Bay in the Hauraki Gulf. It is part of the Hibiscus Coast. The area is populated by residents who work on the peninsula, or commute from the area to other parts of the Hibiscus Coast, the North Shore, Rodney district, Auckland CBD and beyond for work. They travel by vehicle, or via the Gulf Harbour ferry at Gulf Harbour Marina, or the Hibiscus Coast Bus Station at Silverdale. There is one main road along its entire length, which is accessible from State Highway 1 via Hibiscus Coast Highway at Silverdale, or from Hibiscus Coast Highway at Orewa via Red Beach. It is popular as a tourist destination for catching a ferry to Tiritiri Matangi Island, and for visiting Shakespear Regional Park. It has one open (Whangaparāoa Golf Club) and one closed golf club (Gulf Harbour Country Club), beaches, sporting and recreation facilities, a library, shops, businesses and public and private primary and secondary schools. The median age of the population is in the 30s-40s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Browns Bay, New Zealand</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Browns Bay is one of the most northernmost suburbs in the contiguous Auckland metropolitan area, located in the North Shore. Named after the Brown family who settled here in 1876, Browns Bay became a holiday destination in the late 19th century. The area gradually developed into a suburb of Auckland in the 1950s, and was the administrative centre for the East Coast Bays City from 1975 until it was disestablished in 1989. During the 1990s, the suburb became a hub for the South African New Zealander community.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mairangi Bay</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Mairangi Bay is a coastal suburb of North Shore, Auckland, located in the northern North Island of New Zealand, on the south-east-facing peninsula forming the northern side of the Waitematā Harbour. Mairangi Bay came under the local governance of the North Shore City Council until subsumed into the Auckland Council in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenhithe, New Zealand</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Greenhithe is a northwestern suburb of Auckland, New Zealand, located on the North Shore. Greenhithe was the location of Tauhinu, a fortified Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Whātua pā which overlooked the entrance to Oruamo or Hellyers Creek, that was settled until the 1820s. In the 1860s, the Forgham family established a community at Greenhithe, which by the 1880s had become a major fruit producer for Auckland. Boat repair and construction became major industries in Greenhithe in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torbay, New Zealand</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Torbay is a northern suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located in the upper East Coast Bays of the city's North Shore, and is governed by Auckland Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hibiscus Coast</span> Stretch of the Hauraki Gulf

The Hibiscus Coast is a populated area on a stretch of the Hauraki Gulf coast in New Zealand's Auckland Region. It has a population of 63,400, making it the 10th most populous urban area in New Zealand, and the second most populous in the Auckland Region, behind Auckland itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castor Bay</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Castor Bay is a bay and suburb of the North Shore, located in Auckland which is in the North Island of New Zealand. Located between Milford and Campbells Bay, it is part of the East Coast Bays. To the east lies the islands of Rangitoto and Motutapu, which are easily visible from land. The suburb is in the North Shore ward, one of the thirteen administrative divisions of Auckland Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rothesay Bay</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Rothesay Bay is a small suburb in Auckland's East Coast Bays region. The suburb is roughly the same size as Murrays Bay, the suburb to the immediate south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murrays Bay</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Murrays Bay is a small suburb in the East Coast Bays region, located in the North Shore of Auckland. The suburb is roughly the same size as Rothesay Bay, the suburb to the immediate north. It is primarily a residential area but does have a community centre, restaurant and café. Murrays Bay is regularly serviced by buses which go to Takapuna and the Auckland city centre.

Manly is a suburb on the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, towards the northern end of Auckland, New Zealand. Manly Village is an established shopping centre, with the residential areas of Big Manly Beach to the north and Little Manly Beach to the south. The area was once a seaside holiday location, but has become residential suburbs within commuting distance of central Auckland city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Long Bay, New Zealand</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Long Bay is one of the northernmost suburbs of the North Shore, part of the contiguous Auckland metropolitan area located in New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Campbells Bay</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Campbells Bay is a suburb of the North Shore located in Auckland, New Zealand. Centennial Park is a popular recreational space that has walking tracks and stunning harbour views.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scandrett Regional Park</span> Public park in Auckland, New Zealand

Scandrett Regional Park is a regional park located on the north east tip of the Mahurangi Peninsula, north of the city of Auckland, New Zealand. It encompasses Mullet Point and includes regenerating coastal forest, rocky headlands that protrude into Kawau Bay, Scandretts Bay beach and a precinct of historic farm buildings. The people of Auckland own the park through the Auckland Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waiake</span> Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Waiake is one of the northernmost suburbs of the North Shore, in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located in the East Coast Bays between the suburbs of Browns Bay to the south and Torbay to the north. It has a beach, which looks out to the Tor, a presque-isle at the north end of the beach that becomes an island at high tide. Waiake is under the local governance of the Auckland Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hibiscus and Bays</span> Local board area in Auckland, New Zealand

Hibiscus and Bays is a local government area in Auckland, in New Zealand's Auckland Region, governed by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board and Auckland Council. It currently aligns with the council's Albany Ward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tāwharanui Regional Park</span>

Tāwharanui Regional Park is a regional park on the Tāwharanui Peninsula in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located in Rodney, east of Warkworth and north of Auckland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karepiro Bay</span>

Karepiro Bay is a bay of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana in the Auckland Region, New Zealand. It found between the Whangaparāoa Peninsula and North Shore, and is the mouth of the Weiti River and Ōkura River.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Janssen, Peter (January 2021). Greater Auckland Walks. New Holland Publishers. p. 33-34. ISBN   978-1-86966-516-6. Wikidata   Q118136068.
  2. "The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, Part 2". Inset to The New Zealand Herald . 3 March 2010. p. 9.
  3. Shakespear, Auckland Regional Council
  4. 1 2 3 "Council profile". aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Auckland Council.
  5. Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society Incorporated (SOSSI) (conservation society working to establish a bird predator-free environment)
  6. "Rare kiwi spotted". stuff.co.nz. Rodney Times.
  7. Bracewell-Worrall, Anna (10 May 2016). "North Island robins' big trip across the harbour". NewsHub. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
  8. "Pest-free regional park new safe haven for gulf birds". New Zealand Herald. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  9. Lee, Mike. "The regional legacy rolls on – Shakespear Regional Park Open Sanctuary pest eradication happening now!" . Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Cameron, Ewen; Hayward, Bruce; Murdoch, Graeme (2008). A Field Guide to Auckland: Exploring the Region's Natural and Historical Heritage. Random House New Zealand. p. 124-125. ISBN   978-1-86962-1513.
  11. Grover, Robin (2008). Why the Hibiscus? Place Names of the Hibiscus Coast. Silverdale Printing. p. 18. ISBN   978-0-473-13484-6.
  12. "Regional Walkways in Auckland Region". Jasons Travel Media.