Hamilton’s Gap

About | Hamilton’s Gap

If you love going off-road or playing on big sand dunes, then this is the place for you. Hamilton’s Gap has the highest sand dunes in Auckland.

Bring your boogie boards and go for a neat ride down. Then see if you can walk all the way up the huge sand dune. It’s a big walk up! The kids love it though, they are so determined to make it to the top first they raced up there so quick, leaving us far behind. It’s quite steep in places though so watch younger kids carefully. At the top, look behind you and check out that view and how far you’ve come!

There’s a stream running through that you’ll have to walk across to get to the beach. It’s not too deep. It’s also a nice spot for the kids to have a little play in.

Self-contained motorhomes can stay here overnight. 

There is a toilet and cold shower.

 

Nearby

Karioitahi Beach

Manukau Heads Lighthouse

Awhitu Regional Park

Glenbrook Vintage Railway

Waiuku Harbour Cruises

 

Location

At the end of West Coast Road.

 

Photos

 

It’s a beautiful winter day when we head out to Hamilton’s Gap. We are all very excited about coming back and exploring the huge sand dunes again.

 

 

There’s picnic tables, toilets and a cold shower by the parking.

 

 

We are so eager to hit the sand dunes! Look at how high it goes!

 

 

Sam grabs his boogie board, walks up most of the way and daringly slides all the way down – surprisingly, without falling off! Wow!

Walking back up is another thing..

 

 

Before long, the kids have made it to the top, running ahead and exploring the sand dunes beyond. What an amazing place this is.

 

 

We wander along the top and the kids have a few rides down the small sand dunes on the top of the cliff. We haven’t done this in a long time but enjoy doing it again. Such fun!

 

 

Looking around, we explore more of this incredible place, but at the same time, I’m wondering – how are we going to get down?

 

 

We find a way down, but it wasn’t for the light-hearted. Thankfully the boys are brave and we enjoyed the steep walk down the sandy and steep cliff.

 

 

We walk back along the beach and the kids have fun playing with the waves.

 

 

To the other side of the rocks, there’s another beach that goes for miles.

 

 

Even though it’s winter, they’re splashing in the creek and getting all wet before we head off again. We all really enjoyed our time here, it was a good day!