Great Barrier Island Beaches

Large Barrier Island

If you want to make it your own, we can help you to discover the island by clicking on the chats to speak to us. The Awana Bay is deeply descending and known for its shells. Hike along the Awana mouth between the camping site and the shore to watch marsh marigolds and marshfowl. The Harataonga Bay has a lovely campground, charming historical buildings and a popular sandy area.

The Okiwi Bar has the best windsurfing on the island....maybe in New Zealand. At low water you can wade over the mouth - look out for sting rays sunning themselves on the sands. The Mabey Road is a good place to go, as you'll probably find yourself on an unspoilt whitish spot without having a single mind in view.

The Great Barrier Island is the biggest and most seaworthy of the Hauraki Golf Isles in the Auckland area.

The Great Barrier Island is the biggest and most seaworthy of the Hauraki Golf Isles in the Auckland area. It has protected the port of Auckland from the inexorable waves of the Pacific for millennia and created a paradise for boaters. On the east coast of the Great Barrier Island lies the sea with high rocks and long beaches of surfing whites; the west side of the island boasts low protected harbors and quiet sand coves.

Over 60 percent of the island's 285 km2 are open to the general population, managed by the Department of Conservation. The Great Barrier Island is a favourite spot for scuba divers, fishermen, surfers, kayakers, mountaineers, hikers and campers. The Tryphena is the biggest village on the island and is located on the western part.

There are many scenic, family-friendly beaches where often a dolphin is seen near the coast. Every year the island hosts several activities, such as the exquisite FitzRoy Mussel Festival, which is celebrating the exquisite shells for which the area is famous. There is also the Kai2wharf, a cross-country running, running or cycling sport and the Great Barrier Gardens of the island.

Further colonies are Whangaparapara and Tryphena on the west side, Claris on the east side.