Upper Harbour and North-West Suburbs

Herald Island, Auckland: Suburb Guide to Tranquil Island Living in the Upper Harbour

Last updated October 2026

Herald Island is a small residential island in Auckland’s Upper Waitematā Harbour — connected to West Harbour by a single-lane causeway, with substantial waterfront residential properties, a strong island-community character, and the unique appeal of being one of Auckland’s few inhabited harbour islands.

Official Suburb Facts

The official Herald Island boundary. Boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.

Population (2023 Census): About 680, down 4% since 2018
Land area: 0.35 km² (35 ha)
Location: 12.2 km north-west of central Auckland
Council: Auckland Council

Local details

Ward or local board: Upper Harbour Local Board
Getting there: Single-lane causeway from West Harbour, reached via SH18 and the Upper Harbour Bridge

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 Herald Island

About 680 residents in 260 households. From the 2023 Census, with the New Zealand figure alongside for comparison.

Homes

Owned or in a family trust

80%NZ 66%

Rented

20%NZ 34%

Standalone houses

91%NZ 79%

Townhouses, units and flats

8%NZ 21%

Damp (always or sometimes)

17%NZ 18%

Mould larger than A4

13%NZ 14%

Getting to work

Drive or get a lift

73%NZ 70%

Bus, train or ferry

2%NZ 5%

Walk or cycle

3%NZ 6%

Work from home

23%NZ 18%

People

Moved here in the last 5 years

37%NZ 53%

Disabled (aged 5 and over)

7%NZ 8%

Regular smokers (aged 15 and over)

5%NZ 8%

Rainbow/LGBTIQ+ (aged 15 and over)

6%NZ 5%

Ethnicity

European

88%NZ 68%

Māori

9%NZ 18%

Pacific Peoples

4%NZ 9%

Asian

7%NZ 17%

Middle Eastern, Latin American and African

2%NZ 2%

People can choose more than one ethnicity, so these add up to more than 100%.

Religion

No religion

59%NZ 52%

Christian

32%NZ 32%

Hindu

1%NZ 3%

Other religions

2%NZ 3%

Source: Stats NZ 2023 Census, CC BY 4.0. Figures are summed from the census areas inside the official Herald Island boundary. Percentages are of the people or homes that answered each question; a figure is left out when fewer than 100 answered.

About Herald Island

Herald Island is one of Auckland’s small inhabited harbour islands — connected to West Harbour (mainland) by a single-lane causeway, giving residents an unusual island-living lifestyle within commuting range of the central city. The island carries waterfront residential properties, a strong island-community character, plus access to the upper harbour for boating and the Marine Reserve waters offshore.

Island Community Character

Herald Island’s small scale and the single causeway access create a genuine island-community character distinct from the surrounding mainland suburbs — residents know each other, the community supports the local primary school, and the island has a relaxed pace despite being only 30 minutes from the CBD. Waterfront properties carry premium values reflecting the island appeal.

Near Herald Island

Just outside Herald Island, within 5 km of its centre, nearest first.

Places

Hobsonville Point PlaygroundWest Auckland Playgrounds · 1.5 km Sanders Reserve ParemoremoMountain Biking · 2.2 km Schnapper Rock PlaygroundNorth Shore Playgrounds · 4.0 km

Businesses

Frog Property SolutionsProperty Maintenance & House Washing · 2.9 kmFeatured

Par Excellence Golf ToursGolf Tours · 2.9 kmFeatured

Agile Office FurnitureOffice Furniture Supplier · 4.8 kmFeatured

Fabric DigitalDigital Marketing & SEO · 7.2 kmFeatured

Urban Turf SolutionsArtificial Grass Supplier · 7.5 kmFeatured

Livewire ElectricalElectrician · 9.4 kmFeatured

Where to Learn More

Upper Harbour Local Board — local government area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Herald Island?
Upper Waitematā Harbour, northwest Auckland — connected to West Harbour by causeway.

How do I get there?
Drive over the single-lane causeway from West Harbour, accessed via SH18 Upper Harbour Bridge.

What’s the character?
Small residential harbour island with waterfront properties and strong island-community feel.

How far is Herald Island from the CBD?
Herald Island is about 30 minutes from the CBD.

Can you go boating from Herald Island?
Yes, the island has access to the upper harbour for boating, with Marine Reserve waters offshore.

Is there a school on Herald Island?
Yes, the island community supports its local primary school.

For more upper-harbour suburbs see Auckland Suburbs.

Spotted something incorrect on this page? Let us know.

Explore Auckland only lists suburbs officially recognised by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ), and Herald Island is one of them. Suburb boundary: LINZ, CC BY 4.0.