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.
17 km · about 20 min drive
OceaniaNew ZealandAuckland
Helensville
Auckland, New Zealand · Oceania
About Helensville
Helensville is worth a stop: 15 minutes from Kaukapakapa, 17km from Muriwai Gannet Colony.
Helensville is in Auckland, New Zealand, with about 3,400 people. You drive on the left here. The nearest town is Kaukapakapa, about 8 km away.
Helensville (Māori: Te Awaroa) is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited 40 kilometres (25 mi) northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Waimauku 16 kilometres (10 mi) to the south, and Kaukapakapa about 12Read more
kilometres (7.5 mi) to the north-east. Parakai is two kilometres (1.2 mi) to the north-west. The Kaipara River runs through the town and into the Kaipara Harbour to the north.
Tāmaki Māori settled the southern Kaipara Harbour in the 13th or 14th centuries, drawn by the marine and forest resources. The upper reaches of the Kaipara River was the location of Te Tōangaroa, a portage where waka could be hauled between the Kaipara Harbour and the Waitematā Harbour. By the 15th century, the area had become home to some of the earliest pā sites in the Auckland Region. By the early 18th century, Ngāti Whātua, who had traditional ties to the area, had re-established themselves along the Kaipara River.
Helensville was established as a kauri logging settlement in 1862, developing into a regional centre for the south Kaipara by the 1870s. Helensville became a major centre for the dairy industry between 1911 and the 1980s.
Where to Stay in Helensville
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Helensville?
Within an hour or so of Helensville: Muriwai Gannet Colony (17 km), Piha Beach (31 km), Auckland Harbour Bridge (31 km), Auckland Zoo (32 km).
Where is Helensville?
Helensville is in Auckland, New Zealand, about 8 km from Kaukapakapa.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 3,420
- Continent
- Oceania
- Country
- New Zealand
- Region
- Auckland
- Timezone
- Pacific/Auckland
- Coordinates
- -36.6782, 174.4502
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 Helensville
6 notable places within an hour's drive.
beach
Piha Beach
Auckland's wild west coast surf beach, dominated by the iconic Lion Rock and powerful black-sand breakers.
31 km · about 35 min drive
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.
31 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Auckland Zoo
New Zealand's largest zoo with native wildlife including kiwi alongside exotic species from around the globe.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Sky Tower
328-metre observation and telecommunications tower dominating the Auckland skyline, New Zealand's tallest man-made structure.
34 km · about 40 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.
35 km · about 40 min drive
Driving roads near Helensville
- 17 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.
- 31 kmAuckland 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.
Nearby Destinations
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