Last updated October 2026
Cockle Bay is a classic East Auckland coastal residential suburb — sheltered sandy bay swimming, established residential streets climbing the surrounding hills, and a quiet local-community feel that distinguishes it from the busier Howick village.
Official Suburb Facts
- Population (2023 Census)
- About 5,610, about the same as 2018
- Land area
- 2.26 km²
- Location
- 17.0 km east of central Auckland
- Council
- Auckland Council
- Neighbouring suburbs
- Shelly Park, Howick, Mellons Bay, Somerville
- Ward or local board
- Howick Local Board
- Main shopping
- Howick village, nearby
- Nearby landmarks
- Cockle Bay Beach, Howick Beach
Who Lives in Cockle Bay
About 5,610 residents in 1,940 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.
Schools in Cockle Bay
Two schools sit inside the Cockle Bay boundary. All have an enrolment zone, so check an address is in zone before you buy or rent.
Also zoned for Cockle Bay
Show all 6 zoned schools
Zones change, so confirm with the school before relying on one.
Bin Day in Cockle Bay
Auckland Council sets collection days street by street. Look up your address to get your day and which bins go out.
Find your bin day and what goes in each binStreets in Cockle Bay
49 streets are in Cockle Bay. Search any street in Auckland to see which suburb it is in.
Show all 49 streets in Cockle Bay
- A
- Accessway
- Accessway
- Advene Road
- Alexander Street
- Avoca Road
- B
- Bemrose Place
- Bert Wilson Place
- Bledisloe Street
- C
- Churchill Road
- Cleary Terrace
- Coates Road
- Cockle Bay Road
- Colleen Court
- Cook Street
- E
- Evelyn Road
- F
- Fenton Terrace
- Four Trees
- G
- Granger Road
- H
- Holbrook Place
- I
- Island View Terrace
- J
- John Gill Road
- Jolyn Place
- Judkins Crescent
- K
- Kayeleen Place
- Kelly Place
- Kerry Dell
- L
- Liston Crescent
- Litten Road
- Luplau Crescent
- M
- Masefield Street
- Minerva Terrace
- Montgomery Crescent
- P
- Pah Road
- Paparoa Road
- R
- Rangitoto View Road
- Redcoat Place
- Reydon Place
- S
- Sale Street
- Sandspit Road
- Sea View Terrace
- Selwyn Road
- Shelly Beach Parade
- Star Place
- Stevenson Way
- T
- Tainui Road
- Tanglewood Place
- The Glebe
- Trelawn Place
- U
- Uxbridge Road
A long road is listed in each suburb it runs through.
Safety and Hazards
Lower than the Auckland average for the number of people who live here. Another 6 reports were at shops and businesses.
Buses from Cockle Bay
21 bus stops inside the suburb.
Typical weekday daytime frequency.
Handy Facilities
Weather and Rent at a Glance
Weather is city-wide; rent is for this suburb.
About Cockle Bay
Cockle Bay is a quiet East Auckland coastal residential suburb — sheltered sand beach as the central recreatio...
Cockle Bay is a quiet East Auckland coastal residential suburb — sheltered sand beach as the central recreational feature, surrounding residential streets giving the suburb a relaxed seaside feel. The local primary school anchors the family demographic.
Cockle Bay Beach
Cockle Bay Beach is a small sheltered sand bay between rocky headlands — calm Hauraki Gulf conditions, family-...
Cockle Bay Beach is a small sheltered sand bay between rocky headlands — calm Hauraki Gulf conditions, family-friendly swimming, public toilets. Less crowded than the bigger Howick Beach or Eastern Beach to the north. The combination of beach plus the quieter coastal residential character defines the suburb’s appeal.
Near Cockle Bay
Just outside Cockle Bay, within 10 km of its centre, nearest first.
Places
Show 2 more places
Businesses
Explore all Auckland businesses
Where to Learn More
Safeswim — Cockle Bay Beach — water quality monitoring.
Howick Local Board — local government area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people live in Cockle Bay?
About 5,610 people lived in Cockle Bay at the 2023 Census, about the same as in 2018. See Who Lives in Cockle Bay
What school zones cover Cockle Bay?
The zones of Our Lady Star of the Sea School (Howick), Somerville Intermediate School, Howick College and Sancta Maria College cover all of Cockle Bay. Cockle Bay School, Owairoa Primary School, Shelly Park School and Howick Intermediate have zones covering part of it. Zones change, so check an address with the school. See Schools in Cockle Bay
Which buses serve Cockle Bay?
Routes 72M, 735 and 72C, about every 30 min; route 711, about hourly; route 72X, a few trips a day. There are 21 stops in the suburb. See Buses from Cockle Bay
Is Cockle Bay in a flood zone?
About 5% of the land in Cockle Bay is in the council's mapped flood areas. Check a street on the council map before you buy. See Safety and Hazards
Are dogs allowed in Cockle Bay?
Cockle Bay Beach: some rules apply. Howick Beach: from the western-most boat ramp to Rangitoto View Road; off leash at all times west of the boat ramp. See every dog park and walk in Auckland.
What suburbs border Cockle Bay?
What's Cockle Bay Beach?
Small sheltered family swimming beach between rocky headlands — calm Hauraki Gulf conditions.
What's the character?
Classic East Auckland seaside residential with quieter local-community feel.
Where do I shop near Cockle Bay?
Howick village is nearby for shopping.
Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.
Explore Auckland only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Cockle Bay is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.
Sources and data notes 8
- Official Suburb Facts: Boundary, area and neighbours: LINZ, CC BY 4.0. Population: Stats NZ 2023 Census usually resident population, CC BY 4.0, summed from the statistical areas inside the boundary.
- Who Lives in Cockle Bay: Stats NZ 2023 Census, CC BY 4.0. Figures are summed from the census areas inside the official Cockle Bay boundary. Percentages are of the people or homes that answered each question; a figure is left out when fewer than 100 answered.
- Schools in Cockle Bay: Ministry of Education school directory and enrolment zones (CC BY 4.0 and CC BY 3.0 NZ), October 2026.
- Streets in Cockle Bay: LINZ NZ Addresses road data, CC BY 4.0.
- Safety and Hazards: NZ Police victimisation data, CC BY 4.0, September 2025 to August 2026 (crimes inside homes are only published for burglary); Auckland Council tsunami evacuation zones (2024) and flood plains.
- Buses from Cockle Bay: Auckland Transport timetable data.
- Handy Facilities: Auckland Council park assets (public toilets); NZTA EVRoam charging sites.
- Weather and Rent at a Glance: NIWA climate averages 1991-2020 (via Figure.NZ); Tenancy Services rental bond data (new bonds in the suburb’s Stats NZ areas), July 2025 to June 2026, CC BY 3.0 NZ.