Last updated November 2026
Tall kahikatea crowd together in a patch of mature lowland forest off Murphys Road in Flat Bush. Murphys Bush Reserve is an Auckland Council park, and the council describes it as “the largest remaining stand of mature lowland bush in Auckland”, home to some of the finest mature kahikatea, or white pine.
Several walking tracks run through the forest from the car park, and beside the bush stand two restored colonial buildings: the 1877 Flat Bush School House and an 1870s cottage.
The council’s self-guided walk takes about an hour and a half at a moderate pace. Toilets, picnic tables and parking are inside the park, and the gates open at 7am every day.
Practical Information
- Address
- 160R Murphys Road, Flat Bush
- Distance from the city
- In Flat Bush, South Auckland (Murphys Road)
- Managed by
- Auckland Council
- Opening hours
- Gates 7am to 9pm in summer, 7am to 7pm in winter
- Walking times
- Self-guided forest walk about 1.5 hours at a moderate pace (council walk guide)
- Dogs
- On a leash at all times unless the council’s dog walking rules for the park say otherwise
- Facilities
- Toilets, picnic tables and seating, parking; benches along the forest track and a bridge over the stream
- Status
- Auckland Council: Murphys Bush Reserve park page
About Murphys Bush Reserve
The forest here grows on flat land, and the council’s walk guide calls it one of the largest areas of mature flat-land native forest in that part of the city.
Kahikatea form the main canopy. It is New Zealand’s tallest native tree, able to reach about 50 metres, and here it grows in a dense stand with tōtara, rimu, mataī and pūriri among it.
A 2004 field trip report by the Auckland Botanical Society described the bush as Auckland’s finest example of kahikatea “dense pole forest”, with a general canopy height of about 30 metres.
Taraire, pūriri and karaka form a lower layer of broadleaved trees, and the society noted how few weeds it found. It recorded about 22 hectares in two blocks at the time, and noted miro and a single kawaka among the less common trees.
Look up as well as around. The council’s guide points out perching plants and climbers such as kahakaha, kōhia, kareao (supplejack), mokimoki and northern rātā, and a grove of nīkau, the world’s southernmost palms. The holes in pūriri trunks are made by the caterpillars of the pūriri moth.
Birds and Stream Life
Tūī, kererū, kākā, tauhou (silvereye), riroriro (grey warbler), pīwakawaka (fantail), pīpīwharauroa (shining cuckoo) and kōtare (kingfisher) are all named in the council’s walk guide, and ruru (morepork) can be heard at night. Introduced birds such as rosellas, rainbow lorikeets and mynas compete with them.
A stream crosses the forest, and the walk guide lists īnanga (whitebait), tuna (eels) and kōura (freshwater crayfish) among the life in it. A bridge carries the track over the water.
History of the Bush
Ngāi Tai, of Tainui descent, lived in this area for about 800 years before European farming began in the mid-1800s, according to the council.
Te Wai ō Hua, Ngāti Pāoa and Ngāti Tamaterā are also linked to the area, and Ngāi Tai and Ngāti Pāoa are recognised as mana whenua. The guide notes the importance of tōtara for building waka, and the place of kahikatea and other trees in food, medicine, tools and dyes.
The Botanical Society report says the western block had been in Conway Murphy’s family since 1881 and opened to the public in July 1977, after early logging and clearing in the 1880s were followed by protection and regrowth.
Two old buildings sit a short walk across the car park and lawn. The Flat Bush School House was built of kauri in 1877 and used as a school until 1929, then as a hay barn, before being restored in 1980.
Stancombe (Baverstock) Cottage dates from the 1870s and was moved to the reserve in 2012. Auckland Council owns and maintains both.
Walking the Reserve
The council’s self-guided walk starts at the main car park and climbs a path to a large clearing with a picnic area, then heads into the forest.
Eight numbered stops cover the history, the stream, the trees, the birds, the nīkau grove and a big pūriri, and the return from the last stop to the entrance takes about 15 minutes. Insect repellent is worth bringing, and the guide’s motto for the reserve is “take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints”.
Where to Learn More
Auckland Council: Murphys Bush Reserve: address, gate hours, facilities, and dog and park rules.
Auckland Council (Tiaki Tāmaki Makaurau): Murphy’s Bush walk guide: a self-guided walk with eight stops on the forest, birds, stream life and history.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Murphys Bush Reserve?
At 160R Murphys Road, Flat Bush, in East Auckland. Access is from Murphys Road.
What are the gate hours?
The council lists 7am to 9pm in summer and 7am to 7pm in winter.
How long does the walk take?
The council’s self-guided walk is designed to take about 1.5 hours at a moderate pace.
What trees grow there?
Kahikatea form the main canopy, with tōtara, rimu, mataī and pūriri, a lower layer of taraire, pūriri and karaka, and a grove of nīkau palms.
Can I bring my dog?
The council says dogs must be on a leash at all times unless its dog walking rules for the park say otherwise.
Are there toilets and picnic tables?
Yes. The council lists toilets, picnic tables and seating, and parking inside the park.
What are the old buildings by the car park?
The 1877 Flat Bush School House and Stancombe (Baverstock) Cottage, an 1870s cottage moved to the reserve in 2012. Both are owned by Auckland Council.
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