The black sand made famous on screen, the bush that still feels untouched and a cash for cars service that reaches every part of it. Free towing, fair price, paid the same day.
Call 0800 227 289 Free QuoteKarekare's black sand and dramatic headland. The Watchman became internationally famous as the opening setting of Jane Campion's Oscar winning film The Piano, where Ada McGrath comes ashore with her piano in 1853. Crowded House later recorded much of their album Together Alone here.
Long before the film crews arrived, Karekare was a major Te Kawerau ā Maki settlement, known for its kūmara cultivations and the pā built on The Watchman by rangatira Kowhatu-ki-te-uru.
The settlement's isolation has always been part of its appeal. At the turn of the last century, holidaymakers travelled by coach from Glen Eden just to stay at the old Karekare guest house, and the road in remained narrow and largely unsealed for decades after that. Even today, with the road sealed, Karekare receives far fewer visitors than its neighbour Piha, and the bush, falls, and black sand have kept much of their untouched character as a result.
A small coastal community of around 300 residents calls it home today.
South of Piha, north of Whatipu, off a narrow but sealed road.
A tight-knit settlement sandwiched between bush and surf.
We collect from anywhere in Karekare at no charge.
The road into Karekare was only sealed in recent decades, and the area still receives far fewer visitors than nearby Piha which means fewer car buyers bother making the trip too. We don't mind the drive. If your vehicle's parked near Karekare Road, by the falls, or up on a bush block damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle, we'll come and collect it free of charge.
We'll quote your car over the phone, agree a fair cash price, and arrange pickup at a time that suits same day in most cases.
Cyclone Gabrielle hit the Waitākere coast hard in February 2023, and Karekare was no exception, with several historic homes damaged or destroyed in the storm. If a car has been sitting idle since then, whether storm-affected, mechanically retired, or simply no longer needed, our process stays the same: a straightforward quote, a free tow, and cash paid before we leave the property.
Karekare's small population and artist-residency community mean properties here range from long-held family homes to newer builds replacing storm losses. Whatever the situation, we're set up to collect from steep driveways, bush sections, and tight beachfront roads alike.
Karekare sits on the Waitākere coast, south of Piha and north of Whatipu — part of our regular West Auckland collection run.
Monday – Saturday, 8am – 5pm.
