[1] The park covers 180 hectares (440 acres) of hilly headland, consisting mostly of open grasslands, with some native bush.

The most recent earthquake in January 1855 created the marshland at Te Onepoto Bay and the western coastline beaches, and made Porirua Harbour too shallow for large sailing ships.

[3] There is 2 hectares (4.9 acres) of remnant coastal kohekohe forest, with two rare Streblus banksii trees and Doodia australis fern.

[4] The anchor stone of Kupe's canoe is believed to have remained in Onehunga Bay for centuries and was respected by Māori tribes.

The stone is now stored at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, but there is a monument at the Onehunga Bay carpark.

[4] Ngāti Toa conquered the area in the mid-1820s under the leadership of Te Rauparaha, partly due to its strategic position near early European trading ports.

[6] In the decades since, a track has been built around the park, and the New Zealand Defence Force has removed abandoned motor vehicle bodies from around the headland.

[13] The park is also used for fishing, mountain biking, horse riding, rock climbing, bird spotting, orienteering, model plane flying, canoeing, kitesurfing, diving, picnicking and swimming.