Parry Kauri Park is home to some of New Zealand’s oldest and tallest native trees. Strolling through the tall trees is probably my favourite of the many things to do in Warkworth and the nearby New Zealand towns.
A relaxed, residential community about an hour north of Auckland, Warkworth offers a few surprises to its visitors.
Aside from Parry Kauri Park and its native kauri trees, there are crystal clear beaches and hours of hiking trails inside several regional parks, wildlife to be spotted, farm animals to enjoy, a museum, and wine tasting.
Generally, we bring visitors to walk through Parry Kauri Park. Then we head into town to enjoy a meal or a coffee before choosing from the other things to do in Warkworth.
If you are heading north of Auckland, either to the Bay of Islands or all the way to the Cape Reinga or anywhere in between, if you can allow time to stop and explore the kauri trees.
First, be inspired …
Parry Kauri Park
Parry Kauri Park is home to the two largest living kauri trees on the east coast of New Zealand. It’s an ideal place to stop and stretch your legs if you are headed up north or a great destination on its own.
There is a walking loop track with several lookouts and strolls ranging in length from 10 to 45 minutes. Although mostly boardwalk, there are several sections of stairs and some areas of the trail area is hard-packed dirt.
The McKinney Kauri
Named to honour the first minister of the Presbyterian Church in Warkworth and the Mahurangi, Rev McKinney, it’s the 800-year-old McKinney Kauri that greeted us as we walked towards the boardwalk of Parry Kauri Park in Warkworth.
Take a look at the group of students standing at its base as they offer a bit of perspective on size, although it’s difficult to see that the tree has a girth of more than 7 metres. In fact, the McKinney kauri tree is estimated to be the largest kauri tree on New Zealand’s east coast.
They were learning a bit about Kauri, the largest native tree species in New Zealand, growing only in the subtropical north portion of the North Island. There were many more kauri forests 1,000 years ago when the first people arrived on the island. In fact, Kauri remained prolific until the European settlers arrived in the 1700-1800s.
Kauri can grow to over 50 m tall, with trunk girths up to 16 m, and live for over 2,000 years. New Zealand’s largest, Tane Mahuta, is on the West Coast of the North Island. When we drive around the top of the North Island, we can see both trees.
Today, they are protected. If you want to learn more about the history, past uses and current threats to this masterpiece of nature? Check out the New Zealand Department of Conservation.
Maori legend tells us that anyone can place both their hands on the 800-year-old kauri tree, close their eyes and make a wish.
Parry Kauri Park loop track
The boardwalk winds through the dense trees. It’s an easy walk, although the steps suggest it is not very accessible for strollers or wheelchairs.
Well signposted there are loop options with the shortest being only about 10 minutes to the first viewing platform of a bird feeding station.
It only takes about 30-45 minutes to walk the entire loop and the result is a peaceful calm that often lasts for days.
Check out this spider web. Steps along the boardwalk.
Where is Parry Kauri Park?
Parry Kauri Park is about an hour north of Auckland by car (64 km), just before the township of Warkworth. The town is part of the Auckland region.
Specifically, the park is off of Tudor Collins Drive in Warkworth. It’s several minutes off the main road and has a carved wooden entrance sign.
Other things to do in Warkworth
Warkworth Museum
You will find the Warkworth Museum adjacent to the same car park you used to get to Parry Kauri Park.
Enjoy a meal, coffee, or just a stroll along the river
Warkworth town centre is home to several delicious cafes and restaurants. We like to stroll along the Mahurnagi River boardwalk and just enjoy the day.
Sheepworld
Ever wonder about all those New Zealand sheep? Spend a few hours at Sheepworld and you will be sorted. There is an opportunity to get up close to a variety of friend farms and exotic animals, and to learn the story of New Zealand wool, but the real highlight for me is the Sheep and Dog Show, which currently only runs on the weekends, and on school holidays at 11.30 am. Check for discounts.
Matakana Wine Tour
If you are staying in Warkworth, you might enjoy a full-day wine tasting tour that visits three of Matakana’s best wineries. Tour pick up starts in Warkworth (or Auckland or Matakana) and travels through the stunning Matakana region. Not only will you try wines, but you will also share a gourmet lunch platter. Check the for discounts and be sure to read the reviews
Head to the beach
There are some stunning beaches in the area, including three Auckland regional parks, Tarwharanui, Mahurangi, and Wenderholm. Each is home to plenty of great hiking tracks and beautiful beaches. And, if you don’t want to visit a park, then just head to the white sands of Omaha beach.
