Last updated October 2026
Māngere Bridge is the Manukau Harbour crossing between Onehunga and the Māngere Bridge village, and its walking and cycling bridge, Ngā Hau Māngere, was built with anglers in mind. Opened in August 2022 to replace the 1915 bridge, it has two widened fishing bays with rod holders, seats and lighting.
Local anglers catch snapper and kahawai here, and the current runs hard, so a heavy rig is the rule. It is free, open to walkers at all hours, and a short walk from Onehunga train station.
At a Glance
- Location
- Between Onehunga Harbour Road, Onehunga, and Coronation Road, Māngere Bridge, beside the State Highway 20 motorway bridges
- Water
- Upper Manukau Harbour, at the mouth of the Māngere Inlet (sea)
- Main species
- Snapper and kahawai
- Best time
- Around the tide changes, when the strong current eases
- Watch for
- Strong current, cyclists on the shared deck, no rubbish bins
- Getting there
- Train to Onehunga, then walk down Onehunga Mall; free parking at Taumanu Reserve and Kiwi Esplanade
- Night access
- Vehicle gate at the Coronation Road end shut 10pm to 5am; walkers can still reach the bridge
- Toilets
- Kiwi Esplanade reserve (Māngere Bridge side) and Taumanu Reserve (Onehunga side)
- Tide port
- Onehunga (LINZ standard port)
- Cost
- Free
- High 2:14 am 3.7 m
- Low 8:30 am 1.1 m
- High 2:37 pm 3.7 m
- Low 8:51 pm 1.3 m
Best times today: around 2:14 am, 8:30 am, 2:37 pm and 8:51 pm (2 hours either side of each tide change), and around 4:57 am and 5:22 pm (moon overhead and underfoot).
Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes best. Full 7-day Auckland tides ›
Tide predictions: LINZ (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Predictions only; actual tides vary with weather.
About Māngere Bridge
Ngā Hau Māngere was built by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency on the abutments of the old bridge and opened on 27 August 2022. Mana whenua, Te Waiohua, gifted the name, which means gentle, lazy winds.
The deck is 8 metres wide and curves across the channel, with a 60 metre steel arch over the main span, and it rises high enough to give boats up to 8 metres of clearance at low tide.
The bridge was designed for fishing as well as walking and cycling. Its two fishing bays sit on the southern approach spans, at the Māngere Bridge end, where the deck widens to 12 metres. There are 38 rod holders, 11 bench seats and lighting along the deck and piers, so people can fish safely after dark. Even the balustrade colours copy a kahawai.
People have crossed here for a long time. Legend tells of iwi crossing on foot over stepping stones at low tide. The first bridge, of timber, opened in 1875 and closed in 1914 after shipworm ate its piles. Its 1915 concrete replacement, designed by R.F.
Moore, who also designed Grafton Bridge, closed to traffic in 1983 when the motorway bridge opened, and was closed to everyone in November 2018 for safety. It was taken down by the end of 2021.
The motorway bridge beside it has its own story: work on it was halted by one of New Zealand’s longest industrial disputes, the Māngere Bridge dispute of 1978 to 1980. Pieces of the old 1915 bridge now stand in a heritage garden at the Onehunga end.
How to Fish Māngere Bridge
Where and when
Head for the two fishing bays at the Māngere Bridge end, which have rod holders and room to stand back from passing cyclists. The upper Manukau has big tides and the current runs hard under the bridge, so moving water around the tide changes, when the flow eases, is usually the easiest time to fish.
Local angler Eddie Waite, who caught snapper and kahawai off the old bridge, says the new deck sits higher off the water and the current is strong, so fish a heavy rig.
What to catch and what to use
- Snapper: fresh bait on a ledger or running sinker rig, with enough lead to hold in the current.
- Kahawai: caught from the bridge. In the Manukau they are often taken on flasher rigs fished down a berley trail.
- Stingrays: around the bridge too. Orca have been seen chasing them here as the tide comes in.
What to bring
Heavy sinkers, berley, a drop net (it is a long lift from the water to the deck), a light for night fishing, and a bag for your rubbish. There are no bins on the bridge: it is carry in, carry out, and a lip along the deck edge stops litter falling into the harbour.
Getting There and Facilities
- Train: Onehunga station is the end of the Onehunga Line. Walk down Onehunga Mall to the northern end of the bridge.
- Onehunga end: reached from Onehunga Mall, Onehunga Harbour Road or the Waikaraka Cycleway. Taumanu Reserve, off Orpheus Drive, has free parking and toilets.
- Māngere Bridge end: at the end of Coronation Road, beside an all-tide boat ramp, and linked to Kiwi Esplanade. The Kiwi Esplanade reserve has a car park, toilets, a playground and picnic tables.
- Night gate: a gate at the Coronation Road end stops vehicles getting to the bridge from 10pm to 5am every day. You can still walk or cycle on.
- Shared deck: walkers, runners, cyclists, scooters and prams all use the bridge. Keep rods, buckets and casts clear of the path.
Rules and Safety
- Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec rules. The Manukau Harbour is in Auckland West, where some limits differ from Auckland East. No licence is needed.
- Set netting is banned across the Manukau Harbour entrance to protect Māui dolphins. No closures were listed for the inner Manukau when we checked in October 2026.
- The current under the bridge is strong. Keep children close and do not climb the balustrade or jump from the bridge.
- After heavy rain, check Safeswim before swimming or gathering shellfish anywhere in the upper Manukau.
- The bridge has had night-time antisocial behaviour, which is why the vehicle gate was installed. Fish with a friend after dark.
Useful Links
MPI Auckland and Kermadec fishing rules: current size limits, daily limits and closures for the area.
NZ Transport Agency: Ngā Hau Māngere: how the bridge was designed for walking, cycling and fishing.
Safeswim: water quality around the Manukau Harbour, especially after rain.
Common Questions
Can you fish from the new Māngere Bridge?
Yes. Ngā Hau Māngere was designed for fishing, with two fishing bays, 38 rod holders, seats and lighting.
Where are the fishing bays?
On the two southern approach spans, at the Māngere Bridge (Coronation Road) end, where the deck widens to 12 metres.
What can you catch at Māngere Bridge?
Snapper and kahawai are the main catches. Stingrays are around too.
When is the best time to fish?
Around the tide changes, when the strong Manukau current eases enough to hold the bottom with a heavy rig.
Can I fish at night?
Yes, on foot. The bridge is lit, but a gate stops vehicles reaching it from the Coronation Road end between 10pm and 5am.
How do I get there without a car?
Take the train to Onehunga station and walk down Onehunga Mall to the northern end of the bridge.
Do I need a fishing licence?
No. Sea fishing needs no licence, but MPI’s Auckland and Kermadec limits for Auckland West apply.
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