Ambury Regional Park sits on the edge of the Manukau Harbour, about 15 kilometres south of central Auckland and a short drive from Māngere. It's a working farm park — free to enter, open dawn till dusk, with paddocks you're welcome to walk straight into and mingle with the animals.
From the cabin: Ambury Regional Park is a short drive from Auckland Airport Cabin — easily combined with Māngere Mountain (5 minutes' drive from the cabin) for a full free morning outdoors.
What's there
The park is home to pigs, goats, sheep, cows, chickens, turkeys, rabbits and peacocks. You can walk into most paddocks to get close to the animals — the exception is during lambing season in mid-July and early August, when access is restricted to protect the newborns. Please don't feed the animals; there's plenty to see just by walking through.
Seasonal highlights
- Cow milking — from mid-July to early December, usually around 9:45am.
- Lamb feeding — early August to end of September, orphan lambs are typically fed at 8am and 4pm on weekdays, with an extra midday session on weekends.
- New lambs — start appearing from mid-July.
Walking the park
There are three main routes: the Foreshore Walk, a 45-minute loop across open pasture to the harbour edge; the Lost Gardens Walk, a shorter one-way route past the remains of old Māori stone garden mounds; and the Family Farm Walk, the easiest option if you've got young kids or a pram in tow.
Good to know
Entry and parking are both free, with several car parks near the main entrance. There are no cafés inside the park, so it's worth bringing water and snacks, especially if you're making a morning of it. Good, flat walking shoes are enough — none of the routes are technical.
Sources: Auckland Council, Auckland NZ.
