Image: Andris Apse. | ©
Great Barrier Island Aotea.
Great Barrier Island/Aotea

Located in the Auckland region

Aotea Conservation Park has the only multi-day wilderness walk in the Auckland region, boasting two DOC huts and numerous campsites.

The Aotea Conservation Park on Great Barrier Island/Aotea spreads over more than 12,000 hectares and offers multiple walking tracks for novice and experienced walkers. It's the perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts and families.

Discover beautiful beaches, a wide variety of native birds and animals as well as the famous Kaitoke Hot Springs.

Take an easy 30 minute scenic flight, or a daily ferry to this island, rich with Māori heritage and numerous archaeological sites.

Great Barrier Island lies 100 km northeast of downtown Auckland on the outer edge of the Hauraki Gulf.

Several companies service the island by sea and air. Taxis and car rentals are available on the island. At peak holiday times, buses run unscheduled trips to all campsites on the island from Shoal Bay Wharf, Tryphena Harbour.

Find authorised transport operators to this island.

DOC staff are on 24 hour duty at Great Barrier campsites during the peak holiday period.

Rules for the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park

These are part of the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park by-laws. Read the full by-laws.

All drone use must be authorised by DOC

You must have a permit to fly a drone on public conservation land.

Visit our Drone use on conservation land page for more information.

In the island's centre, spectacular bluffs and ridges rise to the highest peak, Hirakimata or Mount Hobson, at 621 m. To the west, forest covered ranges meet the coast, a maze of bays, islands and indented fiords. The eastern coastline has sweeping white sands and surf beaches, often backed by tidal creeks and wetlands.

Hirakimata and other high points in the centre of the island are the main nesting area for black petrel in New Zealand. Over 60% of New Zealand's entire pāteke or brown teal population live on the island. Many of these small brown ducks frequent the wetlands of the Whangapoua estuary.

This is also one of only a few offshore island groups containing spotless crake and fern bird. It is a stronghold for North Island kaka and banded rail. There are over 13 species of lizard, including the rarest skink in the region – the chevron skink.