Cornwallis Beach & Wharf

About

Cornwallis sits on the Pūponga Peninsula on the Manukau Harbour side of the Waitākere Ranges, and it is the calm alternative to the west coast surf beaches half an hour away. Auckland Council describes it as a popular and safe spot for family picnics and swimming, which is not something the council says about Piha. The wharf is the draw. Two hundred metres of restored timber, the last of sixteen ferry wharves that once served the Manukau, and a good place to walk out over the water at high tide. Short bush tracks run from the beach, including the Jubilee Track at about thirty minutes and a ten minute climb to the McLachlan Monument for harbour views. The harbour here is heavily tidal, so check the tide before you plan a swim.