# Volcanic cones, island wines and gannet cliffs – by campervan around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf

> Around 640 kilometres from Auckland’s crater hills via Waiheke Island, the Hunua Ranges and the Firth of Thames to the black beaches of the west coast, then…

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/rf-489-nz-auckland-hauraki-matakana/

**At a glance:** 8-day round trip of about 438 km (272 mi) with 13 stops, starting and ending in Auckland. About 4 h 46 min of driving in total. Best time to go: April–May and September–November. Around 640 kilometres from Auckland’s crater hills via Waiheke Island, the Hunua Ranges and the Firth of Thames to the black beaches of the west coast, then on via Matakana to Mangawhai Heads: one region, two seas and a surprising amount of wilderness on the doorstep of New Zealand’s largest city.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | approx. 438 km (272 mi) |
| Driving | 4 h 46 min |
| Suggested days | 8 |
| Stops | 13 |
| Route | Auckland → Auckland |
| States | New Zealand |
| Best time to go | April–May and September–November |
| Updated | October 1, 2026 |

[Download GPX file](https://camping-spirit.com/gpx/rf-489-nz-auckland-hauraki-matakana.gpx)

Practical guides for this route: [Driving the Outback safely: distances, water, road trains and emergency communication](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/oc-outback-driving-safety/), [Hiring a campervan or motorhome in Australia: what to check](https://camping-spirit.com/magazine/oc-campervan-hire-australia/)

*Around 640 kilometres from Auckland’s crater hills via Waiheke Island, the Hunua Ranges and the Firth of Thames to the black beaches of the west coast, then on via Matakana to Mangawhai Heads: one region, two seas and a surprising amount of wilderness on the doorstep of New Zealand’s largest city.*

## The spirit of the route

Auckland is a city built on around fifty volcanoes, and travelling here by campervan you switch between high-rise skyline and grazing slopes within an hour. In the morning you stand on the crater rim of Maungawhau and see both harbours at once; at midday the ferry rolls across the Hauraki Gulf to Waiheke, where rows of vines reach down to the bays. In the east the air smells of mudflats and mangroves, and bar-tailed godwits gather on the Firth of Thames. In the west everything changes: black ironsand, Tasman Sea surf, kauri rainforest in the Waitākere Ranges and thousands of gannets on the rocks at Muriwai. Heading north it turns gentle again – farm shops, wineries, pōhutukawa above white bays and a marine reserve where snapper swim around your ankles. In the evening you look out of the sliding door onto islands, dunes or vineyards, rarely more than an hour from the city.

## Stage-by-stage plan

### Stage 1: Auckland Waterfront to Ambury Regional Park (Māngere) (approx. 30 km)

- **The drive:** A city day with short distances: from the waterfront via Newmarket to the foot of Maungawhau / Mount Eden, then on via Onehunga to Māngere on the Manukau Harbour. Inner-city streets with lots of traffic lights, bus lanes (not to be used at peak times) and tight multi-storey car parks; outside rush hour about 45 minutes of actual driving. Watch out for driving on the left: roundabouts are driven clockwise, and traffic from the right has priority.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Maungawhau / Mount Eden: the summit road has been closed to vehicles for years; the footpath from the car park at the bottom takes around 20 minutes. At the top there is a panoramic view over the Waitematā and Manukau harbours; the crater Te Ipu-a-Mataaho is tapu and is not entered.
  - Waterfront between Viaduct Harbour and Wynyard Quarter: fish market, promenade, views of the Harbour Bridge and the ferries at the Ferry Building.
  - Auckland Domain with the Auckland War Memorial Museum on the city’s oldest volcanic cone – the Māori and Pacific collections are worth half a day.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Ambury Regional Park Campground in Māngere, a farm park on the Manukau Harbour, around 15 minutes from the airport: pitches for vehicles, basic facilities. Like all Auckland Regional Parks campgrounds, online booking only via Auckland Council; check the facilities in detail when booking. If you need power, you will find holiday parks on the North Shore and around the airport.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Auckland Council regulates freedom camping with the Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw 2022: only in certified self-contained vehicles, a maximum of two nights in the same street or car park, leave by 9 am, and do not return for at least two weeks. It is prohibited in the 58 prohibited areas, on all council reserves, in all regional parks and in paid or reserved car parks; at 20 further locations additional rules apply as signposted. The city centre and the waterfront are not an option for the night.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Leave the camper in Māngere and take the bus or train (Onehunga station) into the city: most inner-city car parks have height limits of around 2.1 m, and on-street parking is short-stay. Before Waiheke, shop at a large supermarket and fill up – on the island both are more expensive and the choice is smaller.

