The Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area

The Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area (the heritage area) covers approximately 27,700ha of public and private land located between:

  • metropolitan Auckland and the coast of the Tasman Sea to the west
  • the Manukau Harbour coastline to the south
  • the Waitākere Valley to the north.

This area includes the Waitākere Ranges, foothills and coastal areas.

The Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008

The Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008 (the act) recognises the national, regional, and local significance of the heritage area. It also promotes the protection and enhancement of its heritage features for present and future generations.

In the act 'heritage features' are:

  • ecosystems
  • landscapes and landforms
  • the subservience of the built environment to the area's natural and rural landscape
  • the past and present human culture of the heritage area
  • opportunities for wilderness experiences and recreation, and
  • the regional park and the water catchment and supply system.

The act:

  • says that the heritage area has its own intrinsic value
  • responds to concerns about the effects of development within the area
  • aims to preserve its unique natural character and cultural heritage
  • recognises that people live and work within the heritage area in distinct communities
  • enables them to provide for their social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing
  • recognises the importance of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park as an accessible public place with significant natural, historical, cultural and recreational resources
  • acknowledges the area’s particular cultural significance to Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Whātua.

What the report is about

The 2023 report will track changes since 2018 and provide a platform to consider the challenges and opportunities for the heritage area before the next report in 2028.

It shares what the council and organisations like Auckland Transport and Watercare have been doing in the heritage area. It also explains what people who live in the heritage area are interested in and consider important.

What we want your feedback on

We would like to hear your views on the heritage area, specifically:

  • how you value and use the heritage area
  • what your concerns are
  • what you would like it to be like in the future.

Engagement with mana whenua is ongoing and undertaken through a separate process.

How you can have your say

When you can have your say

You can have your say from 9am on 17 October until 5pm on 30 November 2022.

What happens next

Your feedback will inform the State of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Report 2023, which is the third such report since 2008.