Tamaterau, Parua Bay and Whangarei Heads

[+] tamaterau bay

The north shore of Whangarei Harbour, Northland is an area of numerous bays - some tiny, some sweeping, many secluded - leading out to the surf beaches at Ocean Beach and Pataua yet just a short drive from Whangarei Airport and city. The New Marine Reserve at Roetahi is a super destination for snorkelling and diving while experienced divers savour the delights around Matakohe Island. This part of the harbour is a playground for dolphin and ,not so frequently, whales. The area features a good number of walks from short strolls to full day treks and a history dating back to New Zealand’s earliest settlers.

Tamaterau beach is a favourite for swimming, sailing and windsurfing and is home to the Community Hall with Devonshire Park and tennis court along side. A public walkway winds just above the beach to the far end of the bay.

Manganese Point is the end of a headland accessed from the top of Tamaterau hill on the Whangarei Heads Road and covered by Headland Farm Park which incorporates a lifestyle community with deer park, orchard and livestock farm. Good line fishing from the point.

[+] parua bay

A few minutes along the coast road The Pines Golf Club provides good golf alongside the deer park while at Parua Bay, 10 minutes from Manganese Point, the Marina area is home to a café/takeaway and small shop, restaurant/tavern  and art gallery/cafe and the main village centre welcomes visitors to play bowls, badminton and squash. Here there is also a garage, good village store and café which is open into the evening.

From Parua Bay a choice of routes takes visitors to either picture postcard Taiharuru and on to the quiet, sleepy Pataua South with footbridge only (good fishing from bridge)  access to the dune backed surf beach of Pataua North and the open ocean or on to Whangarei Heads and the awesome surf  at Ocean Beach, a quiet, undeveloped bach community. Both roads give travellers more than a tempting glimpse of  the beauty of this area. The road from McCloud Bay (of major sunset fame) and on to the Heads gives visitors access to the Reotahi Marine Reserve, Bream Head Scenic Reserve and the dog free, secluded white sands of Smugglers Cove before finally arriving at Ocean Beach.

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