BOWENTOWN DOMAIN

Walking Times

Anzac Bay to Shelly Beach 30 min one way
Headland car park to Te Hoe Pa site 30 min one way
Anzac Bat - Headland Loop via Shelly Beach 1 hr 30 min return
Bowentown Domain is a beautiful reserve of 128 hectares located on the rocky headland at the northern entrance to Tauranga Harbour. The reserve contains several important Pa sites, as it was a prime Pa and living area that was much sought after in early times. A long sandy beach stretches for 8 km from Bowentown to Waihi Beach.

Anzac Bay offers safe swimming, picnic sites and toilets and there is camping at the Bowentown Motor Camp.

A series of tracks  through the domain offer a variety of walking possibilities. The Te Ho Pa site on the eastern headland has magnificent views of the harbour and coastland and can be reached by tracks from the Motor Camp or from the headland car park. From the car park you can also drop steeply down to Cave Bay, a lovely small beach overlooking the harbour entrance, or access Te Kura a Maia pa site on the southern headland.

From Anzac Bay a wide grassy track leads westward up to an area where several tracks meet. Straight ahead leads to Shelly Bay, a sheltered and safe swimming spot. Left leads to a popular fishing area. Turning right leads to the summit where there have been extensive planting of pohutakawa. Another track drops back down to the entrance of the Domain. The loop track continues on around the top of the headland and down to the northern end of Shelly Bay. Stunning views of the upper harbour, Kaimai Ranges and the ocean coastline are the rewards of these tracks.  

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