Waiatarua Reserve

Waiatarua Reserve is New Zealand’s biggest urban wetland restoration project covering about 20 hectares. The wetlands started life as a freshwater lake that was transformed by volcanic activity from Maungarie (Mt. Wellington).

Snowy loves Waiatarua! There’s a easy flat walk around the wetlands that are completely off leash - it will take about an hour to get around the whole park at a leisurely pace. There’s even a small pond half way around that all the dogs can swim in. It’s a great spot to have a chat with other dog parents while the dogs have a good splash and run around. The park isn’t fully fenced but is a huge space away from the roads so there isn’t much danger of your dog running onto the road.

You need to keep your dog away from the wetlands area in the middle of the park to protect the wildlife. If you cut across the middle your dog should be on-leash because at the end of the day this is a restoration area and it’s amazing that they open the space up to lucky dogs also! There are even bins and dog bags provided if you get caught short. It can get muddy in winter, most dogs absolutely love it but they will need a bath when they get home!!

Location: Grand Drive, near the corner of Abbotts Way

Snowy’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

There’s so much to like about this palace. Huge space to burn off some energy, close to the city, lots of dogs to socialise with, dedicated swimming pond, good facilities. One of Snowy’s top picks.

✔️ Huge area
✔️ Dog swimming pond
✔️ Popular, lots of dogs to socialise with
✔️ Close to the city

⁵⁄₅: Pawfect for a weekend run-about!

While we do our upmost to ensure all information is correct. Council policy does change and you should always check the council website for the latest guidelines.

This is a multi-part series where we review Snowy’s favourite dog walks in Auckland. View all the posts in the series here

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