Coastal Walkway

Watercare’s Coastal Walkway provides access to the Mangere Ihumatao foreshore, a stretch of coastline rich in cultural history. The area is dominated by the ancient volcanoes of Mangere Mountain and Puketutu Island.

Walk along restored beaches and observe some of the thousands of migratory wading birds that head to the harbour to escape the northern winter.

You can start the walk from either Ambury Farm Park or the Otuataua Stonefields. For a shorter walk, start at Oruarangi Creek, or at Creamery Road near the treatment plant.

Temporary closure

The section of walkway from Māngere Lagoon to Island Road is temporarily closed but is scheduled to reopen in March 2024.

Fast facts

Length: 7 kilometres

Route: From Ambury Park to the Otuataua Stonefields. View map

Features:

  • Ambury Park, a working farm
  • Otuataua Stonefields, a historic reserve
  • Freshwater springs on foreshore
  • Four bird roosts
A dotterel at one of the bird roosts on the Watercare Coastal Walkway

Birds you may see:

  • Eastern bar-tailed godwit
  • Lesser knot
  • Turnstone
  • Golden plover
  • Curlew sandpiper
  • Long-billed curlew
  • Whimbrel
  • Pied oyster catcher
  • Banded dotterel
  • Pied stilt
  • Wrybill

History

The walkway tracks New Zealand’s largest marine restoration project, which was part of our upgrade of the Mangere Wastewater Treatment Plant. As part of this project we removed 500 hectares of oxidation ponds, reuniting the original foreshore with the sea.

Since 2004, we and local community groups have planted more than 270,000 native trees, providing food and shelter for the diverse range of birdlife.

More information

Download a flyer about the Watercare Coastal Walkway

Contact us

If you have any questions or need to report any issues related to our Coastal Walkway, please email [email protected]