Take a cruise out to Kawau Island
Leaving from nearby Sandspit, the Kawau Island Super Cruise will follow the Royal Mail delivery route around Kawau. Did you know that was the longest watercraft mail run by in the Southern Hemisphere? Ideally, you’ll enjoy bird and marine life before going ashore and visiting the Mansion House and some of the walking paths. There’s even an ancient Māori Pa site and a seashore copper mine. Check or discounts on this great day out to Kawau.
In the evening, look for kiwi birds at Tawharanui
A real highlight for many, as seeing these nocturnal birds in the wild is a rare treat reserved for only a few. Experts know how to find them, and take small groups out to experience the Nothern Brown Kiwi bird habitat. Learning a lot about the birds, you will hopefully find one on your tour which heads out at dusk for a three-hour adventure. Check for discounts and read the reviews.
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Have you walked through Parry Kauri Park? Where have you seen kauri trees in New Zealand?
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Dyson
Our Ancient Kauri is more than 45,000 years old. Numerous independent radio carbon dating by world experts confirm that at more than 45,000 years old, the buried Ancient Kauri recovered in the far north of New Zealand by Ancient Kauri Kingdom, is amongst the oldest of all Ancient Kauri found and certainly the oldest workable wood in the world by a long, long way.
bettyl - NZ
They are just amazing trees. I haven’t been to see this one, but maybe soon!
Rhonda Albom
If you are headed all the way up north to see them, you really should go to the West coast and see Tane Mahuta. It’s probably less than another hour drive (not sure though).
Meg Jerrard
Beautiful photos Rhonda – I would love to get to New Zealand, and these kind of boardwalks are always a really fascinating way to get up close to some of the world’s most protected nature. I love that you took a shot of the spiderweb – lol why I try to avoid them at all costs while hiking, I have realized through my husbands shots that they do make for beautiful photos!!
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Meg. I do hope you get here someday, New Zealand is a fantastic country, especially for nature lovers. As for spider webs, they have two purposes – great photo subject and catching mosquitoes.
Suze The Luxury Columnist
What a fascinating article, I’ve never seen a kauri tree so it was great to find out more about them. It must have been a tough gig fitting such a tall tree into your shots!
Anda
The Kauri trees seem to be the brothers of the Sequoias: they look huge! I never heard of them before, so this was very interesting. New Zealand seems to enjoy a very unique vegetation.
pat
holy moly – those are some really tall trees!
Chrys Fey
I have never seen a kauri tree. I would love to go to that park. As you know, I love taking pictures of trees. I’d spend all day there just snapping away.
I love that picture of the spiderweb!
Rhonda Albom
Hubby isn’t a photographer, so my time becomes a trade off. If you do make it to New Zealand, I will spend the day there with you taking photos.
Nicholas
I drove past Warkworth to get to Whangarei, not knowing that there was a kauri forest, although I got to see Tane Mahuta. These are amazing but fragile trees. Have you seen the swamp kauri in Awanui?
Rhonda Albom
Tane Mahuta is the Lord of the Forest, the largest in New Zealand. If you were heading up there, you didn’t need to stop and see McKinney Kauri. Yes we have been up to the top and seen the swamp kauri. Our girls haven’t been up there though, so maybe it’s time for another road trip.
Adam Jones
I really like the cobweb in the sunlight. Brilliant image.
Alissa Apel
I love super old trees. We just went to a state park, and they have a tree that’s in the shape of an S. It’s dead, but they don’t want to cut it down.
That spider web is so cool!
Indah Nuria Savitri
always love the ferns ..and lush green trees. It must be a lovely walk over there..
Evija
What a magical place, beautiful photos..
Glenda Cates
Great pictures and something fun to share with my son that he can share with his teachers. Thanks for posting.
Travelera
Fabulous pictures!!! The one with the spider web is co cool xx
Stewart Monckton
What a great looking tree – I am in the early stages of planning a trip to NZ – so, this is another place to add to the (already long) list!
Cheers – Stewart M – Melbourne
Rhonda Albom
I am not surprised your list is really long. New Zealand is awesome, but so is Melbourne. How long will you be in New Zealand? While this park is pretty cool, with limited time, it probably won’t make the list.
Amy
I haven’t checked out that place, is it anywhere near the quarry?
Rhonda Albom
Parry Kauri Park is right next to the Warkworth Museum. It’s south of Mahurangi College. From State Hwy 1 turn on Mckinney Road (which has a sign for the Warkworth Museum) when the road ends make a right and it’s less than a minute from there.
Indrani
Whoa! Never seen anything like these. Great pics.
Rhonda Albom
I remember the first time I saw one of the giant kauri. The neat thing is they are just as amazing every time.
Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti
The Kauri trees look very large and interesting!
There are many giant redwood and sequoia trees in the state of California in the US–some of them are thousands of years old!
