Gateway to the Mahurangi Peninsula
Whether you're here for a quiet coastal escape, a weekend of good food and wine, or time exploring the Matakana Coast, the retreat has been prepared with care so you can settle in easily and enjoy the best of the area.
Kākā, ruru (morepork), tūī, kererū, pīwakawaka (fantail) and pūkeko across 24 acres of meadow and native bush. A few rabbits, pheasants and quail, too.
Kauri, tōtara, rimu, kōwhai, mānuka, kawakawa, miro, tītoki and pūriri, on trails that meander down through the property to the banks of the Mahurangi River.
If you only have a day or two, start here. Each one jumps to the detail below.
The town across the water grew up on timber, scows and cement. The ruins are still over the road.
Māori settle the Mahurangi. Te Kawerau ā Maki cultivate the river flats and fortify the headlands. The name belonged first to a sea-stack with a pā near Waiwera, and spread to the whole district.
Brown's Mill. John Anderson Brown squats on the riverbank and, with timber on both sides, builds a waterwheel-powered sawmill the following year. A flour mill goes up on the opposite bank.
Renamed Warkworth, after Brown's hometown in Northumberland. Scows are built on the banks to carry kauri spars to Australia, and by 1859 the town has a post office, a library and a school.
The Mahurangi Regatta begins. It is still sailed every Auckland Anniversary weekend.
Wilson's cement works opens on the local limestone. American rotary kilns arrive in 1903, and by 1910 the works employ 180 people, with steamers taking the cement out on the river.
The Jane Gifford comes to Warkworth. Built in 1908 by Davey Darroch on the Whangateau Harbour, the scow is based here from 1921, bringing shell from the Firth of Thames up the river to the cement works.
The works close, a heavy blow to the town. The ruins are now a historic place, and in summer the flooded quarry is the local swimming hole.
The Jane Gifford sails again. Warkworth people bought her in 2005 and brought her home, and in 2009 she was relaunched, restored. She is moored at the town wharf today.
You are 1.8 kilometres from the main street of Warkworth and inside half an hour of the Matakana Coast, Goat Island and Tāwharanui. This is what we send guests who ask what to do.
Best short walk
An easy loop of boardwalk, gravel and bush track around the ruins and the river. Muddy in winter, so wear the sturdy shoes.
1.5–2.5 km30–45 min
Just across the road
The oldest cement works in New Zealand, from the 1880s. The chimneys and walls give you the scale of it, and in summer the flooded quarry, framed by the ruins and the trees, is the place for a swim and a picnic at the water's edge.
145 Wilson RoadDaily 6 am–7 pmFree
Walks & Trails The river track, Parry Kauri Park, Pōhuehue Falls and the Tāwharanui coast, with distances and times.
See the walks
Best nature stroll
Not to be missed. Two of the tallest kauri on the east coast, and peaceful loop walks through ancient bush with signs to help you name the trees. Easy going, and good for families.
3 min driveDaily 10 am–3 pmFree
Best local history
Set inside Parry Kauri Park. A small museum with more than the usual: a "murder house", genuine Second World War US army huts, an 1800s jail, and a gift shop.
32 Tudor Collins DriveDaily 10 am–3 pmAdults NZ$12
A local favourite
Honey tastings, mānuka and honey blends, café treats and gifts, with the bees at work behind glass.
7 Perry Road7 min driveDaily 8:30 am–5 pm
Best riverside stroll
The town wharf, home of the Jane Gifford, is where the riverbank boardwalk starts. It runs from the historic Elizabeth Street bridge to Lucy Moore Park, with plenty of seats along the way, then on through bush past the mossy 19th-century lime kilns to the Showgrounds.
Elizabeth Street bridge to Lucy Moore ParkFree
Warkworth's own
Built in 1908 by Davey Darroch on the Whangateau Harbour, the Jane Gifford is the last of New Zealand's old trading scows still under sail. From 1921 she was based in Warkworth, bringing shell from the Firth of Thames up the river to the cement works. Warkworth people bought her in 2005 and brought her home, and since her relaunch in 2009 she has sailed from the town wharf again.
Public trips run on set dates in the warmer months, mostly at weekends. There's no need to book unless you're a group of 12 or more: be on the wharf 15 minutes before, and bring cash, as there's no EFTPOS on board. Keep an eye on the river, too: she sometimes sails past the bottom of our property.
Warkworth town wharfTrips on set datesCash onlySailing times
Best family activity
Golf driving range, mini golf, batting cages and an air rifle range. Bookings recommended but not essential.
1794 Pohuehue RoadOpen 7 days09 425 8393
Dome Forest
Scenic rides through farm and forest, suited to a range of ages and abilities. Reservations recommended.
