Last updated November 2026
The Second World War camp at Castor Bay was built to look like an ordinary housing estate. Castor Bay Battery sits inside Kennedy Park on Beach Road, on Auckland’s North Shore, and its bungalow-style barracks were part of the disguise.
Gun emplacements and tunnels from the battery remain in the park, and one of the original barracks buildings still stands on Beach Road looking like a house.
The same coastline holds Rahopara Pā, an ancient Māori pā site on a headland just south of the battery. Kennedy Park also has a playground, a lookout towards Rangitoto Island and steps down to the beach.
Practical Information
- Address
- Kennedy Park, 137 Beach Road, Castor Bay, Auckland
- Park hours
- Gates open daily at 6am; they close at 8.30pm in summer and 6.30pm in winter
- Entry
- Free
- Facilities
- Playground, toilets, parking, seating and petanque
- Walking
- The Kennedy Park to Castor Bay Path runs 1.5 km (about 30 minutes) to Castor Bay Beach
- Managed by
- Auckland Council
- Heritage status
- Heritage New Zealand Category 1 historic place (List number 7265), listed as Castor Bay Battery and Camp / Te Rahopara o Peretu
- Status
- Check Auckland Council’s Kennedy Park page before you go.
About Castor Bay Battery and Rahopara Pā
Long before the battery, this stretch of coast was home to Rahopara Pā, which Auckland Council describes as an ancient pā site dating back hundreds of years. Heritage New Zealand records it as Te Rahopara o Peretu, on a headland just south of the battery, and notes that Peretu’s name is kept in many local place names.
The coastal battery and its camp were built during the Second World War. What sets them apart is their camouflage: the camp was designed to look like a civilian housing estate, with barracks in the style of bungalows.
Heritage New Zealand calls Castor Bay the only Second World War installation in New Zealand where soldiers’ barracks were disguised as domestic housing, and local heritage advocates describe the camouflage as unique in the country.
After the battery closed, the land became a public reserve and was named after the United States president John F. Kennedy. Most of the camp’s buildings have gone, but the gun emplacements, tunnels and one barracks building survive, and Heritage New Zealand lists the battery and camp together with the name of the nearby pā.
What to See
Auckland Council lists the park’s Second World War buildings, tunnels and gun emplacement areas among its features, and the gun emplacements and underground passages are part of what Heritage New Zealand protects. The building at 139 Beach Road is the only original barracks building left.
The chair of a local preservation trust says it looks like a state house, and it is a heritage listed property. A local group, the Kennedy Park WWII Installations Preservation Trust, works to preserve the installations.
The park also has the Kennedy Park stairs down to the beach, and Auckland Council points to a lookout point with coastal views to Rangitoto Island.
The Walk to Castor Bay
The Kennedy Park to Castor Bay Path is a short walk of about 1.5 km between the park and Castor Bay Beach.
From the southern end of Kennedy Park it follows Beach Road down to the beach, with a pedestrian crossing on Castor Bay Road. Auckland Council notes a few steep hills on the way and says the park can be muddy in winter.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Castor Bay Battery?
In Kennedy Park, 137 Beach Road, Castor Bay, on Auckland’s North Shore.
Why did the battery look like a housing estate?
It was camouflaged. The camp was designed to resemble a civilian housing estate, with barracks built in the style of bungalows.
What is Rahopara Pā?
An ancient Māori pā site on the headland, recorded by Heritage New Zealand as Te Rahopara o Peretu.
Who is Kennedy Park named after?
John F. Kennedy, the former president of the United States.
What wartime structures are left?
Gun emplacements, tunnels and other Second World War buildings in the park, plus the last original barracks building at 139 Beach Road.
When is Kennedy Park open?
The gates open daily at 6am and close at 8.30pm in summer and 6.30pm in winter.
Can you walk to Castor Bay Beach from the park?
Yes. The Kennedy Park to Castor Bay Path is about 1.5 km and takes around 30 minutes.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Related links 3
- Heritage New Zealand: Castor Bay Battery and Camp / Te Rahopara o Peretu: the full list entry on the battery’s camouflage and surviving structures.
- Auckland Council: Kennedy Park, Castor Bay: park hours, facilities and rules.
- Auckland Council: Kennedy Park to Castor Bay Path: the route from the park to Castor Bay Beach.