Venture taranaki parks gardens 4th edition for web

PARKS AND GARDENS

Free Copy

or download at www.visit.taranaki.info 4th Edition

WELCOME Taranaki’s title of the Garden of New Zealand dates back to the region’s earliest marketing material.

Pre-European M ori battled for the best land to garden, and early Europeans settlers ambitiously fought the native bush to establish their own crops and gardens.

As the province grew, so did the amount and diversity of public space that was developed for parks and gardens. At the same time, many private gardens of significance blossomed, importing and breeding plants and growing a strong network regionally and nationally.

The feature plants are, of course, the rhododendrons, camellias and azaleas, and a huge range of trees, shrubs and perennials complement these.

Taranaki’s prominence as a garden destination stems from its free-draining volcanic ash soil, reliable rainfall and temperate climate. While picture-perfect Mt Taranaki has undoubtedly got a hand in these factors, the real heroes in the evolution of Taranaki’s gardens are the gardeners themselves.

From insightful town planners to passionate weekend warriors, Taranaki’s amazing range of gardens owes much to these green-fingered visionaries, both past and present.

As a result of the fertile landscape and gifted gardeners, Taranaki today has many parks and gardens worthy of celebration. This guide assembles many of the best, and the region’s garden festivals present many more opportunities to get out there and discover a Taranaki garden experience like no other.

2

ISBN 978-0-473-19003-3

GETTING TO TARANAKI By air, land or sea, Taranaki is an accessible region located halfway between Auckland and Wellington on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island.

By Air Air New Zealand flies direct to New Plymouth from Auckland or Wellington daily.

The non-stop 45 minute flight will reaffirm your decision to visit Taranaki.

Centred around a picture-perfect mountain, the lush regional countryside fertilised by countless eruptions over the centuries is simply stunning on a perfect day, framed on three sides by the endless Tasman Sea lapping the coastline with world-renowned surf swells. If you are in the South Island, Air New Zealand flies direct from Christchurch to New Plymouth Monday to Friday. The flight takes around 90 minutes.

By Road There are two main arterial routes into Taranaki. From the north State Highway 3 (SH3) brings you along the dramatic coast of North Taranaki from Te Kuiti, whilst from the south State Highway 3 splits from State Highway 1 at Sanson and brings you north through Wanganui and into Taranaki via Waitotara.

For those who are coming from the east and enjoy adventure and history, the Forgotten World Highway (SH43), New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail, is a must.

Starting in Taumarunui the 155km highway winds its way through rugged hill country to Stratford and takes around three hours to drive.

Regular bus services to Taranaki operate from Auckland and Wellington and stop at points in between.

3

CONTENTS New Plymouth District 10 Audrey Gale Reserve 12 Barrett Domain 14 Marsland Hill 16 Matekai Park 18 Pukeiti 20 Pukekura Park and Brooklands 24 Tupare Stratford District 28 King Edward Park 30 Prospero Place 32 Thomson Arboretum 34 Victoria Park 36 Windsor Park South Taranaki District 40 Goodson Dell 42 Hollard Gardens 44 King Edward Park 46 Naumai Park 48 Stark Park and Bridger Park Private Gardens of National and International Significance 50 Oakley Garden 52 Puketarata Garden 54 Te Kainga Marire

4

ABOUT VENTURE TARANAKI The Taranaki Parks and Gardens Booklet is part of a collection of publications produced by Venture Taranaki Trust the Regional Development Agency. These booklets and brochures showcase aspects of our region to the many and varied visitors and our communities.

Venture Taranaki is a dynamic organisation working across tourism and conventions, regional marketing and major events, and business and economic development. As such the Trust is the first point of contact for anyone looking to enhance their knowledge of the Taranaki region.

The region’s official website – www.taranaki.info – presents a wealth of information for anyone looking to visit, move to or learn more about Taranaki, or grow a business within the region. The site offers everything from accommodation options to coming events, jobs opportunities in the region to a lifestyle toolkit, and regional intelligence to business assistance programmes.

