Covering the south eastern part of Northland, the Whangarei district extends from Langs Beach at the southern end of Bream Bay to Bland Bay further north, a distance of just under 100km.

The Whangarei Falls features on the itinerary of most visitors visiting the district.

Whangarei District has an area of 270,000 hectares inclusive of the off-shore islands of the Poor Knights and the Hen and Chickens Islands. With an indented coastline of over 200 km in length, no point of the district is more than 40 km from the coast.

Tutukaka harbour is the main base for a fleet of game fishing, dive and eco charter vessels. Dive and sightseeing trips leave Tutukaka daily (weather permitting) for the Poor Knights Islands, once described by Jacques Cousteau as one of the World’s top 10 dive sites.

Right in the heart of down town Whangarei is a unique attraction that goes by the simple name of ‘The Town Basin’. It is a marina on the upper reaches of the vast Whangarei Harbour that was once a sail trading port but is now surrounded by gardens, walkways and a colonial style development sporting cafes, restaurants, galleries and specialty shops.

In a maritime sense it is no ordinary kiwi marina- the Town Basin is one of the favourite stops for international cruising yachties, every year attracting a hundred or more colourful international yachts and their diverse crews from ports around the world.

The Town Basin.

Swimming, body surfing and board-riding are favourites on the open ocean beaches, along with snorkelling and fossicking in the shallows and rock pools. Fishing, kayaking, world class diving and ambling on long ocean beaches are other attractions.

But there is more to the place than beaches, bush and open space. There are cafes and restaurants that specialise in serving the fresh produce that the benevolent Northland hinterland produces. There is also plenty of culture and history for those inclined.

Definitely worth a look are the Kiwi House and Native Bird Recovery Centre, both situated on the Maunu Museum complex overlooking the city. Another feature almost right in town is the A.H.Reed Memorial Kauri Park. It features a boardwalk that climbs to canopy level amongst some remaining giants of the forest.

Much of the central district is dotted with the conical reminders of long extinct volcanoes, surrounded by sought-after volcanic soils. A by-product of this fiery ancient activity is the district’s 156 km of hand made stone walls, dating from the 1850s. 

This hinterland grows a bountiful array of quality produce - from exotic sub tropicals to traditional vegetables, from prime cuts of beef to succulent venison.

These conditions are also used creatively by the city’s gardeners. Whether it is traditional gardens or sub tropical wonderlands, the people have a passion for their front and back yards. Flowers, shrubs and trees dominate the urban landscape.

Across the district accommodation ranges from basic Department of Conservation campgrounds to boutique up-market lodges. There is some, but not huge amounts of, standard hotel style accommodation, and also many small, often beach or estuary side motels.

Boasting of progressive developments in aquaculture, horticulture, pastoral farming, marine engineering, creative industries and tourism, Whangarei is the principal commercial centre in the region and the hub for most of the transportation and storage services into and out of Northland.