Long Bay Regional Park

Long Bay's Variety all abilities playground sits where Auckland's northernmost stretch of coast opens into a kilometre of north facing sand, built so children and caregivers using wheelchairs can join in rather than watch from the sidelines. It suits family groups of mixed ages and mobility levels, and sits an easy stroll back from the beach under mature trees.

Equipment

Wooden and concrete pathways link the play spaces, and equipment includes a flying fox, swings, musical instruments and sand play built to accommodate wheelchair users, with input from Variety, the Children's Charity, during design. The playground sits among scattered BBQ and picnic areas under mature trees, just back from the beach.

Access and Inclusion

Auckland Council built the playground around accessible principles it now applies park wide: wet pour surfacing where budget allows, and no raised edges so wheels and unsteady feet move through easily. Benches and water fountains line the paved walkways, and the nearby BBQ and shelter sites were built to the same standard. Nineteen drinking fountains, ten barbecues and three showers are spread across the park, so a long walk back to facilities is rare.

History and Cultural

Long Bay, known in te reo as Te Oneroa o Kahu, has drawn Aucklanders to its shore for more than a century, well before the regional park was formally established. Remnants of World War Two coastal defence structures still sit on the clifftops, and the Long Bay to Okura track threads along the same coast as part of the Te Araroa Trail, doubling the park as a waypoint for walkers crossing the country.

Practical Info

The park is about 25 to 30 kilometres, or a 30 minute drive, north of the Auckland CBD, with parking off Beach Road and bus services connecting to the North Shore and central city; self contained vehicles can stay overnight. The beach is unpatrolled, so check Safeswim before swimming, and keep dogs leashed outside the areas set aside for them. Google's visitor data shows the park busiest on Saturday early afternoons around 2pm, so a weekday morning suits families after a quieter playground.