Venture Taranaki works one-on-one with individuals, businesses, small groups, clusters, media and industry to grow the economic wellbeing of Taranaki. Contact us now to find out how we can work with you.

For more information: www.taranaki.info

5

Staying in Taranaki

STAYING IN TARANAKI There’s somewhere for everyone to lay their head in Taranaki.

From international hotel chains and good value motels, to boutique hotels, lodges, bed and breakfast and quality hostels. Whether you’re after luxury, alpine, aquatic or character-filled accommodation, Taranaki has it all.

For up to date information on accommodation and to book visit www.taranaki.info/visit/accommodation.php or visit one of the region’s i-SITEs.

i-SITE Visitor Centres

New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre Puke Ariki 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth Phone: 06 759 0897 0800 639 759 Email: info@npdc.govt.nz

6

Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place Miranda Street, Stratford Phone: 06 765 6708 0800 765 670 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz

South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Phone: 06 278 8599 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz

As voted by the locals

1. Helicopter Flight over Mt Taranaki

10. Summit Climb up Mt Taranaki

2. Dawson Falls Take a 10 minute walk from the Dawson Falls Visitor Centre through lush native forest to this stunning 18 metre high waterfall.

11. Round the Mountain Road Trip

See Taranaki’s beloved icon from a new angle with one of the region’s helicopter tours.

3. TSB Bank Festival of the Lights

Explore New Plymouth’s plant paradise after dark, as Pukekura Park is transformed into a wonderland of lights over the summer months.

4. New Plymouth Coastal Walkway

Discover the legend and landscape of the iconic Mt Taranaki and encounter a view like no other from the summit.

Go town hopping around our magnificent mountain by car or bike.

12. Tawhiti Museum and ‘Traders & Whalers’ Sample Taranaki’s heritage

through uniquely realistic and engaging displays, including hundreds of life-size and miniature models, countless artefacts, a working railway and the ‘Traders & Whalers’ experience.

Wander or ride the award-winning 11km Coastal Walkway and new Te Rewa Rewa Bridge.

14. Ice Cream from the Iona Dairy Enjoy

5. Pukekura Park Wander through

15. Lake Mangamahoe Pack a picnic and take a picturesque forest walk or fun-fuelled mountain bike ride around the lake.

the inner-city botanical wonderland to discover a lake, zoo, tea house, playground and countless short walks.

6. Summer Concerts at TSB Bowl of Brooklands Enjoy a world class concert

or festival in scenic surroundings at our natural outdoor amphitheatre.

7. Our Favourite Beaches Round up the family for some beach cricket, swimming, surfing and fish and chips at our favourite beaches.

8. Puke Ariki Uncover Taranaki’s rich

heritage at this multi-award winning information hub located in the heart of New Plymouth.

9. Climb Paritutu Rock Get the best

views of Taranaki from the top of this volcanic outcrop on the New Plymouth coast.

Taranaki Must Do’s

TARANAKI MUST DO’S

super-sized scoops in all your favourite flavours from New Plymouth’s Iona Dairy.

16. Happy Chaddy’s Charters

Join colourful captain Chaddy on board a restored English lifeboat for a cruise through the Sugar Loaf Island Marine Reserve.

17. Len Lye’s Wind Wand Watch the

iconic 45 metre tall sculpture as it sways on its Coastal Walkway vantage point.

18. Stockcar Night at Stratford Grab a hotdog and chips and the non-stop action at the Stratford Speedway.

19. Stay in a hut on Mt Taranaki Take

a trek and stay overnight in an alpine hut nestled in the Egmont National Park.

20. Coffee at a Coastal Café Stop for

a coffee or brunch at one of our handily located cosy coastal cafés.

