Exploring Tamaki Drive: Auckland's Scenic Coastal Route
Tamaki Drive is a 9.6 km road and shared path that skirts the southeastern edge of Waitematā Harbour in Auckland. Beginning at the intersection of Quay Street and The Strand near Downtown Auckland, it extends across Judges Bay and Hobson Bay via a viaduct. The route goes through Okahu Bay, Ōrākei, Mission Bay, and Kohimarama, culminating in Saint Heliers. This drive provides access to several city beaches and parks, as well as suburban villages in Mission Bay and St Heliers. From the road's end in St Heliers, a short walk up Cliff Road leads to Achilles Point, where you can enjoy cliff-top views of the eastern bays, Downtown Auckland, Rangitoto, Browns Island / Motukorea, and the Hauraki Gulf.
Exploring Tamaki Drive
Tamaki Drive can be explored by car, bus, on foot, or by bike, with dedicated and shared paths available along the route. The beaches along the drive generally offer safe swimming options. However, as these are city beaches,it's advisable to check water quality at Swimsafe, especially during Summer.
Points of Interest Along the Route
Numerous attractions line Tamaki Drive, including two short detours to nearby parks. At the start of Tamaki Drive, head south along The Strand and east up Gladstone Road to reach Dove Myer Robinson Park, also known as the Parnell Rose Gardens. Here, you can find a magnificent giant pōhutukawa tree on the park's north side. From there, walk downhill past Judges Bay and up Judges Bay Reserve to lovely and historic St Stephens Chapel, ideal spots for a picnic. Continue to Resolution Park from the chapel, cross the bridge to the north side of Tamaki Drive, and proceed east.
As you walk east on the viaduct across Hobson Bay, the Outdoor Boat Club marina will be on your right and the harbour on your left. The colourful historic boat sheds at the east end of the bay are particularly photogenic. Both sides of the viaduct and the surrounding cliffs are lined with pōhutukawa trees.
After the viaduct, the road and path run below cliffs covered in pōhutukawa trees. On the left is the entrance to the Orakei Marina at the west end of Okahu Bay. Continuing around Okahu Bay, you'll find a large grassy reserve and beach. On the south side of the road, Ōrākei Domain, another expansive grass reserve, fronts the suburb of Ōrākei.
Historical and Cultural Significance
The cliffs along Tamaki Drive are primarily composed of Waitematā Sandstone, uplifted from the sea around 17 million years ago. Ōrākei Wharf / Okahu Bay Wharf is located below Takaparawha Point and extends into the harbour, offering a unique viewpoint and fishing opportunities.
Beyond the pier lies Bastion Point, a large cliff-top park with a rich history. It features a monument and tomb for Josef Savage, a notable NZ prime minister, a marae, and several old gun emplacements. Mission Bay follows Bastion Point, named after the Anglican Melanesian Mission established in the late 1850s. Today, it is a popular suburban village and beach.
Māori Heritage and European Settlement
For Māori, the coastal area was valued for its abundant kai moana (seafood) and other resources, and Takaparawhau was a strategically located pā. In the early 1840s, Bishop George Selwyn acquired land around Kohimarama and Mission Bay and the Melanesian Mission was added at Mission Bay in 1859.
In the 1880s, the government undertook the first of a series of actions up to the 1950s that deprived Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei of their remaining land around Ōrākei. This culminated in the Bastion Point occupation in the 1970s and the eventual restoration of Ōrākei, Takaparawha Point, and Bastion Point to the iwi in 1988. This historic settlement of breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi has been followed by many more in subsequent decades.
How to Get There
Tamaki Drive starts from Downtown Auckland at the intersection of Quay Street and The Strand and heads east along he coast.
Another city walking option is to do a loop that takes you around Auckland University, Albert Park and the Art Gallery, then along the coast to the west, through Britomart, Commercial Bay, Viaduct Harbour, Wynyard Quarter and ending in Westhaven.
