The car park at popular marine reserve at Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island in Leigh will be the next DOC site to introduce paid parking, following the successful pilot at three South Island locations.
Paid parking is a tool used globally to support conservation by managing visitor numbers and generating revenue to contribute to the financial sustainability of popular natural and historic sites.
DOC Auckland Operations Director Alex Rogers says New Zealand’s first marine reserve – Cape Rodney to Ōkakari Point, also known as Goat Island or Leigh marine reserve – is one of DOC’s most popular visitor sites in the North Island.
“International visitors and kiwis flock to the site in summer, connecting with a flourishing underwater world. We love seeing the place full, but it does put huge pressure on the three car park areas, toilet and changing block, and wider area.”
Aiming to be introduced in December 2026, parking charges will help manage congestion, encourage turnover of the limited car parks available, and raise revenue for conservation.
The revenue raised will be reinvested into regional and national conservation areas, ensuring sites like Goat Island remain quality destinations and visitors contribute to the facilities and natural areas they enjoy.
“In August we’re engaging with the local community to get feedback on the pricing structure, and working on defining the boundary of local catchment area as those within it will be able to apply for annual permits,” says Alex. “We want to make sure we get those things right.”
Feedback on the pricing structure will close in September and the final pricing structure for Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island will be released in October 2026.
The Goat Island Marine Reserve was established in 1975 and its boundaries tripled in size in 2025 under new marine protection legislation. It receives an estimated 300,000 plus annual visitors.
DOC currently charges for car parking at three high-use sites in the South Island: Punakaiki Pancake Rocks, Franz Josef Glacier and Aoraki Mount Cook.
