Aotea Conservation Park

Aotea Conservation Park covers 12,300 hectares on Great Barrier Island and brings together several different landscapes. The area includes coastal cliffs, freshwater zones, and dense native forests home to many plants and animals found nowhere else.

This conservation area was officially established in 2015 after years of planning and scientific study. Severe storms in 2014 had delayed the surveys needed to understand the health of the Kauri populations.

The local community of Ngāti Rehua Ngati Wai ki Aotea works closely with Auckland Council to care for this place. Their partnership focuses on protecting the distinctive Kauri trees and maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem.

You can reach the area by flying from Auckland (around 30 minutes) or taking the daily ferry service. Two Department of Conservation huts within the park offer places to stay overnight if you plan to explore more thoroughly.

This place contains New Zealand's largest possum-free forest and is home to thirteen different lizard species. Among these rare reptiles is the chevron skink, a species found in very few locations worldwide.

Location: Auckland Region

GPS coordinates: -36.19228,175.40785

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:00