When Auckland Council surveyed surfers for their top surfbreaks, Piha came home as the most surfed and the favourite surfbreak in the Auckland region. Other valued surfbreaks were Te Arai, Forestry, Muriwai and Maori Bay.

The survey attracted 1452 responses and surfers were very experienced, 67% having surfed for more than 10 years. While most listed Auckland as their home, respondents also hailed from faraway places such as South Africa, China and Sweden.

The survey was conducted as part of policy development by Auckland Council especially the Unitary Plan. The survey provides support for the proposal to protect surfbreaks from conflicting uses and developments.

Nationally important surf  breaks are protected in the National Coastal Policy Statement but none of these is in Auckland.

During the development of the statement, Protect Piha Heritage argued for Piha to be included and that wider criteria should be used than simply the excellence of the surfbreak, such as accessibility, and importance as a place to hold competitions.

For a further summary of the Council’s results see here Surfbreak Survey Results

Posted 23 April 2012