Oakley Creek Falls in Waterview, central-west Auckland City, is one of the city's best-kept natural secrets. The waterfall is situated on Oakley Creek / Te Auranga within Waterview Glades Reserve, a park developed on top of the southeastern motorway tunnel. The Glades is a lovely grassed area with a steep slope down to the gully, which contains the stream and a stretch of replanted native bush. The unexpected six-metre waterfall is the highest natural falls in central Auckland, dropping over a basalt ledge into a large pool. Note that water quality can be an issue, and swimming is discouraged.
The Reserve contains the most scenic stretch of the Oakley Creek Walkway as well as the waterfall. This section includes extensive native planting and provides a variety of perspectives on the creek’s winding course. The best vantage point is from Te Piringa Bridge, an attractive footbridge and cycleway high above the creek, with great views of the bush and stream below.
The falls themselves are surprisingly impressive, with a curtain of water cascading into the pool below. The upper viewing platform gives a wide perspective, while a path to the base of the falls allows you to get up close. Though parts of the walkway near the falls have been damaged by erosion and storms, the main access points are open.
Oakley Creek / Te Auranga is the longest on the Auckland isthmus at 15 km and starts in Mount Roskill. It travels northwest through Mt Albert and Avondale, then north through Waterview to the Waitematā Harbour. The Māori name, Te Auaunga, means “swirling waters” and was a description of the creek’s flow through lava-formed channels, albeit much altered by development since the 1800s. Before European settlement, the creek was surrounded by wetlands and swamps, and was a source of food for Māori, including crayfish, eels, and weka. Harakeke (flax) and raupō (rushes) were also harvested for weaving.
In 1845, Edwin Oakley established a flax mill to take advantage of the supply of harakeke, powered by the water from the creek. This also led to the creek's English name. European farms were established, the wetlands were drained, and exotic trees and shrubs came to dominate the streambanks. This was eventually followed by urban development and a series of projects that substantially altered the creek's behaviour and course, sometimes in response to flooding events. Today, Unitec’s Mt Albert campus and related accommodation occupy much of the land at the Waterview end of the creek. In 2004, Friends of Oakley Creek was established to better protect the creek, which has also led to extensive replanting of native shrubs and trees. Old, impressive exotics, including oaks, can also be found along the walkway.
The Oakley Creek Walkway runs much of the length of the creek, but bridges over the creek were severely damaged by storms in 2023. Two bridges, north and south of the waterfall, have yet to be repaired. Although you can still access the waterfall, the use of the northern end of the walkway is limited. The easiest route to the waterfall is to walk south on the footpath from the Great North Road entrance to Waterview Glades, past the Unitec accommodation facilities, until you see a sign for Te Auaunga Oakley Creek Walkway. Take this path down to the gully and directly to the waterfall.
Alternatively, for a longer loop, start at Waterview Glades from Great North Road and head towards Te Piringa Bridge. After crossing the bridge, turn right onto the Unitec ring road. Walk south a little over 200 metres until you see a signposted track entrance near the southeast corner of a group of Unitec buildings and parking area at 125 Carrington Road (as labelled on Google Maps). This path leads you across the stream on a usable bridge. Then head left to the falls through a stretch of regenerating bush.