### Stage 2: Ambury Regional Park to Waiheke Island (Whakanewha) (approx. 45 km)

- **The drive:** Through the south-eastern suburbs to Half Moon Bay (around 25 km, 35–45 minutes), then by car ferry in 45 to 60 minutes to Kennedy Point on Waiheke. On the island, narrow, hilly and winding roads with lots of blind crests; only short distances between Oneroa, Onetangi and Whakanewha bay. The east of the island around Man O’ War Bay is reached on gravel – check your rental agreement.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Oneroa: small island village with galleries and views over the bay; the coastal path down to Little Oneroa Beach makes a short evening walk.
  - Wineries on the slopes above Onetangi and Oneroa – such as Stonyridge or Mudbrick – with tastings; drivers stick to water, and many wineries can also be reached on foot or by island bus.
  - Onetangi Beach: the island’s long, north-facing sandy beach, calm water in a westerly.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Whakanewha Regional Park on the south coast: vehicle and tent sites on the shore of Rocky Bay plus a bookable parking area for certified self-contained vehicles only, basic facilities. Booking exclusively online via Auckland Council, early for summer weekends. As in all regional parks, there is no freedom camping outside the booked sites.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** On Waiheke the same bylaw applies with island specifics: a maximum of two nights, prohibited among other places at the Kennedy Point ferry car park, at Onetangi Sports Park (Rangihoua), at Onetangi cemetery and by Waiheke Island Artworks in Oneroa, as well as on all reserves and in the regional park. Because there is no public dump station on the island, the council requires freedom campers to leave the island on the third day. Longer stays only at booked sites.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Book the car ferry from Half Moon Bay in advance, especially at weekends, on public holidays and in summer; the fare depends on vehicle length. Before booking, check in your rental agreement whether ferry crossings to islands are allowed. Empty grey and black water on the mainland before the crossing.

### Stage 3: Waiheke Island to Waharau Regional Park (Firth of Thames) (approx. 95 km)

- **The drive:** By ferry back to Half Moon Bay, then via Whitford and Clevedon into the hill country of the Hunua Ranges. Narrow country roads with one-lane bridges and cows at the roadside; a dead-end road leads to Hunua Falls. Then back via Clevedon and Kawakawa Bay to the coast of the Firth of Thames and along the East Coast Road past Tāpapakanga to Waharau – winding, right by the water, partly without a shoulder. Around 2 hours of driving, not counting the ferry.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Hunua Falls: the Wairoa River drops over a basalt ledge into a deep pool; a short loop leads to the viewpoints. Swimming is dangerous because of deep, cold currents.
  - Tāpapakanga Regional Park: coastal meadow with pōhutukawa above the Firth of Thames, a short coastal walk and views of the Coromandel Peninsula.
  - Pūkorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre, around 20 km further south: from about September to March, bar-tailed godwits and knots rest here after their flight from Alaska and Siberia – watch at high tide.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Waharau Regional Park on the East Coast Road, at the foot of the Hunua Ranges facing the Coromandel, has two vehicle campgrounds: Tainui with flush toilets, hot showers and six power points for certified self-contained vehicles (no reservation, bring your own cable), and Blackberry Flats on a large meadow with a long-drop toilet and tap water that must be boiled. Both are closed from early June to the end of September, a maximum of seven nights, no rubbish bins. In winter only a parking area for certified self-contained vehicles without any facilities remains. Booking online via Auckland Council. Tāpapakanga has no campground, only a bookable parking area for certified self-contained vehicles. If you want power: holiday park at Ōrere Point (check the current status beforehand).
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Regional parks are completely closed to freedom camping, including for certified vehicles. At the waterfront car parks along the East Coast Road the Auckland bylaw applies; many waterside reserves fall under the ban. The Hunua Falls car park is for day visitors only.
- **Insider tip for campers:** In the Hunua Ranges, tracks are closed because of kauri dieback; only walk open tracks and clean and disinfect your shoes at the cleaning stations. On Sunday mornings the farmers’ market in Clevedon is worth a stop for bread, cheese and fruit. In Kaiaua, fish and chips by the water at low tide – the gulls are cheeky.

