Steeped in history, Kumeu boasts an array of long established and award-winning wineries, fruit orchards, artisan brewers, cafes, award-winning restaurants, and rural lifestyle blocks, and is renowned for its coastal playground, various festivals and special events.

Kumeu's local young vines.

Kumeu village and the surrounding countryside of Waimauku and Muriwai Valley play host to the Kumeu Wine Country wine trail. The wineries date back to the 1940’s when wine families of Croatian origin contributed to the establishment of winemaking in the area. There is also a significant international influence now through partnerships with overseas wine interests.

The wine growing district is the main industry in both Kumeu itself and the smaller nearby settlements of Huapai and Waimauku. The range of wineries includes small and large, local and national wineries, with diverse and interesting wine styles from grapes grown both near and far.

Some wineries in the region produce wines from the unique vineyards of Kumeu, and some from other reputed grape growing regions such as Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, Gisborne and Wairarapa.

Just about 25 minutes from the Auckland CBD, the region offers an exciting and varied mix of options for visitors, national and international, including adventure seekers. There is plenty to do for the adrenalin junkie like surfing, mountain biking, trail riding on quad motorbikes or 4 wheel drive vehicles, and swinging through the trees on ropes in the Woodhill Forest.

Kumeu's modernist street lights. Photos Virin Gomber.

The Kumeu Visitor Information Centre, conveniently located on the main highway in Huapai, greets the visitors with a big i-site symbol and plenty of off street parking including room for campervans. The centre, in the new location, has been impressively presented, with WiFi internet access, postcards, stamps, maps and quality local souvenirs for sale, and the Toi Toi gallery displaying a wide variety of hand made art works created by local artists.

The Kumeu Showgrounds holds one of the southern hemisphere’s biggest one-day shows in March each year. The grounds host a variety of other cultural festivals and events throughout the year, including the Food & Wine Festival and the Classic Car & Hot Rod Festival.

Huapai is the commercial and business hub of the district with two shopping centres, building and hardware retailers, banks, professional services, bars and restaurants.  It’s a thriving industrial area that supports and services many industries like forestry, construction, heavy transport and engineering. It caters to most requirements of the locals, as well as visitors from surrounding areas.

The Kumeu district has a spectacular west coast beach – Muriwai, world renowned for its surf and black sand. Its more than 30 kilometres long  coastline is popular with surfers, families, surfcasters, kite fishermen and blokart enthusiasts, and is also home to one of New Zealand’s few gannet colonies.

The region has one of the oldest established communities in the west – the Riverhead township on the banks of the Rangitopuni River. Taupaki is another peaceful rural village in Kumeu with a strong sense of history in the area’s development. Waimauku is an attractive lifestyle village located at the junction of the main highway and Muriwai Road.

An exquisite offering in every way, picturesque Kumeu is an unforgettable experience incorporating all the flavours of culture and history for the visitors.