Last updated October 2026
Tamaterau is a small coastal settlement on the northern shore of Whangārei Harbour, set along Whangarei Heads Road between the city and the Heads. It is a cluster of houses, a beach reserve and a community hall rather than a town centre, with mature pōhutukawa along a rocky foreshore and views back toward the upper harbour.
Whangarei District Council has described Tamaterau Reserve as one of the closest swimmable beaches to the city, used by local families and as a stop for people travelling further out along the Heads.
A short coastal walk links the beach carpark with a boat ramp at the end of Scott Road. Everyday shops sit further along the road at Parua Bay, and the settlement itself is zoned for residential use only.
Practical Information
- Ward or local board
- Whangārei Heads General Ward
- Getting there
- Whangarei Heads Road, the harbour road from Onerahi toward Whangārei Heads. Local roads include Manganese Point Road, Scott Road, Davidson Avenue and Waikaraka Beach Road. There is a bus stop at the pull-in bay on Whangarei Heads Road.
- Main shopping
- No local shopping strip. Parua Bay, further along Whangarei Heads Road, is the service centre for the wider Heads, with a superette, cafe, petrol station and medical centre.
- Nearby landmarks
- Devonshire Reserve and the Tamaterau coastal walkway; Tamaterau Hall; Scott Road boat ramp; Manganese Point walkway
About Tamaterau
Tamaterau sits on the inner harbour, where the coast is a mix of beach, rock and pōhutukawa rather than open ocean surf. Council addresses for the foreshore reserve use 644 Whangarei Heads Road, Tamaterau, Whangārei 0174. Manganese Point Road runs out to a point that helps enclose the entrance to Parua Bay.
In the district plan, Tamaterau/Waikaraka and Manganese Point are listed among the district’s smaller rural settlements: clusters of houses with limited community services, which grew as coastal holiday places or as small service points for surrounding rural land. They are zoned Settlement Zone Residential only, so the plan does not provide a local commercial centre here.
The public face of the settlement is the foreshore. Devonshire Reserve and its carpark sit at the beach end of the road, with Tamaterau Hall beside them. From the carpark, the Tamaterau coastal walkway follows the rocky shoreline under mature pōhutukawa, opens onto a mown grass reserve, and finishes at the boat ramp at the end of Scott Road.
Council calls it a gentle, peaceful walk, with toilets, and notes that it is usable in most weather. The reserve is also used for picnics and water recreation.
The foreshore has a long Māori history. During planning for the carpark upgrade, council met hapū connected with the site: Ngāti Pūkenga Pakikaikutu, Ngāti Kahu o Torongare and Ngāti Tū. Te Tāwera o Ngāti Pūkenga, whose origins are in the Bay of Plenty, maintain ahikāroa on ancestral land at Pakikaikutu, Tamaterau.
A council placemaking report for the wider Parua Bay area records the Māori name Te Waro for Manganese Point, and says Captain James Cook named the point Disappointment Point in the 1700s after the reception he received from Māori living there. A verified meaning for the name Tamaterau itself is not set out in the council sources used here.
Today the settlement works as a quiet residential pocket and a pause on the road to Whangārei Heads. The main carpark was upgraded so vehicles stay off the beach and grass, drainage is improved, and a disabled parking space sits beside the hall.
Small craft such as kayaks can still be launched at the beach, while the Scott Road ramp remains the local boat ramp.
People wanting a school, petrol, a superette or a medical centre continue along Whangarei Heads Road to Parua Bay, which the district plan identifies as the place that will keep providing most commercial services for this part of the harbour.
Getting Around
Whangarei Heads Road is the only through route. Council describes it as about 25 kilometres long, linking Onerahi with Urquhart Bay and passing the harbourside communities of Waikaraka, Tamaterau, Parua Bay, McLeod Bay, Taurikura and Urquhart Bay. In Tamaterau the local roads off that spine include Manganese Point Road, Scott Road, Davidson Avenue and Waikaraka Beach Road.
For the beach and walkway, use the public carpark at the far end of the beach, which gives access to Devonshire Reserve. A separate pull-in bay on Whangarei Heads Road was upgraded as the first stage of the foreshore works, and council has referred to a bus stop there.
