Karekare is a small coastal settlement in northern New Zealand, where the Waitakere Ranges descend into a large black sand surf beach.
Karekare is a popular destination for Aucklanders in summer. Despite this, the area has retained much of its natural beauty and isolation, and does not get the high number of visitors recorded by its northern neighbour, partly because the road is narrow and only recently sealed. There are surf patrols in summer.
Also the site of a notable Waitakere waterfall - Karekare falls. The falls are just a half mile up the valley from the beach, on Company Stream, and it is just a short walk from the road down the track to the foot of the falls themselves.
The rips along this section of coast are very unpredictable and can shift with little warning. They claim many lives despite the efforts of lifeguards. Most of these drownings, however, occur after lifeguards are off duty or after rock fisherman wearing heavy clothing are washed off rocks, out of sight of the lifeguards. Lifeguards advise swimming between the red and yellow flags, during patrol hours.
It is located 35 kilometres (22 mi) west of Auckland city centre, south of the larger beach of Piha. To the south is Whatipu. To the north is Piha. To the East is the Centennial Memorial Park and Water Catchment area, which cover most of the native bush clad Waitakere Ranges.
In 1993, Jane Campion’s Oscar Winning The Piano made Karekare an international star, with everyone talking about the beautiful black-sand beach. Karekare beach is located on Auckland's west coast between Piha in the north and Whatipu in the south.
It is a 50 minute drive from downtown Auckland and a 20 minute drive from the Arataki Visitor Centre. One of Auckland's most spectacular beaches and wilderness areas, and part of the Waitakere Ranges Regional Park, Karekare offers excellent surf, walking and picnicking.
Swimmers are advised to only swim between the flags. Karekare waterfall, known by the Kawerau people as ‘Te Ahoaho' or ‘pendulous white thread', is nestled a short walk from the main beach arrival area.
Karekare has attracted some of New Zealand’s finest painters: Albrecht, Binney, Blomfield, Buchanan and Siddell.
Writers like Curnow and Stead have written about it, filmmakers like Jane Campion (The Piano), Barry Barclay and Niki Caro (Memory and Desire) have set major films there. The landscape is both magical and powerful, a magnet for photographers.
