Protecting Long Bay and Okura's marine life

The Long Bay - Okura Marine Reserve, established in 1995, is Auckland's most accessible marine reserve. Marine reserves are areas of sea and foreshore where all marine life is totally protected and fish, shellfish, seaweeds and other species can recover from over-fishing and other threats.

Protecting a range of New Zealand's coastal and marine ecosystems

The Long Bay - Okura Marine Reserve protects an area of coastline typical of much of the Waitemata Harbour and inner Hauraki Gulf. It is moderately sheltered and largely formed of Waitemata sandstones and mudstones. The purpose of a marine protected area network around the New Zealand coastline is to safeguard representative examples of our different coastal and marine habitats.

Diverse habitats

Sandy beaches and rocky reefs are the main habitats to be found in the Long Bay section of the marine reserve. Waitemata rock formations are clearly visible, and the intertidal zone on the rock platforms provide plenty of rock pool life to investigate.

Estuarine mudflats and mangroves (one of the most productive ecosystems on earth) also feature in the marine reserve in the sheltered upper reaches of the Okura River.

Getting an overview

The Long Bay coastal walk leads from the northern end of the beach up onto the coastal cliffs. Piripiri Point gives good views over the marine reserve and its boundary markers.

back to top