Exploring Auckland - A Sunday drive to the Manukau Heads lighthouse

New Zealanders love their Sunday drives. I remember, as a child, being packed into the Holden Kingswood station wagon with my siblings after the family had attended church, and being driven… anywhere!

It’s a thing.

It also leads to a derogatory saying “Bloody Sunday Drivers”, usually yelled in frustration at the car in front that is not managing to achieve the speed limit, or is apparently uncertain as to where it’s going…

I’m off track. Sorry.

This particular Sunday saw a drive out past Waiuku (South of Auckland) and then up the Awhitu Pensinsula to go see the Manukau Heads lighthouse. It’s about 90 minutes one way.

I’d not been there in about three years - and two years ago (February 2023) the road was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle when she came to visit. A lot of the Auckland Region has been in the process of repair and restore, or replace since then. (ongoing).

The Manukau Heads lighthouse is a replica of the original 1874 lighthouse. You can go inside and get a sense of the past. The views of the harbour are also worth the drive.

There’s a lot to do on the Peninsula. Check out this site for more.