Te Paki Giant Sand Dunes

Te Paki Sand Dunes (Giant Sand Dunes)

Located on the western side of the Aupouri Peninsula in Northland, just southeast of Cape Reinga Lighthouse, these impressive dunes stretch about 10 km long and 1 km wide. Some rise as high as 150 metres. They sit next to Ninety Mile Beach and are a popular spot for sandboarding.

The dunes were formed over millions of years as sand built up from volcanic activity elsewhere in New Zealand. The area was once a separate island before connecting to the mainland. Te Paki Stream runs through the dunes and supports native plants and wildlife.

In 1966 the government bought Te Paki Station to create a coastal park. Archaeological surveys in the late 1960s and early 1970s found many historic sites, including 45 pā (fortified settlements), over 200 pit, terrace and hut sites, middens, and 19th-century sandstone walls. Some sites are threatened by erosion.

Sandboarding (or sandsurfing) is the main attraction. You can slide down the steep dunes on special boards — either sitting, lying on their stomach, or standing like a snowboarder.

Many guided tours to Cape Reinga stop here so people can try it. It’s a short detour off the main road north and offers both great views and an adrenaline rush.

Te Paki’s Archaeological Sites

Te Paki Recreation Reserve (including the giant sand dunes and surrounding coastal land) contains a rich record of early Māori occupation. The wider Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua area has more than 1,000 recorded archaeological sites, many dating from the earliest periods of human settlement in New Zealand.

Key findings from the main survey In 1969–1971 archaeologist Janet Davidson surveyed the Te Paki dunes and former Te Paki Station for the Department of Lands and Survey. She recorded:

• 45 fortified pā (defended settlements)
• 207 pit, terrace and hut sites
• Numerous shell middens (refuse heaps)
• 19th-century sandstone walls
• Evidence of gardening, including taro still growing in places

These sites show a long and complex pattern of land use. Pā range from simple to heavily fortified (both pre- and post-musket periods). Storage pits, terraces, gardening systems and urupā (burial grounds) are common. Middens contain the bones of whales, dogs, birds and fish, giving clues about diet and coastal resources.

One notable complex is Paetotara Pā, a commanding fortified settlement near State Highway 1 in the Te Paki area.

Protection and threats All archaeological sites are protected by law under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014. It is illegal to damage, dig or disturb them. Many sites in the dunes are vulnerable to natural erosion, which makes protection difficult.

Visitors are asked to leave any earthworks, shell heaps or other features undisturbed so this important record of Māori history can be preserved.