Beach Haven Wharf Fishing: Upper Waitematā, Auckland

Last updated October 2026

Beach Haven Wharf, officially the Beach Haven Recreation Wharf, is a 40 metre timber wharf at the end of Beach Haven Road in Hilders Park, on the upper Waitematā Harbour.

Auckland Council rebuilt its outer end with new decking, a handrail and seat, a gangway and a concrete pontoon, and names fishing as one of its main uses. Expect harbour baitfish, kahawai, parore and the odd snapper. Like the other upper-harbour wharves, it fishes best over the top of the tide.

At a Glance

Location

End of Beach Haven Road, Hilders Park, Beach Haven, North Shore

Water

Upper Waitematā Harbour (sea)

Main species

Kahawai, jack mackerel, sprats, piper and parore; John Dory and the odd snapper or kingfish

Best time

Over the top of the tide

Suits

Families and beginners

Getting there

Drive to the end of Beach Haven Road; the commuter ferry wharf is next door

Toilets

Shepherds Park, 120 Beach Haven Road

Tide port

Auckland, with LINZ Hobsonville offsets

Rules

MPI Auckland and Kermadec (Auckland East); no licence needed for sea fishing

Cost

Free

What You'll Find Here

A wharf has stood here since 1887, when it was built as Hellyer’s Creek Wharf. It later became the Birkdale wharf and has been called the Beach Haven Recreation Wharf since 1946. It was rebuilt in 1937 after a fire and reconstructed completely in 2000.

By 2018 the seaward end had deteriorated and the loading platforms were closed. Auckland Council demolished and replaced that section, encased the timber piles, and fitted new decking, a handrail and seat, a new gangway and a concrete pontoon, and the wharf reopened at the end of 2021.

The trunk is about two metres wide, with a viewing platform about four metres square at the outer end. It is used for fishing, swimming, light loading for small recreational boats and reaching the swing moorings offshore.

Beach Haven Road ends at the water with two wharves side by side: this one, and the commuter ferry wharf that Auckland Transport ferries have used since 2013.

Between them and the boat and dinghy ramp is the small grassy strip of Hilders Park. From above, wide sand and mud flats show along the shore to the south at low tide, which is why the fishing here is a high-tide affair.

How to Fish Beach Haven Wharf

Where and when

Fish from the platform at the outer end, where there is the most water under you. Fishing writers who know the upper harbour say its wharves are best over the top of the tide, and the flats exposed at low tide back that up: come for the last of the incoming tide and the first of the outgoing.

The pontoon below the platform is for boats loading and landing, so give way to anyone using it, and keep clear of the ferry wharf next door when a ferry is berthing.

What to catch and what to use

• Piper and sprats: use the smallest hooks you have, baited with bread or a sliver of fish, and drop a little bread over the side to bring them up.
• Jack mackerel: a sabiki rig fished down near the piles.
• Kahawai: small lures or a strip of fresh bait.
• Parore and John Dory: both are on the list of regular catches off the inner-harbour wharves.
• Snapper and kingfish: the odd one. A whole piper or a strip of squid on the bottom gives you a chance at a snapper.

What to bring

Bait, berley and a bucket for live baitfish, a drop net or long-handled landing net, lifejackets for young children, and food and drink for a session over the tide.

Getting There and Facilities

• Road: Beach Haven Road is wide and well formed all the way to the wharves, and also serves the ferry wharf and the boat ramp.
• Ferry: Auckland Transport commuter ferries stop at the wharf next door.
• Boat ramp: the Hilders Park boat and dinghy ramp gives access to the beach beside the wharf.
• Toilets and playground: at Shepherds Park, 120 Beach Haven Road, where the Hellyers Creek Path starts.
• Walks: the Hellyers Creek Path loops through regenerating bush and along the coast from Shepherds Park.

Rules and Safety

• The upper Waitematā sits in Auckland East under MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules, and sea fishing here is licence free.
• People swim off the wharf, so look before you cast and never leave a baited line hanging where swimmers climb out.
• Keep clear of the ferry wharf next door and of ferries coming in to berth.
• Put young children in lifejackets on the wharf and pontoon.
• Upper-harbour water quality changes after big rain. Use Safeswim before swimming off the wharf or eating anything taken from the shore.

Official Sources for Beach Haven Wharf

Common Questions

Where is Beach Haven Wharf?
At the end of Beach Haven Road in Hilders Park, Beach Haven, on the North Shore side of the upper Waitematā Harbour.

Is it the same as the Beach Haven ferry wharf?
No. The recreation wharf is next to the commuter ferry wharf. Fish from the recreation wharf and keep clear of ferries.

What can you catch at Beach Haven Wharf?
Piper, sprats, jack mackerel, kahawai and parore, plus John Dory and the odd snapper or kingfish.

What is the best tide?
Over the top of the tide. Wide flats show along the shore at low tide, so high water gives you the most depth.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No. There is no licence for sea fishing, but MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules (Auckland East) set the limits.

Is Beach Haven Wharf good for kids?
Yes. It has a handrail, and baitfish such as piper and sprats are the usual catch. Keep young children in lifejackets, especially on the pontoon.

Are there toilets near the wharf?
There are public toilets at Shepherds Park, 120 Beach Haven Road, beside a playground.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Sources and data notes 1

• Tides today: Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ), adjusted from Auckland using LINZ secondary port offsets.