A Cave-and-Karst Loop Walk
Abbey Caves Reserve sits on the edge of Whangārei. The loop track leads you through a hilly farm field covered in grass, scattered with quirky limestone outcrops shaped by erosion, ranging from small lumps to shed-sized rocks. The caves are situated within a bush-filled gully. At present, you can walk the Abbey Caves loop track, but you cannot enter the caves.
Why the Caves are Closed
Access to the caves is closed under a rāhui placed by local Māori and supported by Whangārei City, following the fatal drowning of 15-year-old student Karnin Petera during a school trip in May 2023. Future access will depend on the results of investigations and safety work, including risk assessments, which have yet to be completed.
Three Caves in a Native-Forest Gully
Even though you can’t go in, it’s helpful to understand what’s here: Abbey Caves is a small network of three caves tucked into a gully of regenerating native bush. From the track, you get a sense of how quickly this landscape changes from sunny pasture to cool, damp, ferny shade, which is part of the reserve’s charm.
How to Get There
From central Whangārei, take Riverside Drive east over the Victoria Bridge and continue on to Memorial Drive. Turn off onto Memorial Drive and follow this as it winds up the south side of Mt Parikaha. Follow Old Parua Bay Road east at the intersection with Memorial Drive, which continues on to the east side of Mt Parikaha and Abbey Caves Road. Head north on Abbey Caves Road to the large site car park on the left. The drive takes 9 minutes and is 4.9 km. From the car park, follow the path along the side of the road about 100 metres south to the reserve entrance. Please respect the rāhui and on-site signage by staying out of the cave entrances.
Other places to visit around Whangārei include Brean Head, the Town Basin, Hundertwasser Art Centre, AH Reed Memorial Park, and Ōtūihau Whangārei Falls.
