Thames

Beaches and walks

Karaka Bird Hide 

Take the children on a boardwalk through the mangroves to the hide. Here you can view the birds in the Firth of Thames. Remember, children need to be supervised at all times around water!

Victoria Park is located on the shores of the Firth of Thames and can be accessed via Brown Street just past the Goldfields Shopping Mall.

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Hauraki Plains

Beaches and walks

Western side of the Coromandel Peninsula

There are many beaches from Thames up to Coromandel town which run along the coast of the Firth of Thames. Most are not suitable for swimming and care should be taken if collecting shellfish from these areas as the tide can turn quickly and unwary waders can be caught in the incoming tide!

Eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula

Whitianga

The best beach to visit at Whitianga is Buffalo Beach, a long sandy beach providing safe swimming for families. The beach got its name after a ship was wrecked there in 1840 during a storm. Its name, of course, was Buffalo. 

 

Cathedral Cove

South of Hahei is Cathedral Cove. There is a scenic track that takes you down to this beach; we recommend it for four years and up as it is a bit long and little legs can get tired on the return journey. 

 

Hot Water Beach

Heading south again from Cathedral Cove is  Hot Water Beach. This beach gets its name because at low tide (approximately 2 hours either side) you can dig at certain places and find hot water coming up through the sand. So remember to pick up a tide chart and have a shovel when you visit here. It is important to note that this beach is not a safe swimming beach and parents should keep an eye out for 'dangerous swimming' signs.  

 

Pauanui

Pauanui Beach looks out into the Pacific Ocean and with its white sand is an excellent beach for surfing and swimming. Surf patrols are on duty over the summer months. 

 

Tairua Beach

Tairua Beach, like Pauanui Beach, looks out into the Pacific Ocean and again with its white sand is a great beach for families to visit.

 

If you are looking for a playground then the easiest one to find is just over the bridge on the Main Road. Access for children is best taken from Manaia Road as the Main Road can get very busy espically during holiday times.

Waihi

The main park in Waihi township is at Gilmour Lake, situated off Tauranga Road, State Highway 2 to Katikati. Here the children can enjoy feeding the local wildlife.

 

The closest beach is Waihi Beach which features a long beach with views towards the Bay of Plenty. At the northern end of the beach are recreational reserves suitable for family picnics. There are many spots along the beach for you to stop and enjoy the sand between your toes, but it is advisable to provide your own shade as shaded areas are limited.

 

Karangahake Reserve

The Karangahake Reserve gives you the opportunity to explore the New Zealand bush. Around fifteen minutes from Waihi on State Highway 2, the reserve has good toilets and covered picnic areas. With suspended bridges over rivers, old mining tunnels and mountain biking tracks, this is an ideal area to visit. Parents must supervise children as many of the walks have narrow paths that can descend many metres to rocks and the river below, so it is important to stick to tracks. The reserve is full of old mining tunnels and shafts and the Department of Conservation ask visitors to the reserve to keep to tracks and only enter the mining tunnels that have been made available to the public to walk through.

The Windows Walk is a round trip which takes around thirty minutes. It is an easy walk, but does go along some narrow, cliff-hugging paths which require supervision of children. Bring your torches and walk through the old gold-mining tunnels.
 

Whangamata

Whangamata Wharf is ideal for fishing off and its free!

 

Whangamata Beach is a great beach, long and sandy, and ideal for families. However, there is very little shade so make sure you bring sunscreen, hats and tops to cover up with. A beach umbrella would not go amiss either, as would plenty of water to drink.

 

If you enjoy a camping holiday with the sound of water trickling over a stream, then try the Wentworth Valley Campgrounds, a New Zealand Conservation Campsite 6km north of Whangamata. The Wentworth Valley has picnic areas for those on day visits, with waterholes for children to swim in. There are many bush walks around the picnic area and old gold-mining workings which are also within walking distance of the campgrounds.

 

Onemana

Onemana settlement is nestled in the valley overlooking Onemana Beach. The beach itself is more suitable for surfing and children of all ages should be supervised by adults as the beach shelf drops off steeply within a few metres of the shore. It is patrolled by surf lifesavers during the summer months. Onemana has toilets and  a pirate ship-themed playground  for the children. The beach is long enough to enjoy a 20-minute walk and it boasts white sand. However, there is little shade and if you can it is advisable to bring your own.