Snells Beach

This is the home of the Salty Dog and you’re always welcome here! A much sought after tourist spot, Snells Beach is a lovely little town on the Mahurangi Peninsula.

Perfectly situated only a short drive off SH1. Snells Beach has beautiful parks, scenic bushwalks, golf courses and a long beach overlooking ‘picture-perfect’ Kawau Bay.

Snells Beach

At the Western entrance of Snells Beach is the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail, a fascinating outdoor gallery experience that showcases contemporary sculpture amongst native trees, palms, birdlife, green pastures and the local Brick Bay Wines.

To enjoy a boat ride, jump aboard the comfortable Kawau Kat catamaran and visit the Historic Mansion House on Kawau Island (former residence of New Zealand’s first Governor General) which has been beautifully restored for visitors. Off the island, there’s plenty of opportunity for swims, or walks to the abandoned copper mine across the island.

Snells Beach also forms the gateway to three popular tourist locales:

  • Algies Beach: A little further down the Mahurangi East road is the Algies Bay and its stunning beach of the same name. Algies Beach is another of this region’s sea-kissed townships with wonderful sights and leisure activities on one side and restaurants, cafes, arts and crafts on the other.
  • Martins Bay: The road ends at a beautiful, safe sandy beach with views to off-lying islands. Fringed by pohutakawa trees, which shade to swimmers and make the bay swimmable at all states of the tide. There’s a family camp ground nearby with a range of accommodation from tent sites to cabins, an all-tide boat ramp and a water ski lane at the northern end of the bay.
  • Scandrett Regional Park: The area was formerly used for shipbuilding, but the Auckland Regional Council developed it into a recreational reserve for all to enjoy. The original homestead, which dates from 1884, has been completely restored, as have the old farm buildings and boat shed. The remains of Maori settlement can be seen at two ‘pa’ (pronounced ‘pah’, it means traditional Maori village) sites on the headlands overlooking Kawau Island and Martins Bay.