Alison and Ted Roberts originally purchased land in 1966 and hoped to run a flower and orchard business. They first introduced donkeys to the land in 1969.

 

Highfield Garden Reserve is made up of two parcels of land, the top 4.06ha block which was purchased by the government in 1981, and the lower adjacent 3.5ha block which was gifted to the people of New Zealand by The Roberts in 1985.

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The Roberts placed the land and the donkeys into a family trust in 1981 and it was gifted New Zealand in 1985, along with the name Highfield Garden Reserve, with the management of the whole reserve vested in Rodney Council in 1991. Ted Roberts died in 1983 and Alison in 2009, aged 96. The gift is celebrated by a rock from a local quarry, which was placed in the orchard area in 2010 following Alison Roberts death. Its plaque also recognises the presence of the donkeys whose continued residence is an integral part of the ongoing agreement with Auckland Council. On the seaward side of the rock, a time capsule was buried in the ground in November 2019, commemorating 50 years since Ted and Alison brought the first donkeys onto the land. It's suggested that the capsule is opened in November 2069.

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The reserve contains a number of short walks which provide views of Kawau Bay and the islands of the Hauraki Gulf. Tracks extend along the cliffs with lookouts over Algies Bay, Stingray Bay and Snells Beach. The reserve also features native bush, paddocks, the old gardens and orchard, and a number of ponds that provide habitats for birds.

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The reserve is now managed with the help of a committee whose Mission Statement is:
"To cooperate with and advise the Auckland Council to protect and improve this unique place, Highfield Garden Reserve, to provide an area of beauty where people can be at peace with the scenery and surrounding areas, whilst enhancing the wellbeing of the donkeys.”

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It is volunteers who take responsibility for the day to day running of the reserve, caring for the donkeys, and holding events such as a Donkey Days.