Whangaparaoa

Whangaparaoa is a peninsula just about 25 k's north of central Auckland.  I can never spell it correctly.  It means Whale Bay in Te Reo.

I stayed in a bach at one of the beaches, Manly, when I was at university.  A friend's parents owned it. 

It was a quiet place then – but a bit suburban now. A lot of residents commute to the city although there are still baches (holiday homes).

Shakespear National Park is found on the tip of the peninsula – and no, that's not a typo. It was named after a colonist family.  It is a pest proof area.

There is also a defense base on the peninsular – which has recently been used for quarantine purposes.