Dogs on beaches

Photo shows a woman plays with her dog at the Beach.

Dogs are allowed on most beaches in the Whangārei District, except for the locations listed below that have conservation bans to protect wildlife.

Conservation ban areas

Some estuaries and beaches have dog bans all year-round, to protect wildlife.

No dogs are allowed at all times:

  • Bland Bay including North Head Scenic Reserve
  • Bream Head Scenic Reserve and Ocean Beach, north of the main surf beach
  • Kauri Mountain Beach (the northern part of Ocean Beach)
  • Matapōuri estuary, upstream of both bridges and on conservation land at the northern end of Matapōuri beach
  • Matakohe (Limestone Island)
  • Mimiwhangata Coastal Park
  • Ngunguru sandspit, and south of the sandspit, including the HoraHora River 
  • One Tree Point, from Marsden Point, past the marina to the end of the beach
  • Ruakākā River and estuary
  • Waipū River and estuary
  • Waipū Cove from Tip Road to Camp Waipū Cove
  • Whananaki sandspit and Otamure Bay

More detail and maps of the conservation ban areas can be found below.

Summer time dog ban on beaches

Dogs are banned from nearly all beaches during the summer peak time, between 9:00am and 5:00pm from 20 December to 31 January.

Dog exercise areas at Ruakākā and Uretiti beaches are available all year round:

  • Ruakākā Beach from Mair Road to Karawai Street

Ruakākā dog exercise area(PDF, 138KB)

  • Uretiti from the camping ground to Tip Road

Uretiti dog exercise area(PDF, 82KB)

 

No dogs at all times:

  • Bland Bay
  • North Head Scenic Reserve, from the northern tip of Teparapara Bay to Bland Bay
  • on Motokauri Island

Bland Bay Teparapara(PDF, 119KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • from the Urquharts Bay car park around Bream Head reserve to the southern end of Ocean Beach
  • from the northern end of Ocean Beach to Awaroa Rock
  • Kauri Mountain Beach

 Bream Head / Ocean Beach(PDF, 94KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • in estuary areas upstream of both Matapōuri bridges
  • on conservation land at the northern end of Matapōuri beach

Matapouri(PDF, 88KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • on any beaches within the Mimiwhangata Coastal Park, from Taiwawe Bay to Pareparea Bay
  • on Rimiriki and Wide Berth Islands

Mimiwhangata(PDF, 87KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • from the Ngunguru River Public Reserve along the southern side of Ngunguru river to the sandspit
  • the Ngunguru Sandspit
  • all beaches south of the sandspit down to, and including the Horahora River

 

Ngunguru / Horahora(PDF, 106KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • from edge of Marsden Point Oil Refinery, along Marsden Bay, past Marsden Cove Marina to the end of the beach

One Tree Point(PDF, 104KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • in the Ruakākā River and estuary, from Biller Road in the north, to where the estuary intersects with State Highway 1 in the south

Ruakākā Wildlife Refuge(PDF, 83KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • on Waipu Cove beach from Tip Road to Camp Waipū Cove
  • the Waipū River mouth and the estuary arm extending south towards Camp Waipū Cove

Waipū Wildlife Refuge(PDF, 126KB)

No dogs at all times:

  • from south-side of the Whananaki pedestrian bridge, around the sandspit and ocean beach to Pitokuku Point
  • Otamure Beach

Whananaki(PDF, 94KB)