13 Rankers Reviews
9 Face-to-Face
4 Kumeu
Marios Gavalas
Author And Researcher
I'm Marios, delivering the best of Aotearoa's nature walks to your device.
I've personally walked hundreds of New Zealand's tracks and spent months in libraries uncovering interesting information on New Zealand/Aotearoa. And you'll find a slice of that research on this page - enjoy!
FREE MAP - The best of 21 nature guidebooks on one map.
The Takapu Refuge was established in 1979 to protect the expanding breeding population of the Australasian Gannets, who nested on Oaia Island, 1.6 km offshore.
From the carpark at the end of Motutara Road in Muriwai, follow the boardwalk up Otakamiro Point.
There are toilets, barbecues and picnic tables at the carpark.
Alternatively, follow signposts along Waitea Road to the gannet colony and the carpark above Maori Bay.
From the southern end of Muriwai Beach, the boardwalk snakes up to two lookout platforms, both perched on tips of the headlands. The second, above Motutara Island, can also be reached via an even, metalled track 5 minutes from the carpark at Maori Bay.
A return route through native forest past enormous pohutukawa is signposted 10 minutes form Maori Bay carpark and descends to the main parking area on a well-formed surface.
Above Maori Bay, interesting rock formations in the cliffs give clues to their geological past. The radiating spikes of angular rock are known as pillow lava and formed during the undersea eruption of molten rock.
On contact with cold water, the outer skin of a lava bubble cools, whilst the enclosed molten rock continues to flow under pressure. It penetrates a weakness in the shell of rock and explodes like a water-filled balloon, forming a pillow shape. The examples of the differing sized pillows preserved in the cliffs above Maori Bay are world-renowned.
With increased numbers, the gannets have displaced the white-fronted terns from Motutara (which means ‘island of terns’) Island and formed their distinctive mounded nests atop the spectacular rock stack.
The Australasian gannet (Sula serrator) is a majestic flier and can often be seen diving with aerobatic precision to catch its prey. They only breed in New Zealand, but after fledging, spend 2-3 years around Australia before returning.
Between July and January, you can observe the gannets as they return to their original breeding grounds, establish partnerships, breed, nest and rear their chicks. The close proximity of the viewing platforms allow you to observe courtship displays, aggressive territorial squabbles (where beaks are locked amid much wing flapping) and rearing of nestlings.
The updraught from the cliffs is also harnessed by the birds to aid take off. You can watch them swoop and glide before deftly alighting on the hummocky terrain of their nesting grounds.
Feature | Value | Info |
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Location |
North Island ▷ Auckland Region ▷ Kumeu |
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Leonie
Ranking: 8/10
Great views! Black beach is beautiful!
Pierre Alexandre
Ranking: 7/10
Very nice place with a lot of birds and beautiful sunset. The point of view from the stairs is really nice especially when there is nobody on the beach.
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Chiara
Ranking: 9/10
Super sweet beach, nice for a little climb and spotting some wildlife.
Audrey Ripoche
Ranking: 8/10
Beautiful beach with black sand. If you go up the stairs you can watch a colony of gannets and some are pretty close! Watch them fly, eat, cuddle, fight..... that is very nice.
Hanneke P
Ranking: 9/10
lovely view, beautiful coast
Roeland Driessen
Ranking: 9/10
Just a beautiful place!!
Dogoneit
Ranking: 9/10
Feel like David Attenborough for free. You can get reasonably close and they are fascinating to watch. It's at the end of a beach with black sand. Well worth making a detour out to Muriwai and spending a few days on the west coast of Auckland, but whatever you do, don't miss the gannet colony.
beetley
Ranking: 9/10
It felt like hours went by as I watched the close quarter routines of these amazing birds. Really worth a look.
Nztraveller1
Ranking: 8/10
Fascinating, beautiful, and free!! Close up viewing in a magical wild location What more could you ask for
Rachel Widerstrom
Ranking: 8/10
Up close and personal with a beautiful natural wonder. If you are there between November and January you will see newly hatched chicks. Very cool..
Thanks to all the good people working for the NZ Department of Conservation - for all your hard work - making NZ more beautiful, accessable and healthy! Cheers 😍