Local Area
Sanders Reserve
Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, this is a great place to take a picnic lunch and spend a morning or afternoon exploring the walking tracks and taking in the stunning water views of the upper Waitemata Harbour. There’s 41 hectares of land to explore. It’s surrounded by water and there’s great views of Auckland’s Sky Tower. Enjoy listening and watching the sky larks as they dart about in the open sky. There’s plenty of birdlife here.
One of the gems of Sanders Park is the Faraway Tree, an old macrocarpa tree which has been carved to depict an enchanting visual story about the history of the park. It features depictions of animal heads, waka, fish and significant local people including former land owner George Sanders. It even has a trunk cave big enough for adults to crawl into.
Adding to that is the Seat of Life, which is a seat carved from a felled macrocarpa tree from the site. Both are trees carved by local artist Phil Bonham using a chainsaw. We used our Tatonka truck to shift the seat of Life onto its current site next to the Faraway Tree.
The ‘Seat of Life’ and the ‘Faraway Tree’, carved by Phil Bonham, photography Gail Stent
Paremoremo Wharf
This is a popular fishing wharf for snapper and kawhai. It’s a lovely spot to enjoy sunsets over the Harbour on a nice summer’s evening.
Bush Reserves
There’s a number of bush reserves within the area including Chatham Ave Reserve, Lucas Creek Scenic Reserve and Paremoremo Scenic Reserve. The Paremoremo Scenic Reserve is the best reserve for walking in.