Queen Elizabeth Park: Kāpiti Coast Dunes, Beach & US Marines History
Photo: “Wetland scene at Queen Elizabeth Park” by Marshelec, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Park at a glance
- Region
- Wellington
- Location
- Paekākāriki to Raumati South, Kāpiti Coast
- Managed by
- Greater Wellington Regional Council
- Dogs
- Dog friendly
- Camping
- No
Overview
Queen Elizabeth Park stretches along the coast between Paekākāriki and Raumati South on the Kāpiti Coast, about an hour's drive from Wellington. It protects the last area of natural dunes on Kāpiti's coastline, along with restored wetlands and the only remaining original kahikatea forest on the Kāpiti Coast. It's one of Greater Wellington's most popular parks, with easy tracks for walkers, cyclists and riders, a surf lifesaving club at Paekākāriki, and a tram ride to the beach.
History: from waka routes to US Marines
Māori lived here for hundreds of years, with major settlements at Wainui and Whareroa until the mid-1800s. The waterways between the sandhills were said to be deep enough to paddle a waka from Paekākāriki to Waikanae. From the 1840s the beach was part of the main road north.
From 1942 to 1944, more than 15,000 US Marines were stationed here and nearby, at Camp Russell, Camp Mackay and Camp Paekākāriki, preparing for the Pacific War. In June 1943, ten men drowned when a landing craft capsized during a beach-landing exercise. Two memorials and an interpretation display, near Wainui Stream at the Paekākāriki entrance, tell the story. The Yankee Trail follows the route the Marines walked between the camps.
Getting there and opening hours
- Mackays Crossing (main entrance, off SH1): Ramaroa Centre, Tramway Museum, the US Marines display, the wetlands and the kahikatea remnant. The road continues to Whareroa Beach.
- Paekākāriki: At the end of Wellington Road, with picnic areas, the surf lifesaving club and safe swimming
- Raumati South: Via Poplar Avenue and The Esplanade, for Te Ara o Whareroa and the dunes
- Train: Kāpiti Line to Paekākāriki, then walk or bike 1.5 km to the southern entrance
- Bus: Route 250 from Paraparaumu Station to Jeep Road, Raumati South
- Vehicle gates: 6am–6pm from 1 April to 30 September and 6am–9pm from 1 October to 31 March. Walk-in access is always open.
Walks and rides
Most tracks suit pushchairs and wheelchairs.
| Track | Time | Grade | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kānuka Track | 7 min (500 m) | Easy | Link track |
| Dune Swamp Loop | 30 min | Easy–moderate | Restoration plantings |
| Peatland Ridge Track | 30 min (1.4 km) | Easy–moderate | Views over replanted land |
| Te Ara o Tipapa (wetland walk) | 45 min return | Easy | Kahikatea remnant and Marines memorial |
| Whareroa Stream Loop | 1 hr return | Easy | Stream and sandhills |
| Old Farm Track | 60 min (3.5 km) | Easy | Raumati South to Mackays Crossing |
| Coastal Track | 1 hr 20 min | Moderate | Dunes from Paekākāriki to Whareroa Beach |
| Yankee Trail | 90 min return | Easy–moderate | Between the two US Marines memorials |
| Te Ara o Whareroa | 2 hr (6 km, sealed) | Easy | Shared trail from Raumati South to Paekākāriki |
Te Ara o Whareroa is sealed from end to end, so it's perfect for a family bike ride. For tougher mountain biking, cross the motorway to Whareroa Farm.
Things to do
Tramway Museum
Ride a restored tram from the Mackays Crossing entrance toward the beach. The Tramway Museum is next to the main entrance.
Beach and swimming
The Paekākāriki end has the surf lifesaving club and safe swimming. Further north, Whareroa Beach has dunes and picnic areas.
Horse riding and eventing
Easy trails cross farmland, there's good beach access and plenty of float parking. QE Park is also home to Wellington Eventing. Keep horses out of the dunes, and watch for trams and model aircraft, which can spook them.
Spectators are welcome at the Kāpiti Aeromodellers Club airfield, which you reach from Mackays Crossing.
Dogs at Queen Elizabeth Park
Dogs are welcome in all parts of the park and don't have to be on a lead, as long as they're under control. The exceptions are the Te Ara o Tipapa Loop and the Dune Swamp Loop, where dogs aren't allowed. Pick up after your dog.
Camping
There's no camping inside the regional park. The Paekākāriki Holiday Park is beside the southern entrance.
Good to know
Fireworks are banned. Drones can't be flown over the picnic areas.
Where is Queen Elizabeth Park?
The pin marks: Centre of the park area (-40.9582, 174.9771). It isn't an entrance or car park, so check the council's park page for access points before you go. Plan a route on OpenStreetMap (opens in a new tab).
Location data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0).
Check before you go
Track closures, gate times, fire bans and storm damage change often. Greater Wellington Regional Council posts current alerts for Queen Elizabeth Park on its official park page.
Current park alerts