Suburb in Auckland, New Zealand

Red Beach
Suburb
Red Beach in 2010
Coordinates: 36°36′22″S 174°41′53″E / 36.606°S 174.698°E / -36.606; 174.698
Country	New Zealand
City	Auckland
Local authority	Auckland Council
Electoral ward	Albany ward
Local board	Hibiscus and Bays
Area [1]
• Land	431 ha (1,065 acres)
Population  (June 2024)[2]
• Total	9,750
Postcode(s)	0932

(Orewa River)	Orewa
Millwater	Red Beach	(Whangaparaoa Bay)
Silverdale	(Weiti River)	Stanmore Bay

Red Beach is a suburb surrounding the beach of the same name on the Hibiscus Coast, Auckland, New Zealand, at the base of the Whangaparaoa Peninsula. The suburb of Silverdale is to the south-west, and Orewa to the north.

The beach is on the Hauraki Gulf and the suburb is bounded by two estuaries, that of the Weiti River to the south and the Orewa River to the north. The beach is named for its reddish colour.^[3] The sand is light brownish-grey in colour and its "red" colour is due to fragments of dark orange-brown, iron-stained, fossil shell. The majority of the iron-stained shells consists of highly fragmented bivalve shells, which are less than 2 cm (0.79 in) across.^[3][4]

The Hibiscus Coast Highway runs through the suburb. This was previously State Highway 1^[5] and then State Highway 17. The majority of highway traffic now travels along the Northern Motorway inland instead, as the motorway was redesignated as State Highway 1 when an extension was completed in 2009. All road access to the rest of Whangaparaoa Peninsula currently^[update] runs through the suburb.

Red Beach was named after the red shells found along the beach.^[6]

The 44 hectare Peninsula Golf Course, established in 1956, was rezoned for residential development in 2013, despite local opposition^[7] and Fletcher Living gained resource consent to build 520 houses on the site in December 2014.^[8]

Red Beach covers 4.31 km² (1.66 sq mi)^[1] and had an estimated population of 9,750 as of June 2024,^[2] with a population density of 2,262 people per km².

Red Beach had a population of 8,346 at the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 795 people (10.5%) since the 2013 census, and an increase of 1,923 people (29.9%) since the 2006 census. There were 3,027 households, comprising 3,975 males and 4,374 females, giving a sex ratio of 0.91 males per female, with 1,548 people (18.5%) aged under 15 years, 1,368 (16.4%) aged 15 to 29, 3,531 (42.3%) aged 30 to 64, and 1,908 (22.9%) aged 65 or older.

Ethnicities were 88.9% European/Pākehā, 7.5% Māori, 2.5% Pacific peoples, 7.3% Asian, and 2.6% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity.

The percentage of people born overseas was 29.7, compared with 27.1% nationally.

Although some people chose not to answer the census's question about religious affiliation, 47.5% had no religion, 42.6% were Christian, 0.1% had Māori religious beliefs, 0.8% were Hindu, 0.3% were Muslim, 0.5% were Buddhist and 1.5% had other religions.

Of those at least 15 years old, 1,554 (22.9%) people had a bachelor's or higher degree, and 990 (14.6%) people had no formal qualifications. 1,488 people (21.9%) earned over $70,000 compared to 17.2% nationally. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 3,177 (46.7%) people were employed full-time, 1,095 (16.1%) were part-time, and 174 (2.6%) were unemployed.^[9]

Popular attractions include:

• The Red Beach Surf Club
• Totara Views
• William Bayes play ground
• Red Beach Shops

• Red Beach School Gala
• Streetlight Competition

Red Beach School is a contributing primary (years 1–6) school with a roll of 536 students.^[13] The school opened in 1989 covering years 1–8, but reduced its age range when Hibiscus Coast Intermediate opened in 1997 (the intermediate later became part of Whangaparaoa College).^[14]

KingsWay School is a state integrated composite (years 1–13) school with a roll of 1845 students.^[15][16] The school provides a non-denominational Christian-based education.^[17]

Both schools are coeducational. Rolls are as of August 2024.^[18]

• Red Beach School website
• KingsWay School website
• Photographs of Red Beach held in Auckland Libraries' heritage collections.