Maraetai Beach

Hauraki Gulf views from Above

Tucked along Franklin’s eastern shoreline, Maraetai is a seaside township with a charm all its own. Its name, meaning “meeting place by the sea,” reflects its history as a gathering point, where rolling hills meet sheltered bays. With sweeping views across the Hauraki Gulf and quick access to nearby islands,

Maraetai holds one of Franklin’s most enviable coastal positions. The township itself is quaint and welcoming — a cluster of cafés, local shops, and a relaxed promenade where families linger after swims and boaties launch for new horizons. Maraetai is Franklin at its most coastal, calm, and community-minded.

Local shops at Maraetai Beach
josh
Author: josh

more Franklin stories...

Clevedon Farmers Market

Clevedon Farmers Market

The Clevedon Farmers Market, a Sunday tradition, is a must-visit for food lovers seeking fresh, locally grown produce. With over 60 seasonal and permanent stalls offering everything from fresh vegetables to artisan products, the market also hosts Twilight Markets in...

read more
Cleared for Takeoff

Cleared for Takeoff

How Ardmore is Powering Economic Growth in Franklin. Historical landmark, aviation icon, and growing commercial development, Ardmore Airport is undergoing a moment of exciting transition, growth and evolution. That’s par for the course though—since its inception in...

read more
1 Roulston

1 Roulston

Situated in Pukekohe, 1 Roulston began life in 1912 as home to Franklin’s first newspaper and has been serving the community ever since. Following a quick refresh by Eke Panuku, this character building continues its legacy, offering space to host events, gatherings,...

read more
Ben Bayly

Ben Bayly

Ben Bayly, chef and creator of the award-winning Ahi in Auckland’s Commercial Bay, also cultivates a productive garden in Franklin, growing many ingredients for his restaurant. The Longkeeper onion, featured recently on a TV series, is one of the vegetables he often...

read more
Past Glories You Can’t Look Past

Past Glories You Can’t Look Past

Just out of his teens William Britton bought a vintage poster for $400, and sold it for $13,500 in the US. Already hooked on treasure hunting his way around New Zealand, he’d hit upon a career. Salvage Place in Pukekohe, Franklin NZ William BrittonOwner of Salvage...

read more
Duder Regional Park

Duder Regional Park

On Franklin’s eastern edge, Duder Regional Park stretches out into the Hauraki Gulf, a peninsula surrounded by sea and sky. It’s the first part of the region to greet each sunrise, as the day breaks across the water and the land glows gold. For early walkers, it feels...

read more