Auckland Regional Parks
Auckland Council Phone 301 0101 Website
Horse Riding in Regional Parks
Horse riding is allowed on 9 of the 26 Regional Parks; a number are closed in winter.
The Regional Parks Horse Riding Pass
You must register to get a horse riding pass.
Once registered to ride, you receive gate codes (combination locks), and information, including updates on tracks, pest control, or park closures. Atiu has a padlock needing a key - you have to pay a small amount for a key if you want one.
To renew your horse riding pass, phone 09 301 0101. Do this annually, you will NOT receive a reminder.
Where Can I Ride?
Current parks on the network pass are:
Atiu Creek 845.4 hectares - now open all year unofficially
Awhitu - check for closures, very small park with limited riding
Duder 13.7 hectares - closed winter + lambing
Pae o Te Rangi (Waitakere Ranges) - closed winter
Te Arai - access to the beach and informally open
Te Rau Puriri 247 hectares - usually closed winter
Whakanewha Waiheke Island
Waitawa 188 hectares (opened 2014)
In the Future...
Next parks to open
Te Muri is one of the new pieces of land purchased. It sits behind the existing land of Te Muri Beach across the stream from Sullivans Bay (Mahurangi West), and across the Puhoi Stream from Wenderholm.
Te Arai\Pakiri - planning sometime 2016
Events
Got a large group, or want to hold an event. ASK!
At parks where horses are permitted normally, rangers are usually keen to have events. Even if a park doesn't normally allow riding, you can ask if you wish to hold a one-off event.
Stay in a Park!
Because the larger parks are at the far edges of Auckland, you may like to stay overnight, relax and ride! Atiu Creek and Waitawa have camping and bach options with horse paddocks available. You can even ask about places where there is camping, but no specific horse camping option e.g. Te Rau Puriri. All they can say is yes, or no... if you don't ask, you'll never know.
History of regional parks
The regional park network was established in 1965 with the creation of the Auckland Regional Authority and the transfer of the water catchment lands to be used for regional parks purposes.
The regional parks network in 2009 consists of approximately 40,000 hectares of land spread across the Auckland region (see map).
Many of the parks were acquired to protect the site from development and other threats, and are managed on the basis of their intrinsic natural and scenic qualities, their historic, and cultural features, and for their recreational uses and potential.
The ARC added 1794 hectares of parkland to the regional parks network since 2004. This includes 12.18km of coastline and is made up of:
Pakiri (185.6 hectares)
Te Rau Puriri Regional Park (247 hectares)
Atiu Creek Regional Park (845.4 hectares)
Piha Mill Camp (Stedfast Park), Waitakere Ranges (8.22 hectares)
Te Arai Point (50 hectares)
Tapapakanga Regional Park (26.8 hectares)
Duder Regional Park (13.7 hectares)
Te Muri Regional Park (407 hectares)
Waitawa Regional Park (188 hectares)
The ARC ceased to exist on Nov 1 2010, and control of all Regional Parks transferred to the Auckland Council. They are still run separately as Regional Parks, by the Council (local parks are managed by local boards).