Tag Archives: Heron

Oakley Creek Loop walk

walks in Auckland

We have wanted to include Oakley Creek walkway in our walk guides for some time.  The Oakley Creek Te Auaunga (whirlpool or swirling waters) Walkway itself is a one-way track, and we wanted to include it as part of a bigger circular walk. And today we did it!  There was a lot of water in the creek today and the 6 metre high waterfall was in fine form.  The new viewing platform is great (update December 2012 – sad to see that the platform has been burnt down).

Oakley Creek flows from Hillsborough, through Mt Roskill, Owairaka and Waterview to the Waitemata Harbour, making it one of Auckland’s longest urban streams. Oakley Creek is also home to the New Zealand longfin eel which is threatened, so fishing is not allowed.

The Friends of Oakley Creek is a project to help preserve and protect the creek, and was set up in 2004. The Friends of Oakley Creek have been doing a fantastic job with restoration and keeping the creek maintained, clean and improving the water quality.  This is a volunteer organisation, and they continually seek help with their efforts – lend a hand if you can.  If you would like to get involved, visit their Facebook page: Friends of Oakley Creek .

You can walk through native bush, wetlands, see water birds and enjoy the peace beside Oakley Creek. We have decided to create two separate loop walks – one a northern loop, the other a southern loop.  You may wish to get both, and link them together for a longer walk.

Children’s playgrounds in both walks – the southern loop Heron Park has a flying fox.

Both loop walks take in off-leash dog exercise areas (dogs on leash alongside the Creek). See other Dog Friendly Walks

walks in Auckland


Description: A mix of level paths, steps and slightly inclined paths. Suitable for users of average fitness and mobility. May require boots in wet weather, running shoes suitable in dry weather.
To see: Water birds Habitat, waterfall, Oakley Creek
Time: approx. 60 minutes. (about 4 kms
Start: Cadman Avenue (off Fairlands Avenue/ Great North Road) MAP

Urban Bush walks in Auckland

Stay on track…get your detailed guide and map over at our Walks Store  (AC-042 Oakley Creek Walkway Loop South) and our Book Store (one of 12 walks featured in our books “Urban Bush” and “Dog Friendly Walks part 2”).

Watch this video to get a taste of the Oakley Creek walkway.


Dog walks in Auckland – dog off-leash areas

Our self-guides indicate if there are any dog friendly off-leash areas and/or are suitable for dog friendly walks in Auckland. This is noted when we visit the area – it may change without any notice due to Council regulations. Check with this Auckland Council webpage: Exercising your dog before you head out.

We have published 3 books with 12 circular walks in each, of Dog Friendly Walks in Auckland.

Dog Walks in Auckland

The Herald on Sunday Living section edition dated August 7th, 2011 listed in detail 8 areas for dog walks in Auckland, plus another 4 in brief.

In case you missed it – you can read the article here: Off-leash dog parks and another here: Five of the best: Off-leash dog parks

More: Recommended Dog Walks in Auckland

The areas are:

1. Meola Reef , Point Chevalier*
2. Big King Reserve , Three Kings/Mt Eden*
3. Craig Avon Park
4. Waiaturua Reserve
5. Western Park,  Ponsonby *
6. Kakamatua Inlet
7. Takapuna Beach
8. Macleans Park , Bucklands Beach/Half Moon Bay*
9. Churchill Park , Glendowie*
10. Heron Park
11. Kauri Point Domain
12. Waikowhai Park
13. Moire Park , West Harbour*
14. Hobsonville Bomb Point Dog Park

The Localist lists 10 great parks to walk the dog

PLUS (I will add more as I find them and if you know of any that are not listed here, please inform us all in the comment box below):

1. Dove Myer Robinson, Shore Road, Remuera (part of the Hobson Bay Walkway)

Those marked with an * are currently included in Short Walks in Auckland self-guides.

To find some of the best places to walk a dog in Auckland, visit these other dog friendly sites:

Doogle – dog friendly exercise areas

FetchMag – Dog walks

Auckland Council – Exercising Your Dog

The Localist Dog friendly cafes