Park Point Loop - Church Bay section

2 hours
Loop
Grade 7
6.8 km

This track winds around the stunning coastline of the western most peninsula of the island. It’s a part cliff top, part pebbly beaches walk that weaves up and down around the bays, with sweeping sea views, regenerating bush reserves, and bays to enjoy a picnic stop or dip.

We have 3 Park Point Loop walks. This is the ‘medium’ length option.

For a longer option (12kms, 3.5 hours) try the Matiatia to Blackpool via Park Point walk.

For a shorter option (4.4kms, 1.5 hours) try the Park Point Headland Loop walk.

Location

Start at the parking bay near the letterbox for 206 Church Bay Rd, approx. 2km by road from central Oneroa. You can also link this walk with other tracks from Matiatia to Church Bay, or the section of the Te Ara Hura track coming from Blackpool.

Track summary

The walk starts at Church Bay Roadd and descends with sweeping farm and vineyard views to the Church Bay waterfront, then along the coastal track with stunning views across towards Rangitoto, before ascending back up the ridge line.

The next section is a lovely shady walk through a regenerating manuka forest, with mature forest in the gully as the track follows along the creek bed, to Cable Bay.

At Cable Bay Beach the track follows the coast to the western most tip and around the peninsula, with stunning views across the inner Gulf, some lovely bays to stop and enjoy a rest. There are some brief sections around the rocks (above high tide mark), and quite a number of “snakes and Ladders” (stairs) around the coastal section as you wind your way around the peninsula, rewarding you with stunning views through cliff hanging pōhutukawa and the sound of the ocean just below.

Once you round the point of the peninsula you wind up and around lovely Matarahui and Te Wharau Bays with beaches and grass reserves. These are perfect spots to enjoy a picnic or refreshing dip in the bay, before you head back inland through bush reserve to the starting point at Church Bay Road.

Dogs are not allowed on this walk, strictly no animals on the Park Point track.

Click on the “Directions” tab (above) for detailed walking directions. On a mobile phone “Directions” is a dropdown option in the “Overview” bar.

This walk is marked by both the Green / Yellow DOC track poles, and the red Te Ara Hura markers.

Start at the parking bay near the letterbox for 206 Church Bay Rd, approx. 2km by road from central Oneroa.

Start at the parking bay near the letterboxes at 206 Church Bay Rd,

Just over the narrow road bridge, on the right, there is a sign for the Track “Route to Church Bay Esplanade Reserve & Matiatia”.

Take this track towards Church Bay. At the cliff edge, turn left along the peninsula and down to the bay. At the bay continue along the cliff edge, walk up the hill opposite until the path turns right at a junction with a private gate. Walk up the hill on the fenced pathway beside the vineyard. The track then turns right through the bush reserve, for a lovely walk through to Cable Bay Lane. The track emerges just below the road gates at 20 Cable Bay Lane.

Cross the road, and find the track on the right, which continues along beside the wetlands and out to Cable Bay.

At the coast, turn left to follow the track around the coast, as it weaves up around the bays to the western tip of the peninsula with views back to Auckland city and Rangitoto on your right. There are a number of stairs up and around the point of the peninsula and down to the bays on the inner gulf.

Around the peninsula you descend down to beautiful Matarahui Bay, and then up over into Te Wharau Bay.

At Te Wharau Bay the track heads inland through a bush reserve back to Church Bay Rd. There are 2 tracks to choose from, both return to Church Bay Rd. Continue to walk past the first track, to the far end of the bay, across the grass reserve and take the track marked for Arthur Leigh Titchener Memorial Reserve and Church Bay Rd. This will take you closer to the start, with less road walking.

The track wanders through the bush and gully of the reserve. Just before the bottom of the gully the track is marked to take the left fork, (on the right is an access path for a neighbouring property).

Keep left at the fork, and follow the track back up to the ridge, where it meets Church Bay Road.

Once you reach the road at 241 Church Bay, turn right to walk back to the starting point.