Just a short drive, ride or walk west from Māngere Bridge village, 85-hectare Ambury Regional Park offers a unique mix of open farmland, coastal trails, and volcanic landscapes on the shore of the Manukau Harbour. It’s one of Auckland’s 28 regional parks and a place where you can stroll beside grazing sheep and cows within a working farm, watch flocks of migratory birds, and explore lava flows and tidal inlets. There is also a campsite.
Set on land covered by lava from nearby Māngere Mountain, which dates back 50,000 years, Ambury mainly consists of flat pastures crisscrossed by dry-stone walls, hedgerows, and windbreaks. The farm offers visitors, particularly families, the chance to interact with livestock in a safe and accessible environment. Seasonal events, such as lambing and farm days, attract thousands, but the park remains a generally peaceful destination throughout the year.
The coastal edge of Ambury is also rewarding. Walking and cycling paths lead through restored wetlands and along the harbour’s rocky shore. These tracks are popular with birdwatchers as the park lies adjacent to the mud and sand flats that are a major stopover for migratory birds. Eighty-six different species have been identified, with kuaka / godwits, tōrea / oystercatchers, and royal spoonbills / kōtuku ngutupapa among the most prominent. Sheltered hides and information panels make it easy to spot and learn about the diverse birdlife.
Ambury is also rich in human history. Archaeological evidence demonstrates centuries of Māori occupation, including gardens and shell middens along the coast. Several pā sites are located on nearby high ground. European settlers acquired the land in the 1860s, and it was converted to farmland. In 1882, the Ambury English & Co milk company established a creamery on Wallace Road in the southeast corner of today's park. Auckland City acquired the land as a buffer to the sewage treatment ponds that were established west of Māngere Mountain at the end of the harbour. Local community groups were able to use this land from 1973, and Ambury Regional Park was opened in 1987.
Today, Ambury is part of a growing coastal greenway, with trails linking it to Kiwi Esplanade, Māngere Lagoon, and Puketutu Island. Whether you're camping, cycling along the coast, picnicking with a view of the water, or simply saying hello to a curious sheep, the park offers a great experience just 20 minutes from central Auckland.
Ambury Regional Park can be accessed from Kiwi Esplanade, Ambury Road, or Wallace Road. These are all west of the Māngere Bridge township and provide access to the northeast, central and southeast parts of the park.. There is a large car park near the visitor centre and camping area at the end of Ambury Road. For those walking or cycling, the park connects directly to the shared path that runs west along Kiwi Esplanade, then continues south to Māngere Lagoon and Ōtuataua Stonefields.
