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Glow Worms at Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully – Easy Night Walk

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Waterfall Gully after a rainstorm in Shakespear Park, Auckland New Zealand
Normally just a trickle, but today we could hear the falls even before we arrived at Waterfall gully. It was flowing nicely after the storms.

There are glow worms at Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully. Not a lot, but enough to make it a fun evening adventure. And entry is always free.

If you like stepping off the beaten path, this is your opportunity. I lived within walking distance of this waterfall for nearly 10 years before I found out there were glow worms there.

It’s a short hike from the car park to the Shakespear Park waterfall and one that we do frequently after the rains. Colours deepened to a richer shade, a fresh aroma fills the air, and the usual trickle at Waterfall Gully cascades over the rocks with power and pride.

How to see glow worms at Waterfall Gully in Shakespear Park

Night hikes aren’t that different from going in the daytime, other than the lack of natural light. To make it easier to follow from below, I shot most of the photos during the day. You will follow the same path with a light in hand.

Shakespear Park waterfall hike at night to see glow worms in Auckland New Zealand
Bring a good torch (flashlight) on the waterfall hike at night, as you can see there are branches and trip hazards on the trail.

Enter through the pedestrian gate

Your short hike to the waterfall begins at the pedestrian entrance of the predator-proof fence.  The foreground below is part of the Waterfall Gully car park. There is plenty of parking here.

The pedestrian entrance has an inner and outer gate that cannot be opened at the same time. This helps to keep out the predators, making it safe for some of New Zealand’s special creatures, like the little spotted kiwi birds that live in the park. In the remote possibility that an animal enters with you, shoo it out before opening the inner gate.

Entrance gate to the Waterfall Gully hike in Shakespear Park, Auckland New Zealand
This is the pedestrian gate you will pass through to begin our short hike to Waterfall Gully.

Clean your shoes

In an effort to stop the spread of a devastating tree disease that is affecting New Zealand’s Kauri trees, it is requested that all visitors clean the bottoms of their shoes. It’s a simple process: wipe your shoe over the brush and then step on the pad, which will spray the underside of your shoes.

Auckland Regional Park shoe cleaning station
Before and after our hike, we clean our shoes to help stop the spread of Kauri dieback disease.

The Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully hike

The hike from the car park to Waterfall Gully takes me about five minutes in daylight and a bit longer at night. It is probably the shortest “hike” in the park. In reality, it is just a small segment of the larger Heritage Trail.

Here is what the trail looks like in the daytime, followed by a few images that I took of the park seen from the trail.

Cabbage trees in the park
A stream in the forest.
Mushrooms growing on a tree in New Zealand
Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully hike
Low hanging branches on a hiking trail in New Zealand
The branches and roots on the trail remind us to always use our light on a night hike.

Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully

The trail will split, with boardwalk-style steps heading up or down. You will go down to see the waterfall. After a rainstorm, it has the best water flow but the smallest area for standing at the base. In summer, after weeks of sunshine, it might only be a trickle.

The first thing you should do when you arrive at the waterfall at night is to look for the water’s edge with your light. If you have children with you, now is the time to remind them that you will be turning off your lights.

In the interest of safety, you will want to hold your child’s hand before you turn off the lights, as there is water nearby.  Once it’s dark, you will look to either side or the centre of the flowing water.  Soon you will see the lights of the glow worms.

Waterfall after a rainstorm in Shakespear Park, Auckland New Zealand
Usually just a trickle, but today we could hear the rushing water even before we arrived. For a change, Waterfall Gully was a treat, flowing nicely after a storm.
Stripes in the pool at the waterfall in Shakespear Park after a rainstorm Auckland New Zealand
Even Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully pool is much larger after the storms.

What to bring on a night hike to Waterfall Gully

  • Comfortable closed walking or hiking shoes.
  • A good torch (flashlight) for each person in your group.
  • Insect repellent if you are going at dusk.
  • Weather-appropriate jacket.
  • Water for your walk and a thermos with hot cocoa for when you return.

More on seeing glow worms at Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully

  • Shakespear Park is an Auckland Regional Park located at the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, about 50 km outside Auckland’s city centre.
  • The best time to see the glow worms is on either a first or third quarter moon. The full moon is too bright, and the park is quite dark on the new moon. Find the moon cycle here.
  • If you arrive at dusk, stay quiet at the waterfall, and you may hear kiwi birds.
  • Children will see more glow worms than adults. I have done this many times and have seen between 20 and 50 glowing dots. The longer you keep the light off, the more you will see.
  • There are often glow worms along the stream on the way to the waterfall gully. You can see them by looking to the left of the first bridge if you turn off your light.
  • This is a fun adventure, a way to see a few glow worms. If you are visiting New Zealand and want the real glow worm experience, you will need to go to Waitomo Caves or do the kayak tour we took in Tauranga.
  • If you love waterfalls like we do, don’t miss these 18 amazing waterfalls in New Zealand.

Want more? Don’t miss: Where to See Glow Worms in New Zealand: 18 Glittering Habitats

Save for your perfect night walk at Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully

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Waterfall Gully after a rainstorm in Shakespear Park, Auckland New Zealand

Have you been to the Shakespear Park Waterfall Gully? Did you see the glow worms?

