Another little known gem (there are a lot of them in Auckland!), Puhinui Reserve is a 199ha area close to the airport, only 25 minutes drive from the CBD, but feels a world away. It’s used for a three day International Horse Trials event every December, but is otherwise almost deserted for the rest of the year. There are easy walking and cycling tracks, and plenty of wildlife, both birds and cattle. It is also next to Matukutūreia / McLaughlins Mountain, a heavily quarried volcanic cone, though the best views of it are from Wilco Place, in a large industrial estate.