Shore fishing is going to hard as the winter cold has just set in and the fish are definitely moving out deeper now. There will be a few fish around in the right places still but you might go quite a few extra hours between fish now compared to the summer season.  There are a few charters around where you might be able to jump on as an individual angler joining in with a larger group and at this time of year that is more likely to get you some fish for the pan.

That's an interesting question - I am not aware of any guides specialising in land-based fishing around Auckland. There are in the Coromandel area, about 2 hours south, and presumably up in the Bay of Islands (3 hrs north). They would supply gear.

Kahawai would be a viable target corbyeire, good fighting fish - consult google. bring a reel and a few bits. buy a cheap rod and bait when you get here, and you're away. 

Hey Brian, I've got some landbased gear you can borrow I don't use it much these days.
I will flick you a PM with my number.
Pete

It'd be great if someone could help with decent spots for a 3-hour fish (including transport time) from the city. it takes an hour or so to get to the likes of Leigh or the end of Whangaparaoa Peninsula, so that wouldn't allow much time for fishing in a 3-hour window.

I would take him down to Waikato river mouth from karioitahi but don't have a 4wd anymore. He could try Hamilton's gap?

Okay, two hours' drive away, with three hours to walk in/fish, puts you potentially among some awesome fishing water - particularly to the east coast north of Auckland, up the Coromandel Peninsula (south), and on the west coast beaches (not for the faint hearted in cooler parts of the year, and without specialist beach fishing gear).