Experience this treasure
Kuhu mai ki tēnei taonga
MCKENZIE RESERVE
A lush haven on the northern shores of Waiheke, where you’ll find beautiful native rākau/trees, special spots for reflection or educational gatherings and abundant birdlife.
McKenzie Reserve is a stunning (4 hectare/10 acres) coastal reserve that forms the catchment for Enclosure Bay on the scenic northern coast of Waiheke Island. The ongoing focus is to develop the Reserve's environmental potential and provide an educational and recreational asset that the whole community and visitors to the island can enjoy.
We encourage nature play and outdoor education with numerous educational signs along the way full of information on biodiversity, culture, health, food and historic perspectives including beautiful imagery, diagrams and te reo referencing.
Come and explore this unique, verdant oasis, it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding experience. See more
McKenzie Reserve is a stunning (4 hectare/10 acres) coastal reserve that forms the catchment for Enclosure Bay on the scenic northern coast of Waiheke Island. The ongoing focus is to develop the Reserve's environmental potential and provide an educational and recreational asset that the whole community and visitors to the island can enjoy.
We encourage nature play and outdoor education with numerous educational signs along the way full of information on biodiversity, culture, health, food and historic perspectives including beautiful imagery, diagrams and te reo referencing.
Come and explore this unique, verdant oasis, it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding experience. See more
McKenzie Reserve is a stunning (4 hectare/10 acres) coastal reserve that forms the catchment for Enclosure Bay on the scenic northern coast of Waiheke Island. The ongoing focus is to develop the Reserve's environmental potential and provide an educational and recreational asset that the whole community and visitors to the island can enjoy.
We encourage nature play and outdoor education with numerous educational signs along the way full of information on biodiversity, culture, health, food and historic perspectives including beautiful imagery, diagrams and te reo referencing.
Come and explore this unique, verdant oasis, it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding experience. See more
McKenzie Reserve is a stunning (4 hectare/10 acres) coastal reserve that forms the catchment for Enclosure Bay on the scenic northern coast of Waiheke Island. The ongoing focus is to develop the Reserve's environmental potential and provide an educational and recreational asset that the whole community and visitors to the island can enjoy.
We encourage nature play and outdoor education with numerous educational signs along the way full of information on biodiversity, culture, health, food and historic perspectives including beautiful imagery, diagrams and te reo referencing.
Come and explore this unique, verdant oasis, it’s guaranteed to be a rewarding experience. See more
WORKING BEES
30 November 25
9-10.30am
More details will be updated closer to the time on what to bring with you. Come back soon.
29 March 26
9-10.30am
More details will be updated closer to the time on what to bring with you. Come back soon.
26 April 26
9-10.30am
More details will be updated closer to the time on what to bring with you. Come back soon.
Our Annual BBQ Fundraiser!
We'd love your help!
Sunday 26th October (Labour weekend), 11am - 2pm at Enclosure Bay
Last year we raised over $5000 for McKenzie Reserve which was a record...let's see if we can beat that!
Calling for baking (sweet and savoury e.g. bread), crackers, preserves, jams, pickles, cordials, spice mixes, seeds and of course plants. Not to worry if you're not able to provide goods to sell, simply come along on the day and buy a bun, homemade lemonade or baking and join the celebration of all those who work so hard all year on this amazing taonga/treasure that is McKenzie Reserve.
On the day, please deliver your baking/preserves/plants for sale to us at Enclosure Bay at 10.45am.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Calling for Volunteers!
We welcome whānau and friends to join us. What better way to influence our tamariki on the value of community service and the wonders of nature.
Whether it is on the end of a spade at a working bee, pest control, baking, turning a sausage on the BBQ at our Labour weekend fundraiser, there is no doubt we couldn't have achieved what we have without our volunteers. The effort is huge and equates to over 14,800 hours as of September 2025! Get in touch to find out how you can join in.
OUR HISTORY
Kāhore taku toa i te toa
takitahi, he toa takitini.
We cannot succeed without the support of those around us.
In the early 1900s, McKenzie Reserve was part of a commercial farm, eventually owned by the McKenzie/Cowley family. Whilst there are no specific heritage locations within McKenzie Reserve, it would have been well used by Māori as part of the coastland as indicated by the traces of middens along the coast. It is now owned by Auckland Council.
The Friends of McKenzie Reserve (FOMR) was formed in 2003 by a group of neighbours and Waiheke environmentalists. Their vision was to replace 500 pine trees and transform it into an educational botanic reserve.
15 000+
ECO-SOURCED NATIVE TREES PLANTED
14 800+
VOLUNTEER HOURS TO DATE
200+
WHĀNAU/FRIENDS OF McKENZIE RESERVE
THE VISION
Regeneration, education and recreation.
The revegetation of the Reserve initially followed the plan created by local environmentalist Don Chapple but had to be amended because of the harshness of the growing conditions on the north facing steep slopes. The intention was to design the planting to be as natural as possible, to replicate nature. The intention was to establish a place where people would come to learn about different native trees and the zones in which they grow. Sadly this plan was one of Don’s last projects, he died shortly afterwards.
Today McKenzie Reserve is a visual tribute to not only Don’s vision but the vision of the Friends of the McKenzie Reserve, Auckland Council, the Waiheke Island Local Board,
weed control contractors and volunteers.
It takes an island wide pest control strategy to ensure
we have a safe haven for all native birds and other species.
THIS BEAUTIFUL IMAGE WAS GENEROUSLY SUPPLIED BY PETER REES.
TĒNĀ KOE E HOA I TŌ ĀWHINA, THANK YOU FRIEND FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
PART OF A NETWORK
McKenzie Reserve sits within an expanding network of walkways that connect a series of popular northern beaches, and the main villages on Waiheke. It is part of the Te Ara Hura walkway*. This ensures the future of the Reserve as a key feature of the ‘Waiheke Experience’, for locals and visitors alike.
* The Te Ara Hura Walkway connects the existing coastal walkways on Waiheke to form a multi-day 100km circumnavigation of the island. This route was opened in 2014 and attracts both Aotearoa/New Zealand and overseas walkers.
The Reserve is centrally located in the most inhabited part of the island, but you'd never think it once you hit the tracks!
“Our kids have been so very fortunate to grow up spending their weekends and summers on Waiheke...
MATT AND CHRISTINE CARROLL