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Comments

  1. With so many beautiful places around, you probably don’t feel the need to travel abroad too often. Shakespear Park looks so beautiful, with all that lush vegetation, hiking trails and waterfalls. So fun that you can see glow worms there at night!

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  2. I still can’t work out how I managed to live for so many years in Auckland and not have heard of half of the things you talk about on here. I may need to move back – or at least buy a torch for my next trip.

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  3. Oh so this is the waterfalls you mentioned in your post today 15 Sept 2017. It is not as big as i expected. So when i go there i will not anymore check this falls, but i have lots of interesting things to look out for! I am dreaming to hike it. hahaha!

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    • The waterfall is not large but it was flowing very well after some huge rainstorms. A trail goes up through the gully (including a nice boardwalk through tall canopy trees) and comes out in paddocks.

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  5. I love the lush green pictures! I think it’s the best time to trek after rains. I love it because the landscape looks so much better. Loved the waterfalls too! Beautiful pics!

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  6. How is it possible that every picture of New Zealand I see looks like it has come straight out of a fairy tale? The paths and the waterfall equally magical! It is great that they have put efforts in making it a bird sanctuary! Thank you for sharing this beautiful place!

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    • For about the first five years I lived here, that is how I felt every morning like I was waking up in a fairy tale.

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  7. I will definitely hike there if I had a chance to visit New Zealand… hopefully sooner! I just need to fill my New Zealand travel money pot! Thank you for sharing this, I will recommend this as well to my in-laws living there in New Zealand. They are outdoors adventurers as well, they will definitely love this place.

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    • If your in-laws are in the Auckland region, they may already know of Shakespear Park. It is at the end of Whangaparaoa peninsula.

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      • They live in Churchill. I am not sure if they’ve been there because I haven’t seen them posting about any waterfalls in Auckland. They are very updated on Facebook.

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        • I had to look it up on the map. They are about as far south of Auckland as I am North. I would think they are closer to the Hunua Ranges, which has a lovely waterfall (although it overflowed its banks in the big rains that I wrote about here, so I am not sure how it is now).

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  8. Gee waterfall gully is soooo pretty. I can’t believe this huge fall could ever be just a trickle – does it get so dry there? I am glad you got to witness it in its full power -love big gushing waterfalls which you can hear several mtrs ahead.

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    • If it looks like a huge falls, that is more a compliment to my photography than to nature. It’s still pretty small, and yes normally it is just a trickle, especially in the summer.

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  9. Wow those photos look totally primeval as if it is a secret place that nobody has seen for years and has been hidden away from human eyes – I love these natural areas that appear to have had no human intervention it makes your imagination just soar.

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  11. I enjoyed the cyber hike with you. It was nice that they protect the area with folks cleaning off their shoes first.

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  12. We miss hiking in the woods! We love doing it during spring and summer, even until fall..but this time around NYC is still super cold! Such a beautiful forest it is..

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  13. Rhonda,

    I like nature but I don’t like trudging through the woods so much. lol This looks like a nice place, though. I like all the interesting trees and the one with fungus growing on the side. The waterfall is really nice. I love photographing them! This is a place I’ll never see but at least I can visit spots like this through other people’s experiences. That’s the power of sharing in Blogosphere! Have a fototastic day! 😉

    Reply

    • Too bad you will never get a chance to come to New Zealand. It’s a photographer’s paradise. As for the trekking, this particular path is quite easy. I take a group of 5-6 year olds on it every year.

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  14. So beautiful! You know, my husband was looking at employment opportunities in New Zealand the other day–not because we’re particularly gungo ho about moving away, but because there was a large call for IT professionals and some pretty awesome incentives. It’s such a beautiful place. One day… We’ll visit one day.

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  15. Some of those trees are so bendy and twisty – it’s like they have personalities! I think they deserve to be in a Hobbit movie. 🙂

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  16. WOW! What a beautiful place Rhonda and I especially love the waterfall and pool. We have some places around here but no waterfall. There is one location near me that the dirt smells like rootbeer. You can smell it but not drink it.
    Have a great day my friend. See ya.

    Cruisin Paul

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    • I thought that pool looked pretty cool too, even though it might be pond scum. How interesting that a forest smells like rootbeer.

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    • It protects the trees both in this park and other parks by preventing us from transferring the Kauri dieback on our shoes.

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  29. What fantastic photos of a lovely place those photos are crystal clear looks so peaceful there too no idea why but I always think that when I see waterfalls 🙂

    Have a gullytastic week and thanks for stopping over and laughing at his balls 🙂

    Reply

  31. Hi Rhonda – just an amazing place to live near by … gorgeous – love views and the others you’ve posted. That ‘scum’ looks like scum in the waterfall pool … I hope it’s not … but it’s good everyone is being reminded (and asked) to look after the environment – today that’s essential … cheers Hilary

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  34. Absolutely beautiful nature photography ~ what a place ~ love the waterfall ~ thanks,

    Wishing you a peaceful week ~ ^_^

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  35. I would have loved to do that hike. I do like to hike after a rain. The air is so clean.

    The photography is amazing.

    Have a fabulous day, Rhonda. 🙂

    Reply

    • Thank Sandee. If you come to New Zealand some day, I will take you. We can walk to the waterfall in 30 minutes from my front door.

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    • We clean them on the way in and the way out. It helps prevent the spread of the tree disease. All part of living in clean green New Zealand.

      Reply

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