About | Takapuna North Head Tunnels
Come explore a bit of New Zealand military history at the Takapuna North Head Tunnels. North Head is a defence site and lookout that was made to protect Auckland from a feared Russian invasion in the 1880s. You can now walk through the military tunnel complex and see gun emplacements, fortifications and searchlights. You can also watch a free movie about the history of this place in the old stone kitchen.
Bring a picnic, pick a spot on the grass and enjoy the widespread views of the islands of the Hauraki Gulf, the city and the harbour. It’s awesome to just sit and watch as the yachts, ferries and ships go past.
You can walk around the base and down along the rocks which lead to the beautiful Cheltenham Beach.
Don’t forget to bring a torch to explore the tunnels – our kids loved having one each so that they could explore at their leisure.
Vehicle gates close at 8pm and pedestrian gates at 10pm.
Take your rubbish with you – there are no rubbish bins.
Free entry.
Nearby
Location
You’ll find parking up the hill, at the end of Takarunga Road.
Photos
The kids loved exploring the maze of tunnels. Though they were scared to enter at first as all they could see was the tunnel disappearing into darkness, moved forward with a little bit of encouragement and off they went, around the corner and back into the light. They loved holding their own torches and being in charge.
This is the disappearing gun – it would go underground after each shot. It was state-of-the-art when installed in 1887.
This is also a Kiwi Guardians spot. The kids love going on Kiwi Guardian adventures and earning their medals afterwards.
Conclusion
The North Head Tunnels are an exciting place to explore. Allow plenty of time as you wander through and bring a picnic to split it up a bit, the kids will love looking out and seeing the boats coming in and out of the harbour.