42 Kaipara Flats RoadTue–Sun to 5 pmNZ$65 an hour, NZ$120 for two021 024 66295
Matakana Country Park
Electric go-karts for all ages on a 300-metre track, reaching over 50 km/h. Tickets at the gate.
31 Omaha Flats RoadWeekends 10 am–5 pm
A night out
Two beautifully decorated cinemas with big, comfortable seats. The Vintry next door brings your drinks and a fresh pizza to your seat during the film. Check sessions on the Flicks app, and book at weekends.
2 Matakana Valley Road09 423 0218
A day on the water
A short drive to Sandspit and a ferry ride out to Kawau: Mansion House, free-roaming peacocks, walking tracks, picnic spots and the Kawau Boating Club. Check the ferry timetable before you set out.
Ferry from SandspitTimetable on the Kawau Cruises site
The heart of Matakana
From local eats to boutique treats. Arrive early for a car park, especially at the height of summer.
2 Matakana Valley RoadOpen 7 days
Saturdays only
A leisurely Saturday morning: live music, organic vegetables and fruit, fresh baking, and coffee. Worth planning the weekend around.
Saturdays 8 am–1 pm
On the way
Award-winning gelato, ice cream and coffee, and a scrumptious stop on a hot day. Order an ice-cream cake for a special occasion.
17 Sharp Road10 min driveOpen 7 days
For every diet
Cafe Nectar sits in the courtyards of the old Morris & James pottery, where the kilns have stopped but the workshops are still home to makers. Most dishes are gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free, the rest can usually be made so, and all are labelled, with vegan and keto options. The all-day menu runs from free-range eggs and a gluten-free eggs Benedict to pad thai and smoked brisket fry bread, with local beer and wine. Ask about the weekly heat-and-eat meals, too: an easy dinner back at the retreat. On a special diet, this is the place we send you. With a serious allergy, have a word first: one kitchen makes everything, so they can't promise a dish is free of every trace.
48 Tongue Farm Road, MatakanaWed–Fri 9 am–3 pm, Sat–Sun 9 am–4 pm15 min driveMenu (PDF)021 184 9688
What's on this week Markets, live music, festivals and openings around Matakana and Warkworth, listed on Eventfinda.
See what's on
Best coastal day trip
New Zealand's first marine reserve, and with over 300,000 visitors a year, one of its best loved. Snorkel, dive or kayak with fish that come to you, or take the glass-bottom boat tour, which is worth booking ahead. Hire gear at Goat Island Dive and Snorkel, just before the reserve.
Goat Island Road, LeighGlass-bottom boat: book ahead
One of our favourite spots
A small, picturesque beach and one of our favourite places on this coast, busy in summer for good reason. Pack a picnic and swim in the clear, clean water, then follow the short track beside the beach through native bush.
LeighPicnic and swimBush walk from the beach
Highly recommended
A predator-free open sanctuary: white-sand beaches, native bush, wetlands, walking tracks, swimming and picnic spots. Join an evening tour to find kiwi and ruru, or simply stay till dusk, when the kiwi come out on their own. Birdwatchers, see what you might spot.
30 min driveCampgroundKiwi tours by night
The long white one
Four kilometres of soft white sand between the dunes and the beach houses. Surf, swim, and a golf course and supermarket in the village.
20 min drive
Please keep off the dunes. Rare shorebirds, including New Zealand dotterels and fairy terns, nest on the beaches along the Mahurangi coast. Walk below the high-tide line and keep dogs away from the nesting areas.
Beaches & Swimming The Cement Works swimming hole, Omaha, Anchor Bay, Matheson Bay, Goat Island and Scandrett, and what to know before you swim.
See the beaches
One of our favourites
Boutique winery, sculpture trail, restaurant and vineyard in a peaceful bush setting, on the way to Snells Beach. Our pick for a long lunch or dinner.
17 Arabella Lane, Snells BeachOpen 7 daysBook for dining
Art & gardens
Art, sculpture, gardens, dining and wildlife in one outing: kaleidoscopic gardens, giant glass menageries and roaming peacocks. Rothko restaurant on site, bookings recommended.
40 Omaha Flats RoadDaily 10 am–4 pmAdults NZ$45, seniors NZ$35022 883 0932
Coffee & cafés
Dinner & drinks
Opening hours change with the season, and some places close early in the week. It is worth a quick check before you drive out — and if you are after a recommendation for a particular evening, just ask us.
Please make yourself at home, treat the space with care, and let us know if anything needs attention during your stay. We hope you leave feeling rested, refreshed, and already planning your next visit.
Mahurangi River Retreat
Photo credits: Warkworth wharf: Adobe Stock.