| Tāpapakanga Regional Park | |
| Location: | Franklin, Auckland, New Zealand |
| Coords: | -36.9791°N 175.2582°W |
| Area: | [1] |
| Map: | New Zealand Auckland |
| Operator: | Auckland Council |
Tāpapakanga Regional Park is a regional park situated in the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located in Franklin, east of Kawakawa Bay, and is owned and operated by Auckland Council.[2]
The park is a mix of farmland, coastal bush and beach, overlooking the Firth of Thames. The native bush remnants include taraire, tānekaha, tawa and rewarewa trees.[1]
The land was an important place for the Marutūāhu iwi of the Hauraki Gulf, in particular Ngāti Whanaunga, and it was a traditional area for stonefield gardening.[3] In 1899, settler James Ashby settled on the land, building a kauri homestead with his wife Rebecca in 1900.[3] Ashby developed a lifelong friendship with Ngāti Whanaunga chief Tukumana Te Taniwha.[3] Two pou are found in the regional park, one of which features a carving of James Ashby.[3]
The regional park opened in 1995.[3]