Browns Bay of Auckland is a short walk along the North Shore Coastal Walk (also a section of Te Araroa) below the cliffs from Rothesay Bay. It is quite long for a northeast coast beach, with a strip of reserve between the beach and some very modern shops and apartment buildings. The beach is well-sheltered in the Hauraki Gulf and safe for swimming.
There are a couple of oddities in the reserve, including the WW2 anti-aircraft gun as part of a memorial and the curious example of a pohutukawa that has grafted itself onto an exotic pine tree.
From the north end of the beach, there is a steep path that sidles up the cliff face (with great views of the beach) to the top of Tipau Point. It’s a short walk along a suburban road to Torbay and Waiake Beach. Alternatively, you can walk around the point at low tide.
