Glasshouse Dining and Art in the Bush
Brick Bay is tucked into the Mahurangi Peninsula on the Matakana Coast of Auckland, about 10 minutes east of Warkworth and just before Snells Beach. It’s best known for its striking glasshouse-style restaurant, set above a lake ringed with water lilies and native plantings, and outdoor sculptures. While we generally skip commercial attractions, this one’s worth a stop, whether you’re here for a seasonal meal, a wander through the sculpture walk, or both.
Lakeside Paths and Sculptures in the Bush
The Brick Bay Sculpture Trail is an evolving outdoor gallery set into a regenerated landscape of bush, wetland, vineyard, and open farmland. For a small fee, you can walk the 2 km loop track, which starts beside the restaurant and leads around the lake before climbing gently through mature mānuka and kānuka.
Dozens of contemporary artworks, ranging from kinetic installations to large-scale environmental pieces, are integrated into the landscape along the way. Some hover just above water or lean into the bush; others emerge dramatically in open paddocks. The walk takes at least an hour and changes with the seasons. Comfortable shoes are a good idea, especially after rain.
A Kauri Grove with Unexpected Colour
A short detour from the main loop leads into the Brick Bay Kauri Walk, a pocket of regenerating forest that includes numerous young but striking kauri. The trunks here are multi coloured, with deep browns and silvery greens visible in the bark, especially in dappled afternoon light.
Signage explains the effort to protect the area from kauri dieback, and boot-cleaning stations are in place at entry points. If, after visiting the grove, you would like to see some local ancient trees, head to the Parry Kauri Park in Warkworth.
History and Naming
The name Brick Bay comes from a short-lived brickworks that operated near the shoreline in the 1850s, taking advantage of local clay deposits. The brickworks closed after just a few years, but the name stuck, and remnants of early European industry remain dotted around the coast.
How to Get There
Brick Bay is located on Arabella Lane, which turns off Mahurangi East Road between Warkworth and Snells Beach. From Downtown Auckland, allow about 1 hour and 15 minutes via the northern motorway and the Matakana turn-off. The entrance is clearly signposted, with on-site parking available.
Nearby, explore Tāwharanui Regional Park for wild beaches and a bird sanctuary, wander the Matakana Farmers Market on a Saturday morning, check out Scandrett Regional Park for coastal tracks and historic farm buildings and visit Martins Bay and Scotts Landing for beautiful beaches.