Rhonda Albom
I lived in San Francisco are for the 15 years before I moved to New Zealand, so I know those trees well. They are also amazing. Nature is awesome.
Vicki Green
What a magnificent tree and a gorgeous place! I love big, old trees. I always think of all of the events that have occurred during their many centuries of life.
Joyce
So, now you can go tree climbing.
Rhonda Albom
If there was a way, I could have imagined my girls trying it when they were younger. However, the trunk portion is too tall to get started.
Monica
Awesome photos! I love the perspective of having so many (tiny) people standing at the base of the Kauri tree. I’ve never been there, and it looks amazing.
Rhonda Albom
The other times I have been there has been no one else around, so for photo purposes I was really glad that group was standing there.
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The forest looks gorgeous to explore, great that you added the tip about no prams or wheelchairs.
Rhonda Albom
It’s an easy boardwalk, although there are quite a few stairs mixed in throughout the walk. You could easily see the big McKinney Kauri from the parking area. It would be worth stopping just for that if you were heading up North. It’s only about 10 minutes out of your way, round trip.
Nick Wilford
Very impressive! Looks like a great place to take time out and marvel at nature, which is always good to do.
Claire
Lovely post, love how you captures the cobweb, it looks great 🙂
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Interesting post through a nature walk with beautiful captures.I really like the capture of spider web.
Rhonda Albom
Thanks Amila. That spider web was huge and the light shown perfectly to make it noticeable, but difficult to photograph
Paul F. Pietrangelo
I love forests. When I was teaching, I would take my class into this special forest and there was this part where the dirt would smell like root beer. That amazed the students. Spiders, well that is another things. I hate spiders, any type of spider. Yuck!
Have a beautiful Tuesday Rhonda. See ya.
Cruisin Paul
Rhonda Albom
Why did it smell like root beer? Did you ever find out or was it just a mystery? I am intrigued now. As for spiders, I am not a huge fan, except for the ones that eat mosquitoes. Lucky for me, I didn’t see the spider, just the web.
Patrick Weseman
Those are so beautiful. Very nice. Need to save my pennies for New Zealand.
http://csuhpat1.blogspot.com/2015/07/walking-along-fishermans-wharf.html
Rhonda Albom
Sorry to say it, but lots of pennies. It’s not an inexpensive country. Although I sure find lots of free things to do.
Karren Haller
What a great place, so green, the trees are amazing!!! I would love to visit, but for now through your lens is perfect!! Karren
Nancy
Looks like a wonderful visit
Cindy
I don’t think I’ve seen any tree quite that old, but they are beautiful. I love mature trees! Lovely Photos!
Alex J. Cavanaugh
That’s a big tree.
Looks like a beautiful place to explore. I really dig the spiderweb shot.
Rhonda Albom
It is an interesting place to explore, although we are kept on the boardwalk and out of the bush.
Teresa from NanaHood
I think that I shall never see a thing as lovely as a tree?
That’s a line from a poem and I don’t think I got it exactly right, but you get the idea.
Have a great week!
Teresa
Eileen
Great post, Rhonda! The park and boardwalk trail look wonderful. I love the huge Kauri Tree. I would like to explore that boardwalk, it looks so lush and green. Beautiful images, thanks for sharing your visit. Have a happy week ahead!
Parent Club
The spiderweb picture is beautiful
Minoru
Hi! The Kauri tree is very big and awesome. I enjoyed your post very much. Thanks for sharing.
Comedy Plus
I would love to visit here. So beautiful and so green. Awesome shots.
Redwoods are the biggest trees I’ve ever seen. We have a redwood forest here in California that is quite breathtaking.
Have a fabulous day Rhonda. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I have been to the redwood forest in California and I love Muir Woods. I am not sure which trees are actually bigger. I am sure you would Parry Kauri Park, if you ever finish seeing the entire US. (I remember you said you want to see the whole US before you travel).
Merlinda Little (@pixiedusk)
I am in awe of the size of this tree! I havent seen something as big as this. Thanks for sharing. Amazing. Nature is just amazing!
Rhonda Albom
I was really glad there were people standing nearby as it give the perspective needed to see how big it really is.
Hilary
Hi Rhonda .. amazing trees – fascinating to read up a little about them and see them. I’d love to do that board walk .. and 45 minutes is about what I can do now – but must stretch out shortly. Love the photos too – the cobweb and those huge ferns … glorious … cheers Hilary
Rhonda Albom
45 minutes is the slow version, if you just walked the trail, I think you could easily do it in 30 minutes.
stevebethere
Interesting post Rhonda I liked the photos very peaceful and love the one with the web 🙂
Have a webtastic week 🙂