Sir Rod Stewart spotted at Takapuna Beach before heading to Dunedin for his The Hits! tour

Rod Stewart and Takapuna Beach Cafe staff member Tahlia Leighton on Auckland's Takapuna Beach. Photo / Takapuna Beach Cafe staff

Sir Rod Stewart and his wife Penny Lancaster have been spotted on Auckland’s Takapuna Beach after arriving in the country this morning for his The Hits! tour, which kicks off in Dunedin tonight.

Soaking up the glorious afternoon sun before heading south, staff at the Takapuna Beach Cafe told the Herald the Sailing crooner ordered a coffee before taking a stroll along the North Shore beach and playing a spot of football in the sand.

Lancaster told the Herald the pair had had “a lovely morning”, however she declined a request for a photo, saying her husband, 78, was “... having a private moment.”

However, thrilled Takapuna Beach Cafe staff member, Tahlia Leighton, managed to get the shot.

She told the Herald: “Me, my grandad and my mum loved Maggie May. We used to listen to him together.”

Leighton said she asked the star, once married to New Zealand model Rachel Hunter, for a “quick” photo but was conscious of not causing a scene.

Meanwhile, a group of fans, mostly women, congregated nearby with one overheard saying: “I feel like a groupie!”

Shortly after, Stewart and Lancaster left the beach in a black van that had been parked up waiting for them. It’s expected the pair will likely be making their way to catch a flight to Dunedin.

Rod Stewart and Takapuna Beach Cafe staff member Tahlia Cheyenne on Auckland's Takapuna Beach. Photo / Takapuna Beach Cafe staff

The 78-year-old is in New Zealand for his The Hits! tour which features a set by Cyndi Lauper and begins tonight at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

From the deep south, after a couple of days of downtime, he’ll head to Napier on April 8 before returning to Auckland for his final show at Spark Arena.

The British rocker, who just wrapped his tour in Australia, was spotted at a Bunnings hardware store in Sydney’s Northern Beaches on Monday. Apparently looking for a sausage sizzle fix, he discovered the famed snags are only available on weekends.

Rod Stewart spotted at Bunnings in Balgowlah on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Photo / Twitter

Stewart kicked off the Australian leg of his tour on March 11 in Perth and has since performed in Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide, Mt Cotton, Sydney and two winery shows in the Hunter Valley and Bowral.

Last night the Rhythm of My Heart singer was snapped enjoying a harbour cruise with a large crew including Lauper and his wife.

"Oh what a night! Thank you @rodstewart #RodFamily #RodBand #Australia" -- Cyndi Lauper pic.twitter.com/KtRJ5equWQ

— Rhino Records (@Rhino_Records) April 3, 2023

More to come ...