bridge
Auckland Harbour Bridge
The eight-lane icon spanning Waitematā Harbour since 1959, carrying SH1 into downtown Auckland with skyline and gulf views: thrill-seekers can climb it or bungy jump off it.
3 km · about 5 min drive
OceaniaNew ZealandAuckland
Birkenhead
Auckland, New Zealand · Oceania
About Birkenhead
Birkenhead works well as a base: 5 minutes from Saint Marys Bay, 3km from Auckland Harbour Bridge.
Birkenhead is in Auckland, New Zealand, with about 11,000 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Saint Marys Bay, about 4 km away.
Birkenhead is a suburb of Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the North Shore of the Waitematā Harbour, 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) northwest of the Auckland City Centre. The area has been settled by Tāmaki Māori since at least the 14th century, and was the location of Te Matarae ō Mana, a fortified pā forRead more
Te Kawerau ā Maki that overlooked an important seasonal shark fishery. European settlement in Birkenhead began in late the 1840s, and by the late 19th century the area became renowned for strawberry crops. In 1884, the Chelsea Sugar Refinery was constructed in Birkenhead, becoming a major source of income for Birkenhead. The increased population growth led to Birkenhead becoming one of the first boroughs of Auckland in 1888. Birkenhead transitioned from a semi-rural community to suburban Auckland after the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959, becoming a city in 1978. In 1989, Birkenhead City was amalgamated with North Shore City.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Birkenhead?
Within an hour or so of Birkenhead: Auckland Harbour Bridge (3 km), Auckland Zoo (6 km), Sky Tower (6 km), Muriwai Gannet Colony (26 km).
Where is Birkenhead?
Birkenhead is in Auckland, New Zealand, about 4 km from Saint Marys Bay.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 10,720
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Auckland
- Timezone
- Pacific/Auckland
- Coordinates
- -36.8082, 174.7202
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in New Zealand
Many rural bridges are single-lane. Give way as signed.
Full driving guide for New ZealandTags
Worth the detour from Birkenhead
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Auckland Zoo
New Zealand's largest zoo with native wildlife including kiwi alongside exotic species from around the globe.
6 km · about 10 min drive
landmark
Sky Tower
328-metre observation and telecommunications tower dominating the Auckland skyline, New Zealand's tallest man-made structure.
6 km · about 10 min drive
scenic viewpoint
Muriwai Gannet Colony
Around 1,200 pairs of Australasian gannets nest on a cliff shelf and sea stack west of Auckland, with viewing platforms placed metres from the birds. Occupied roughly August to March.
26 km · about 30 min drive
beach
Piha Beach
Auckland's wild west coast surf beach, dominated by the iconic Lion Rock and powerful black-sand breakers.
28 km · about 30 min drive
beach
Karekare Beach
A vast black-sand beach beneath the Waitakere Ranges, where The Piano was filmed, with a waterfall in the bush behind the car park. Wilder and emptier than neighbouring Piha.
30 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Birkenhead
- Right hereAuckland Harbour BridgeThe eight-lane icon spanning Waitematā Harbour since 1959, carrying SH1 into downtown Auckland with skyline and gulf views: thrill-seekers can climb it or bungy jump off it.
- 26 kmMuriwai Gannet ColonyAround 1,200 pairs of Australasian gannets nest on a cliff shelf and sea stack west of Auckland, with viewing platforms placed metres from the birds. Occupied roughly August to March.
Nearby Destinations
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