### Stage 4: Waharau to Piha (Waitākere Ranges) (approx. 115 km)

- **The drive:** Back via Clevedon onto the Southern Motorway (SH1), then across South Auckland on SH20 and via Titirangi onto the Scenic Drive into the Waitākere Ranges. From Titirangi a winding mountain road through rainforest, after storms partly with one-lane sections and traffic lights. Piha Road ends with a long, steep descent to the coast – use a low gear. Around 2 to 2.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Arataki Visitor Centre on the Scenic Drive: views over the Manukau Harbour and up-to-date information on which walking tracks are open.
  - Lion Rock (Te Piha) and Piha’s black beach, in the evening with the sun over the Tasman Sea; the climb up the rock is only partly open.
  - Karekare: beach and short walk to Karekare Falls, famous as a location for “The Piano” – in a large motorhome avoid the narrow, steep Karekare Road and instead plan a detour from Piha in a small vehicle or on foot via the coastal tracks.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** The campground in Piha Domain (Piha Campground, formerly Piha Domain Motor Camp) is just a few steps behind the beach, but in the stream’s flood zone; it has been closed at times because of flood risk, and its future is uncertain. Before you go, check whether it is open, and book for summer weekends. In the Waitākere Ranges themselves there are hardly any alternatives for vehicles: the bookable Barn Paddock parking area in Huia for certified self-contained vehicles is on the southern side of the ranges, via Titirangi and Huia Road.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Waitākere Ranges Regional Park and the beach car parks at Piha and Karekare are closed to freedom camping, and rangers patrol. Certified vehicles also need a booked site here.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The west coast beach is dangerous: strong rip currents, only swim between the lifeguards’ flags (in summer). The Waitākere Ranges are under a rāhui by Te Kawerau ā Maki because of kauri dieback; many tracks are closed, and the open ones have cleaning stations at the start – scrub your soles, spray, stay on the track. Fill up in Titirangi before driving into the ranges.

### Stage 5: Piha to Sullivan’s Bay (Mahurangi) (approx. 130 km)

- **The drive:** North via Piha Road and the Scenic Drive, through Swanson and Waitākere across to Muriwai (around 45 km, one hour), then into the wine-growing area around Kumeu. Continue north onto SH1; between Orewa and Pūhoi the tolled Northern Gateway Toll Road (pay online), then the toll-free Pūhoi–Warkworth motorway and via Snells Beach to the Mahurangi peninsula. To avoid the toll, take the Hibiscus Coast Highway via Orewa and Waiwera.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Muriwai gannet colony on Ōtakamiro Point and the offshore rock Motutara: from about August to March thousands of Australasian gannets breed here, and the chicks hatch in early summer. Watch from the viewing platforms and respect the barriers. Access has been restored after storm damage; the Gannet Track from Maukatia Bay is closed at times for repairs, and one platform is being moved because the colony is growing – check the current status in advance.
  - Muriwai Beach: around 60 km of black ironsand towards the Kaipara; walk at low tide, with surfers and paragliders above the dunes.
  - Kumeu: wineries such as Kumeu River and Soljans on SH16 with tastings; the region is known for Chardonnay.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Sullivan’s Bay in Mahurangi Regional Park: vehicle-oriented campground on the beach with pōhutukawa and calm water, open only in the summer half of the year, basic facilities; next to it a bookable parking area for certified self-contained vehicles. Very popular, book online via Auckland Council as early as possible. Alternative with power: holiday parks in Snells Beach, Warkworth or Whangateau.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Muriwai is in the regional park; the car parks are for visitors during the day, and there is no freedom camping at night. In the wine-growing communities around Kumeu the Auckland bylaw applies; winery car parks are private and not intended for overnight stays – only with the business’s express permission.
- **Insider tip for campers:** The Northern Gateway Toll Road has no toll booths: number plates are recorded by camera, and you pay online with NZTA within five days of your trip or in advance via an account; with rental vehicles, unpaid tolls plus an administration fee are passed on to the hirer. The alcohol limit is 250 µg/l breath alcohol (0.5 ‰), zero for drivers under 20 – for wine tastings in Kumeu, keep tasting days and driving days separate.

