Hatfields Beach is a northern coastal suburb of Auckland, situated on the Twin Coast Discovery Highway, 40 km north of Downtown Auckland. Since 2011, the adjacent beach has been named Ōtānerua / Hatfields Beach. The beach is over 1 km long, with the southern half backed by cliffs and a rocky point between Hatfields and Ōrewa. Houses sit above the cliffs, making Hatfields another of Auckland’s extended coastal suburbs.
The northern end has a reserve on both sides of the Twin Coast Discovery Highway, with room for parking. There is also a boat ramp. At the far north end is a highway bridge that crosses the Ōtānerua Stream. Although the road is close to the beach, with only a narrow strip of grass and trees, it is exceedingly popular on sunny weekends and during holiday periods. The swimming is safe, and at low tide, you can follow Te Araroa on the rocky platform below the cliffs south to Ōrewa or north to Waiwera.
The traditional Māori name for the area, Ōtānerua, refers to both the beach and the stream that flows into it. European settlers adopted a variation of this name, Otenerua, in the 1850s. However, by 1870, the area had become known as Hatfield Bay, named after John and Emma Hatfield, who settled there. The family continued to reside there for three generations. You can’t camp at Hatfields, but there is camping at the nearby Orewa campground and Schischka Campground at Wenderholm.
To get to Hatfield Beach from Downtown Auckland, take the Northern Motorway to Puhoi (toll road). Then head south on the Twin Coast Discovery Highway past Wenderholm and Puhoi. To avoid the tolls, take the Ōrewa / Grand Drive offramp and connect with the highway via the town.
