Detective Senior Sergeant Kathryn Bostock said police were investigating an aggravated burglary at an address on Ballarat St, Ellerslie, which was reported on June 30.
She said the break-in was understood to have happened at 5.14am on June 28.
"Two men have approached the victim's property and the victim has engaged with these men before being assaulted," Bostock said.
"He has been knocked unconscious and the men entered the property and left after a period of time."
She said the victim was taken to hospital and was recovering from his injuries.
Bostock said police were making a number of inquiries, including a forensic examination and analysis of CCTV footage.
Mackley told the Herald the men had been hanging around the property the night before and returned in the morning.
He said two men attacked him and "bashed me on the head".
"The men took nothing, so I don't know why they came for me or what they wanted," Mackley said.
His post showed a photo of two petrol containers he said were taken from his ute.
He told followers those he says are responsible "can rest assured I will not rest until they're identified and the rest of their miserable lives are ruined".
"It's all on CCTV, hope they enjoy their freedom while they have it."
According to his Facebook posts, Mackley was discharged from hospital on Tuesday.
The freelance photographer and cameraman has previously spoken to the Herald about his some of his most memorable jobs.
In 2011 he tied himself to a tree, strapped on a helmet and lifejacket and then went into the core of Queensland's deadly Cyclone Yasi to take pictures.
"It was fierce. Three-hundred-kilometre winds were whipping around, pulling trees out of the ground and debris was flying everywhere."
In 2005, he told the Herald the Boxing Day tsunami - which killed 227,000 across several countries - was the largest natural disaster he'd seen from 70 similar disasters.
"A tsunami is capable of damage on an unbelievable scale. I am pretty convinced that is going to be the largest natural event that will happen in my lifetime."
He filmed the aftermath in several areas, including Indonesia's Aceh province, where tens of thousands died.
"It was like images taken from World War II."
However, Mackley, who is in 50s, said filming natural events was not that dangerous.
"What I am doing is potentially dangerous but most of my close calls have involved getting sick or travelling on trains in Third World countries."
He has also previously been the victim of crime. In 2006, his $40,000 Panasonic AJD 800 Broadcast TV camera was stolen after a thief broke into his assistant's car in the Auckland suburb of Owairaka.
• Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed suspicious behaviour in the area at around 5am on June 28 to contact Auckland City East CIB on 105. Information can also be provided anonymously on 0800 555 111.
- additional reporting Lincoln Tan
