Check out what could be the newest jewel in the region, thanks to a famous family's generosity. Joanna Davies reports
Children have slid down the Bethells Beach sand dunes for generations - on bits of cardboard and old real estate signs, usually. The 100m ride is a quick thrill for beachgoers.
To rinse off the black sand, they slide down to Lake Wainamu.
As they climb back over the dunes they are covered in it again. They soon realise that they should have waited to dry off so must shake off the sand in the car park.
The public has permission to walk across the dunes to the freshwater lake only because the surrounding property is privately owned by one of West Auckland's founding families, the Bethells.
But public access to this hidden jewel in the Waitakere Ranges could be guaranteed in an agreement between Waitakere City Council and the Bethell family. Negotiations over use of the land have been going on behind closed doors for nearly 30 years.
``We feel we have a custodial presence on the land and we hope to continue living there for another 250 years,' says landowner Ross Bethell.
Ten years ago, Mr Bethell filed appeals with the Environment Court against Waitakere City Council after the council refused Mr Bethell permission to turn an area of the property into farmland.
``The issue we had with the original plan was that the council zoned the land as a protected heritage area. We've never planned to subdivide or anything like that,' he said.
The appeals have been withdrawn, and Mr Bethell says of the 332ha of the family's property in the council's management area, a third could be used for farming.
The council wishes to turn the land into a special area under its district plan, but the rule is not yet in place - it is dependent on the outcome of the final negotiations.
The Bethell family began living at Te Henga in 1862, and has owned land there since 1892, with five generations growing up at the beach, says Mr Bethell.
Waitakere City Council's director of public affairs, Wally Thomas, says the council will not comment while negotiations are taking place.
Life's a beach - and a lake
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