Purangi Regional Reserve

Where the Purangi River slides out into Mercury Bay at the eastern end of Cooks Beach, Purangi Reserve sets a small council playground on a lawn shaded by pines and pōhutukawa, a stone's throw from a sheltered estuary beach.¹ When the main beach on this side of the Coromandel Peninsula is wind-blown, this is where parents head: on an incoming tide the clear, gently shelving water is calm enough for young children to paddle.

Equipment

The play area is one timber-post combination unit on bark chip inside low timber edging: a green plastic slide, a blue crawl tube between the platforms, a chain-net climb, a short metal ladder and a stepped stair with handrails. A galvanised swing frame stands beside it. It suits toddlers up to about eight; one parent calls it a "cool little playground", and it is the sidekick to the water rather than the main event.

History and Cultural

The bay was named Whanganui-o-Hei, the great bay of Hei, for Hei, the Te Arawa leader whose people became Ngāti Hei, and in November 1769 James Cook chose this eastern end of the beach to set up his instruments to observe the transit of Mercury.² Across the channel lies Stella Evered Park, with the stream where Cook refilled his water barrels.³

Practical Info

There are public toilets, picnic tables and a covered barbecue area that works on first come, first served. The playground is not fenced, Captain Cook Road loops around the reserve and the water is close, so keep runners within reach. Swim at high tide or as it comes in: several reviewers warn of a strong current in the channel once the tide turns, and one notes that at low tide the edge turns mucky and crabby, so pack beach shoes.

The boat ramp and pontoon sit right beside the reserve, with a pay and display permit for trailers, so expect trailers and boat traffic on good boating days.³ A coffee cart and kayak and paddle board hire often set up here in summer. Older reviews mention self-contained camping, but council rules bar camping on reserves and a recent visitor was fined, so do not plan to stay the night.¹ Central Reserve, the other Cooks Beach council playground, is about 1.5 km away.¹