Auckland Beaches
Looking for a beach to ride your horse on? Auckland beaches are now free to ride! No more permits for Rodney Beaches. But there are rules for riding on beaches, and some still have some restrictions during summer.
Auckland Council have published this helpful brochure
click to read or download >
Please know the bylaw (below), which beaches have rules applying to them (see below), and be sensible about accessing beaches any time. Don't take your horse on a busy beach (there will always be someone who complains), and always clean up after yourself, including (especially) where you park your float or truck.
Be Kaitiaki (guardians) for your beaches and riding spots
Complaints about manure, or inconsiderate behaviour may bring more restrictions, or even a ban back.
Bylaw
The main features of the new bylaw for riding your horse on any of Auckland's beaches, is simply to be responsible, and considerate of others. In a very few cases there are some time restrictions, and in others you must be aware of, and stay away from nesting birds.
3.2 Horses in a Public Place Control - General conditions
(1) In a public place the owner of a horse–
(a) must remove or safely dispose of any horse manure that is deposited in a public place;
(b) must show due consideration for other public place users at all times;
(c) must, when on a beach, ride or lead their horse in a manner that does not intimidate, cause a danger or nuisance to other beach users; and
(d) must not ride or lead their horse on coastal dunes except when accessing the beach, an adjoining property or road in a manner that does not cause, nor is likely to cause, damage to any part of that dune, and that utilises the most direct route possible.
Special Rules
Regional Parks
Where the beach is part of a regional park, the Animal Management bylaw is overridden by the Regional Park rules. So we have separate pages for many of these areas.
Duder Regional Park -beach views but no riding on the beach
Beaches with special rules
There are some beaches with special rules (usually due to past incidents, or extremely heavy use in summer).
It is important that all riders behave responsibly, and abide by the (fairly simple) restrictions so that we can keep beaches open for all to use.
Please read each page carefully to make sure you understand any special rules that apply to a particular beach, before you go.