### Stage 6: Sullivan’s Bay to Tāwharanui Regional Park (approx. 40 km)

- **The drive:** Short stage via Snells Beach to Matakana and on via the Ōmaha flats onto Takatu Road to the Tāwharanui peninsula. Rural roads with crests and bends; the last few kilometres are narrow, and on summer weekends there is oncoming traffic with boat trailers. Through the gate in the predator-proof fence into the open sanctuary. Around one hour of driving.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Matakana: the riverside farmers’ market on Saturday mornings with oysters, bread, cheese and coffee; afterwards wineries and farm shops all around.
  - Brick Bay Sculpture Trail between Sandspit and Matakana: sculpture trail through vineyard and bush with café and tasting.
  - Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary: behind the protective fence live takahē and pāteke (brown teal), and with luck kiwi at night; Anchor Bay with rock pools, the Ecology Trail through wetland and remnant bush.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Tāwharanui has two year-round campgrounds behind the dunes: a tent-only site and a vehicle campground for vehicles up to 8 m long (around 80 sites). Basic facilities without power, take your rubbish with you; dogs and fires are banned in the sanctuary. Booking online via Auckland Council; Tāwharanui is one of the most popular sites in the network, and in summer the sites go early.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Tāwharanui is a regional park and sanctuary, and freedom camping is prohibited. The park gates are closed in the evening (times by season posted at the gate) – if you have not booked, you must be out before then. Matakana and the beaches around Ōmaha and Point Wells are residential areas with prohibited areas.
- **Insider tip for campers:** At the Matakana farmers’ market, parking for motorhomes is scarce; come early or park on the edge of the village and walk. Drive slowly in the sanctuary – takahē and pāteke walk across the road. Check shoes, bags and vehicle for mice and rats as stowaways before the gate.

### Stage 7: Tāwharanui to Mangawhai Heads (approx. 75 km)

- **The drive:** Via Ōmaha and Whangateau to Leigh, then down to Goat Island Bay (steep dead-end road, car park fills quickly in summer). Continue via Pākiri into the hinterland and via Tomarata to the coast at Te Ārai and Mangawhai. Hilly, partly narrow country roads; some side roads are gravel – check that navigation suggestions keep to sealed roads. About 1.5 hours.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Goat Island / Cape Rodney–Okakari Point Marine Reserve: New Zealand’s first marine reserve (1975). Snorkel from the beach among snapper, blue maomao and kelp forests; fishing and feeding are prohibited.
  - Pākiri Beach: kilometres of white sandy beach with dunes, barely built up; horse rides on the beach are offered.
  - Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway: loop over the cliffs north of the surf beach and back along the beach at low tide – be sure to check the tides beforehand.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** Mangawhai Heads Holiday Park on the estuary below the village: powered sites, amenities, kitchen, boat ramp, walking distance to the surf beach. Alternatives on the way: Pakiri Beach Holiday Park right behind the dunes, or the campground on Goat Island Road near Leigh. Book everywhere during the summer holidays.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Mangawhai belongs to Kaipara District Council (Northland region): freedom camping on council land only in certified self-contained vehicles, a maximum of two nights in the same street or car park, leave by 9 am, no return for two weeks; tents on public land are prohibited, and prohibited and restricted areas apply as set by the council – follow the signs on site. As far as Pākiri the Auckland bylaw still applies, and the Goat Island car park is not intended for overnight stays.
- **Insider tip for campers:** For snorkelling at Goat Island, wait for calm seas with wind from the south to west; in a north-easterly swell the water is murky. In summer there is hardly any room left for long vehicles in the car park by around midday – arrive early. Empty grey water at a dump station before Mangawhai; locations in CamperMate.

### Stage 8: Mangawhai Heads to Auckland (approx. 105 km)

- **The drive:** Via Kaiwaka or Te Hana onto SH1 south: two-lane via Wellsford and through the winding, truck-heavy Dome Valley to Warkworth, then on the toll-free motorway to Pūhoi and via the tolled Northern Gateway Toll Road and the Harbour Bridge to Auckland. About 1.5 to 2 hours, considerably longer on Friday and Sunday afternoons.
- **Highlights & must-sees:**
  - Pūhoi: small village of Bohemian settlers with a church and heritage museum, exit just before the toll section.
  - Wenderholm Regional Park at the mouth of the Pūhoi: pōhutukawa beach, picnic lawn and a short bush walk to the lookout.
  - Orewa Beach via the toll-free Hibiscus Coast Highway, good for a last beach walk before returning the vehicle.
- **Official campsite or RV park:** For the last night before returning the vehicle, Ambury Regional Park near the airport works well again. On the way, Wenderholm Regional Park offers a bookable site above the Pūhoi estuary at Schischka Campground (summer half of the year only), plus a parking area for certified self-contained vehicles; on the North Shore there are holiday parks with power and dump facilities.
- **Free camping or nature tip (where legal):** Many of Auckland’s prohibited areas are around Orewa and on the North Shore; beach car parks are almost everywhere closed or paid. Better to book for the last night.
- **Insider tip for campers:** Before returning the vehicle, deal with the fuel tank, grey water tank and toilet tank as set out in the contract – most rental companies require empty waste tanks. If you want to carry on north: Northland begins at Mangawhai, described in the CampingSpirit guide “Kauri giants, treaty country and the end of the world” about Northland’s Twin Coast.

