About Us

Waikāretu Community Retreat Centre is a project rooted in many histories.

We are anchored by the land at 1692 Waikāretu Valley Road, which lies within the Ngāti Tahinga rohe. Once seabed, then limestone, then karaka and pūriri forest, this valley became a place of gardens, pā, and was later cleared for colonial sheep and beef farming. A more in-depth history of the Waikaretu area more broadly - through Māori settlement and colonisation - is available here, researched and compiled by Rose Tapsell.

In the 1980s, a small section of this land was purchased by the Auckland Sphere Group and became a retreat space for practice and study in the Buddhist and Western mystery traditions inspired by Namgyal Rinpoche. Over the years, it hosted retreats with teachers including Namgyal Rinpoche, Tarchin Hearn, Bonnie Ross, and Mira Riddiford.

After a period of disuse, the land is now entering a new phase. Friends, practitioners, and community members are restoring the huts, caring for the bush, and renewing the vision of the place. We continue to be supported by Buddhist wisdom traditions, and especially the lineage of Namgyal Rinpoche, while welcoming a diversity of practice and inquiry — Buddhist, contemplative, artistic, and ecological — for the liberation and healing of all beings.

We welcome pre-arranged visitors, new members, and collaborators. Please see our calendar for publicly accessible events or inquire directly with us about membership for further involvement.

Location

The centre is located at 1692 Waiāretu Valley Road, approximately 1.5 hours by car from Tāmaki Makaurau, and 1 hour from Whāingaroa. It’s here on a map. It's a beautiful valley full of towering limestone formations and a mix of sheep and beef farming and native forest, as well as stunning waterfalls, vast cave systems and wild beaches. It's a popular route for motorbikes and cycle tours - those travelling from Tāmaki Makaurau who want a more intrepid journey can travel by train to Pukekohe and cycle approximately 3 hours.

Facilities

Our current facilities are basic and suited for those comfortable with wild camping and with a reasonable degree of mobility. We do not have tap water, electricity, or cellphone reception on the site. There is a basic kitchen facility, rainwater, a composting toilet, and a beautiful stream.

If you are visiting and have any accessibility concerns, please talk to us directly.