"The only failure... is the failure to attempt"

• Week 6, term 4

• Tawharanui Regional Park, 90 minutes north east of MAGS.

• One night, two days

• Activities may include:

  • • Beach activities

    • Initiative and team building activities

    • Environmental awareness/care activities

    • Solo reflection activity

    • Tent camping

    • Camp stove cooking

    • Kiwi night walk

• Van to and from camp

• Tent sleeping

• Cooking in small groups on gas stoves

• The cost of the camp is included in the course costs so there will be no further payment required.

• Food and any gear hire is not included

• Limited to students in 10 Outdoor Education

"G'day to everyone, hope you all had a great week. I'm writing here to express the importance of getting away from your devices and stuff like that. The camp we just did was perfect, it made people socialise and it's just so much better than texting or messaging someone, its just a whole different thing that many people wouldn't understand unless they were there with us. We had no phones for four days, we had cards, ourselves and activities and then free time. Getting to know people I'd never met before was great, not having even text them before. And knowing more about the friends I had there was even better. 

I really enjoyed the experience and hope that everyone else did. Getting away from everything, no electricity, food took time, it was astounding to see how quickly people adapted to the change and it was great that they changed, you could see how quickly the trust built between groups. Overall I think something like this is key in our lives, good on ya' for reading this far, have a good weekend and take some time away from your phone or laptop and just talk to people, can't be harmful can it."

Luke Campbell - 2018

Tāwharanui Regional Park

Set on a remote peninsula, Tāwharanui Regional Park boasts some of the Auckland region’s most beautiful white sand beaches, rolling pastures, shingled bays, native coastal forest and regenerating wetlands. It includes the Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary and the Tāwharanui Marine Reserve which borders the northern coast line. The 588-hectare regional park was New Zealand’s first integrated open sanctuary (mainland island) where farming, public recreation and conservation of native species combine.

The name Tāwharanui refers to “the abundant edible bracts of the kiekie vine”. The iconic Anchor Bay is named after the anchor of the Phoenix, a vessel wrecked on the Tāwharanui coastline in 1879.

Tāwharanui Open Sanctuary

The vision for Tāwharanui Regional Park is to create and maintain an open sanctuary that integrates conservation with recreation and farming; free from plant and animal pests; where native plants, birds and animals can live and breed successfully. A 2.5km coast to coast pest-proof fence keeps pests out of the open sanctuary. A pest eradication and monitoring programme ensures we maintain a pest-free haven for native species.

How can you help?

Visitors to Tāwharanui can protect the open sanctuary in a number of ways. Before you enter the park, check your vehicles and camping gear to ensure there are no rodents hidden anywhere. Report sightings of rodents or other animal pests to

the duty ranger.

Tāwharanui Marine Reserve

The Tāwharanui Marine Reserve borders the northern coastline. Yours to explore, the marine reserve provides a wonderful opportunity for diving or snorkelling in an unspoilt underwater environment. In return we ask you to help us safeguard this by observing the no fishing and no taking rules.

Plants, animals and birds

Significant restoration and planting has been done with the help of volunteers and much more is planned. North Island brown kiwi, takahē, bellbird, North Island robin, whitehead, New Zealand dotterel, reef heron, spotless crake, pateke, kakariki,

saddleback and bittern are all flourishing behind the fence. More species will be reintroduced in the future.

History

Māori lived in this area for more than 800 years. Until the 1870s the park was occupied by a small hapū (sub-tribe) of the Te Kawerau people called Ngāti Raupō.

Tāwharanui provided a rich variety of marine and forest resources, symbolised by the saying: “He whā tāwhara ki uta; he kiko tāmure ki tai.” “The flowering bracts of the kiekie on the land; the flesh of the snapper in the sea.” Waikōkōwai (Anchor Bay) provided a valued source of kōkōwai or red ochre, which was used for ceremonial and decorative purposes. 

The people lived mainly around the catchment of the Mangatawhiri Stream. Near the park entrance was a significant pā known as “Ōpōnui” and above the stream outlet is “Pā-hi” or “lofty fortified settlement”.

After 1870 Tāwharanui was developed as a farm by the Martin, Jones and Young families. Kauri timber was milled and shingle was extracted from the park, creating the so-called Jones Bay Lagoon. The Auckland Regional Authority (ARA) purchased the park from the Georgetti family in 1973.