Auckland, New Zealand - Tiri Tiri Matagni

Our camp site at Gulf Harbor

We were down to our last few days in New Zealand and choose spend them in Auckland.  We’ve been freedom camping in Glenda’s front yard in the Te Atatu North Peninsula.  We don’t have power hooked up to the RV so Dad’s got the double bed inside.  He says he’s been sleeping very well!

Dad has some friends that he was hoping to catch up with and there are some touristy things to do here. We did some dividing and conquering. Dad headed off to do some overnight visiting and we set off for Gulf Harbor and Tiri Tiri Matangi for hiking and birding.

Sunset at Shakespeare Bay across from our campsite

Gulf Harbor is a long peninsula north of Auckland by about an hour’s drive, but still in the Hauraki Gulf. Luckily for us, there’s a freedom camping site there, where we spent two nights.  On Saturday Glenda, and her son Tim, met us at Gulf Harbor where we caught a ferry to Tiri Tiri Matangi, a reserve and wildlife sanctuary.  

Glenda and Tim on the trail on Tiri Tiri Mating

We spent the day hiking and exploring all the while watching for 4 birds that Tom had yet to see and photograph.  We got two of the 4, plus one that wasn’t on the list!

 Bellbird

The weather presented mostly sun with an occasional light squall.  Ducking under a tree usually kept the rain off.  

The center of a Ponga or Black Fern.

Saddleback

one of the many trail sections on the island

Tiri Tiri is pretty amazing in it's return to native bush.  In 1971 the farming lease ran out and it was determined to return it to it's native state. They've done a very good job!