## Camping practice & local rules

### Wild camping & overnight parking

- Self-Contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Act 2023: freedom camping in a vehicle on council land is only allowed in certified self-contained vehicles, unless the council permits otherwise. Rental vehicles have needed the green warrant since 7 December 2024, private vehicles since the end of the transition period on 7 June 2026; blue warrants are no longer valid on public land. A fixed toilet is mandatory for the green warrant.
- Fines: anyone staying overnight without a green warrant or in a prohibited area risks an infringement fee of NZ$400; with rental vehicles, fines are passed on to the hirer. In Auckland, council staff patrol especially at beaches and in summer.
- Auckland Council – Freedom Camping in Vehicles Bylaw 2022: a maximum of two nights in the same street or car park, leave by 9 am, do not return for two weeks; 58 prohibited areas and 20 areas with additional rules (map on the council website), also prohibited on all reserves, in all regional parks and in paid car parks. Tents on public land are not allowed.
- Regional parks: camping only at booked and paid sites (online booking via Auckland Council); some parks additionally offer bookable parking areas without facilities for certified self-contained vehicles only, and some campgrounds close in winter. The popular coastal sites – Tāwharanui, Sullivan’s Bay, Whakanewha – are booked out early for summer weekends and the holidays from mid-December to the end of January. Dogs and fires are banned in many parks.
- Waiheke: no public dump station, hence a maximum of two nights of freedom camping and leaving the island on the third day; in Mangawhai (Kaipara District Council) similar rules apply – two nights, leave by 9 am – plus its own prohibited areas. Signs on site take precedence.
- Apps: CamperMate and WikiCamps show holiday parks, regional park sites, dump stations and freedom camping areas; user entries are not always up to date – if in doubt, check the maps from Auckland Council and Kaipara District Council.

### Waste disposal & supplies

- Dump stations: in the Auckland area there are public dump stations and others in holiday parks (often for guests only); locations in CamperMate. There is no public station on Waiheke – empty before the ferry. Never let grey water run onto the ground or into stormwater drains.
- Water: tap water is drinkable in Auckland and in the towns. At regional park sites the facilities are basic, and water sometimes has to be boiled (for example at Blackberry Flats, Waharau) – check in advance and arrive with a full tank.
- Gas: New Zealand campervans mostly use 9 kg LPG bottles, which are swapped at service stations or refilled at LPG stations; bottles are only filled with a valid test date. European bottles and connectors do not fit.
- Fuel: there are plenty of service stations throughout the greater Auckland area; on Waiheke and on the East Coast Road along the Firth of Thames the choice is thin – fill up before the ferry or in Clevedon. Diesel vehicles pay road user charges, with rental vehicles via the contract.
- Shopping and power: large supermarkets in Auckland, Warkworth and Mangawhai. The regional park campgrounds almost never have power (exception: a few points at Tainui, Waharau) – plan for a solar panel or power bank if you spend several nights there.

### Vehicle size & traffic rules

- Driving on the left: drive clockwise at roundabouts and give way to traffic from the right. When turning: vehicles turning left give way to oncoming traffic turning right. One-lane bridges are signposted; a red arrow means wait.
- Speed limits: mostly 100 km/h outside built-up areas, more on some upgraded motorway sections where signposted, often 80 km/h or less on winding country roads, 50 km/h in towns, and sometimes less near schools during school hours. Vehicles over 3.5 t and all vehicles towing a maximum of 90 km/h. Auckland motorways have bus lanes and traffic lights on the on-ramps (ramp signals).
- Tolls: the Northern Gateway Toll Road (SH1 between Orewa and Pūhoi) is the only toll road on the route. It is recorded by camera and paid online with NZTA – within five days of the trip or in advance via an account. The Pūhoi–Warkworth motorway is toll-free. Toll-free alternative to the Northern Gateway: Hibiscus Coast Highway via Orewa and Waiwera.
- Animals and roads: cows and sheep on country roads in the Hunua Ranges and around Pākiri, takahē and pāteke on the road in the sanctuaries, possums at night. After heavy rain, slips and one-lane sections are common in the Waitākere Ranges and on the East Coast Road – check traffic updates on NZTA Journeys.
- Rental vehicles and insurance: driving on beaches (Muriwai Beach) is prohibited in practically all rental agreements, many agreements restrict or completely exclude unsealed roads, and damage there is usually not insured. Ferry crossings to islands such as Waiheke may also be restricted – check the agreement before booking.
- Licence, alcohol, phone: a foreign driving licence is valid for up to 12 months if it is in English or carried with an official translation or an international driving permit. Breath alcohol limit 250 µg/l (equivalent to 0.5 ‰), zero under 20. Phone use while driving only hands-free; seat belts are compulsory in all seats.

## CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist

- Snorkel mask, fins and a thin wetsuit: for the marine reserve at Goat Island, where the water rarely gets warmer than 21 °C even in summer.
- Sturdy walking shoes with easy-to-clean soles and a small brush: at the kauri dieback stations in the Waitākere and Hunua Ranges every sole is scrubbed and disinfected.
- Binoculars: for the Muriwai gannet colony, the migratory birds on the Firth of Thames and the birds in Tāwharanui sanctuary.
- Tide app or tide table: for the Mangawhai Cliffs Walkway, shorebird watching at high tide and beach walks on the west coast.
- Solar panel or large power bank: the regional park campgrounds almost never have power, and several nights there are the norm on this route.
- Cool bag with ice packs: for oysters, cheese and wine from the Matakana market and the wineries.

_As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go._

## Sources

- [Auckland Council – Where you can camp in a vehicle (Regional Parks)](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/parks-recreation/get-outdoors/outdoor-activities/camping-vehicle.html)
- [Auckland Council – Tainui campground, Waharau Regional Park](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/parks-recreation/stay-at-park/find-accommodation/accommodation-details/85.html)
- [Auckland Council – Blackberry Flats campground, Waharau Regional Park](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/parks-recreation/stay-at-park/find-accommodation/accommodation-details/84.html)
- [Auckland Council – Waharau CSC overnight parking area](https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/parks-recreation/stay-at-park/find-accommodation/accommodation-details/86.html)
- [OurAuckland (Auckland Council) – Gannet Track update at Muriwai Regional Park](https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/12/gannet-track-reopens-at-muriwai-regional-park/)
- [Kaipara District Council – Freedom camping](https://www.kaipara.govt.nz/freedomcamping)
- [1News – 'High flood risk' shuts Piha campground – reopening date uncertain (16.9.2026)](https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/09/16/high-flood-risk-shuts-piha-campground-reopening-date-uncertain/)
- [1News – Piha campground to reopen this summer against council recommendations (15.10.2026)](https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/10/15/piha-campground-to-reopen-this-summer-against-council-recommendations/)
- [SeaLink – Waiheke Island ferry timetables & fares](https://sealink.co.nz/waiheke/timetables)
- [Piha.co.nz – Camping on regional parks around Piha](https://www.piha.co.nz/camping-on-regional-parks-around-piha/)

## Which stops are on the round trip from Auckland?

1. **Auckland** (New Zealand)
2. **Half Moon Bay** (New Zealand)
3. **Oneroa** (New Zealand)
4. **Hunua Falls** (Auckland, New Zealand): A 30-metre waterfall in the Hunua Ranges south-east of the city, with a viewing platform a short walk from the car park. Longer tracks lead into the regional park. After heavy rain, stay away from the edges of the pool.
5. **Waharau** (New Zealand)
6. **Piha** (New Zealand)
7. **Muriwai** (New Zealand)
8. **Kumeu** (New Zealand)
9. **Matakana** (New Zealand)
10. **Tāwharanui** (New Zealand)
11. **Goat Island** (New Zealand)
12. **Mangawhai Heads** (New Zealand)
13. **Auckland** (New Zealand)

## When is the best time for the round trip from Auckland?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and September–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in February–March and June–August. Hot in January. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)

## FAQs

**How long is Volcanic cones, island wines and gannet cliffs – by campervan around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf?**
8-day round trip of about 438 km (272 mi) with 13 stops, starting and ending in Auckland. About 4 h 46 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Volcanic cones, island wines and gannet cliffs – by campervan around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf?**
We suggest 8 days: about 4 h 46 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Volcanic cones, island wines and gannet cliffs – by campervan around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf start and end?**
It is a round trip that starts and ends in Auckland.

**Which states does Volcanic cones, island wines and gannet cliffs – by campervan around Auckland and the Hauraki Gulf pass through?**
New Zealand.