Stretching across the narrows between the Manukau Harbour and the Māngere Inlet in Auckland, the Ngā Hau Māngere Bridge connects the suburbs of Onehunga and Māngere Bridge with sweeping views of the Manukau. Opened in 2022, this striking structure is more than just a means of crossing the water; it's a purpose-built walking and cycling bridge that has quickly become a popular local landmark. With its wide decks, seating areas, and sightlines to Māngere Mountain, Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill and the Waitākere Ranges, it's the perfect starting point for exploring the Manukau Harbour's coastal edge. It is also a very popular fishing location.
The name Ngā Hau Māngere means the gentle breezes of Māngere. This is a poetic reference to the area’s natural environment, sheltered by Māngere Mountain. This part of the harbour has long been a place of passage and gathering. From the outset, the narrow stretch of the Tamaki Isthmus between the inlet and the Tamaki River was the quickest way for Māori to move waka between the east and west coasts of the North Island, while the harbour was rich in food and other resources.
The original Māngere bridge was built in the 1870s and replaced with a concrete bridge in the early 1900s. For decades, the bridge was the main route connecting Māngere and Auckland Airport to central Auckland. Road use was replaced with a motorway bridge, and eventually, Ngā Hau Māngere was built to replace the dilapidated old bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. The modern bridge has an elegant design, carved Māori motifs, and bilingual signage that shares the local stories of Te Ahiwaru and Ngāti Whātua.
The harbour and inlet, once badly degraded, have seen a resurgence in marine and bird life, thanks in part to restoration work by Watercare’s Central Interceptor project, which is cleaning up the stormwater and wastewater flows that once polluted the harbour. Looking down from the bridge, you’ll see the upper reaches of the Manukau Harbour, particularly stunning on a still day.
The harbour is now an important feeding ground for a wide variety of wading birds, including royal spoonbill / kōtuku ngutupapa, pied stilts, and godwits. If you time your visit to the bridge for low tide, you may see them gathered on the mudflats below the bridge, probing for food with patient precision. The bridge is also an excellent location for viewing the sunset across the harbour and behind the Waitākere Ranges.
From the Onehunga side, Ngā Hau Māngere Bridge is accessed by a path from the south end of Onehunga Mall or Onehunga Harbour Road, or from the Waikaraka Cycleway along the northeastern side of the harbour. On the Māngere side, the bridge flows onto Kiwi Esplanade Road, which follows the shoreline of the harbour to Ambury Regional Park.
