Bastion Point

Bastion Point is a coastal headland in the Ōrākei suburb of Auckland, overlooking the entrance to Waitematā Harbour. Its significance runs far deeper than its harbour views: in 1977, members of the Ngāti Whātua iwi occupied the land to protest its systematic confiscation by the Crown over decades, intended for a luxury housing development. The 506-day occupation ended in May 1978 when around 600 police and soldiers moved in to clear protesters — an event that galvanised the modern Māori land rights movement nationwide. Today the grassy headland is a peaceful open reserve with sweeping views across the Hauraki Gulf and Auckland's volcanic cones. A memorial marks the occupation site, and a coastal walkway connects to the broader Ōrākei waterfront.