A named regular bus route was not confirmed in the sources used for this guide, so check a current Northland timetable before relying on a service. At Manganese Point, parking is at the turning area at the end of the road. Council asks people to park respectfully.
Getting Outdoors
The standout walk is the Tamaterau to Scott Road walkway. It is grade 1, about 500 metres, and takes about 15 minutes one way. It starts behind the Devonshire Reserve sign in the carpark.
After a short rise, a surfaced path levels out under the pōhutukawa, then the route opens into a wider grass reserve and ends at the boat ramp.
Council says the surface will suit many less able visitors, but there is a gradient leaving the carpark. Dogs are allowed on a leash. Toilets are on site. Council also notes that reserves can have known and potential hazards, so take the usual care on rock and wet ground.
Manganese Point walkway starts at the far end of Manganese Point Road, at 238 Manganese Point Road. It is a short surfaced track, about 165 metres and 10 minutes one way, graded 2 because of the slope and steps. It drops through native bush to a secluded beach and reserve, with views across the harbour toward One Tree Point. Dogs are allowed on a leash here as well.
The beach reserve is a family swimming and picnic spot, and the harbour edge is used for kayaks and other small craft. Harbour water quality changes with weather and tides, and a current swim grade was not confirmed for this guide, so check conditions on the day.
Vehicle access onto the beach was restricted as part of the carpark upgrade, for safety and to limit erosion of the grass and foreshore. The Department of Conservation lists a boat launching ramp at Tamaterau among the harbour ramps; locally, that ramp is at the end of Scott Road.
Community Facilities
Tamaterau Hall stands on the foreshore of Whangarei Heads Road. It is one of the community halls owned by Whangarei District Council and run by local volunteers.
Bookings, hire fees and contact details are handled through the hall committee, with a listing in the Citizens Advice Bureau directory. The hall driveway was concreted during the carpark works, and a disabled parking space was added outside the hall.
There is no verified school or shopping centre inside the settlement. Parua Bay, further east on the same road, has the primary school, community centre, sports facilities, petrol station, medical centre, superette, cafe and small-scale retail that serve the wider Whangārei Heads. Tamaterau’s own public facilities are the hall, the reserve toilets, the walkway and the boat ramp.
Where to Learn More
Whangarei District Council: Tamaterau coastal walkway: distance, grade, parking and facilities for the foreshore walk.
Whangarei District Council: community halls: confirms Tamaterau Hall on the foreshore and how volunteer bookings work.
Department of Conservation: Whangārei Harbour Marine Reserve: harbour context and the list of boat ramps, including Tamaterau.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tamaterau part of Whangārei?
Yes. It is a coastal locality in Whangarei District, on the northern side of Whangārei Harbour along Whangarei Heads Road.
How do I get to Tamaterau?
Drive Whangarei Heads Road from Onerahi. The beach carpark is at the far end of the beach, and local roads include Manganese Point Road, Scott Road, Davidson Avenue and Waikaraka Beach Road.
Is there a shop in Tamaterau?
No local shopping strip was confirmed. Parua Bay, further along Whangarei Heads Road, has a superette, cafe, petrol station and medical centre for the wider Heads.
Can I swim at Tamaterau?
Council has described the reserve as one of the closest swimmable beaches to the city and a popular family spot. Harbour conditions change, so check the water on the day before swimming.
Is there a boat ramp?
Yes. The coastal walkway ends at the boat ramp at the end of Scott Road. Vehicle launching from the beach itself was restricted; kayaks can still be carried down to the water.
How long is the coastal walk?
The Tamaterau to Scott Road walkway is about 500 metres and takes about 15 minutes one way. It is grade 1, with a short rise leaving the carpark, then a level path under pōhutukawa.
Are dogs allowed?
Dogs are allowed on a leash on the Tamaterau coastal walkway and on the Manganese Point walkway. Check the council dog map before assuming the same rule on the beach.
Is there a community hall?
Yes. Tamaterau Hall is on the foreshore of Whangarei Heads Road. Council owns the building and volunteers manage bookings.
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