7

New Plymouth District Judged the most liveable city in New Zealand by North & South magazine, and the best small city in the world by the UN-backed Liveable Communities Awards, New Plymouth offers a lively cosmopolitan base for exploring the parks and gardens of North Taranaki. New Plymouth sits alongside the sparkling Tasman Sea and has Mt Taranaki at its back. The city doesn’t have an urban area surrounded by a green belt – its 245 parks and reserves sit amidst the urban areas, connected by an acclaimed network of walking and cycling trails. The most prominent of these trails is New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway, which spans the width of the city along its 11km route. The walkway and the city’s parks and gardens have undoubtedly contributed to New Plymouth’s transformation in recent years.

8

New Plymouth District

1km 500m 0

9

N

Audrey Gale Reserve 257 Mangorei Road, New Plymouth Open 7am to 8.30pm

This charming picnic area was called the Old Water Works Reserve until 1989 when its name was changed to the Audrey Gale Reserve in recognition of Audrey Gale, a retired councillor and huge contributor to the New Plymouth area.

Audrey Gale was a New Plymouth District Councillor for 21 years, serving as the parks and recreation committee chairperson from 1965 to 1977. Mrs Gale died in 1992.

The river provides safe swimming, rock jumping and paddling, while the two barbecue areas, with purpose build fireplaces and summer houses, are ideal for picnickers. Dog exercising and horse riding are encouraged and for those wanting an easy but enjoyable walk. Horse riding is permitted on the right hand side of the reserve. The park has plenty of natural shaded areas through native bush growing along side introduced planting. This flora is a perfect home for birds all year round.

10

Highlights Some evidence of the old water works can be found tucked away in the far-east corner of the park. When first commissioned in 1883, the works pumped more than enough from the Waiwhakaiho River to service the residents of the fast growing town of New Plymouth.

The Waiwhakaiho River which borders the park has its source on Mt Taranaki and is highly valued for its aesthetic, ecological and recreational values, and is particularly important for native fish and trout habitat.

The commemorative bronze plaque, on the left at the park entrance, outlines Mrs Gale’s outstanding career. This serene spot provides an opportunity for visitors to the park to enjoy the native planting and bird life.

For further information contact New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre, refer to page 6.

New Plymouth District

Map Of Park

NORTH

AIHO HAK

WAIW

GPS: 39° 07’ 02’’ S 174° 10’ 85’’ E

RIVE

AD RO

OR

NG

MA

ITH

SM

R

FROM NEW PLYMOUTH

D OA EI R

E

V

RI

RD

D

VA

FROM SH3

LE

U

BO

Points Of Interest Park Entrance/Exit Path Swimming Area Dog Exercising Horse Riding Area Toilets

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Parking Lookout Picnic/BBQ area No Camping No Golf No Motorbikes

Audrey Gale Reserve 11

Barrett Domain Roto Street, New Plymouth Open all hours   This is a circular walk in a 36ha blend of open spaces, plantations, bush and a wetland area (Barrett Lagoon). The domain is also a wildlife refuge. Explore an abundance of native bird life, wetland and lake habitats and indigenous vegetation in this urban oasis.

There are three different tracks you can walk in Barrett Domain.

Cowling Plantation Walk (10 mins) As you enter the domain from Roto St. walk about 200m down a gravel track; the start of this walk is on your right.

There is a cemented stone seat, which on 17 February 1966 was unveiled as a memorial to Mr Fred Cowling. These majestic kauri trees he planted are now more than 50 years old and provide a tranquil area in which to walk.

This track continues to Alba St. and exits the domain, or you can instead cross the bridge and walk through the trees until you come to a grassed area. At this point you can continue on to the Rayward Bush Walk or return to the main track.

Rayward Bush Walk (20 mins) This short bush walk begins from the main entrance off Roto St. Walk down the gravel track past the Cowling Plantation sign until you come to the Rayward Bush Walk sign on your right.

Walk over a grassed area, keeping a small pond on your left. Follow a grassed

12

track up a small hill and enter the bush near the top of the sign. This area has regenerating forest plants which include tawa and kohe kohe.

On exiting the bush you will find yourself in an open grassed area. From here you can continue on to your right towards the lagoon or return to the main entrance.

To get to the main track walk across the paddock towards the entrance to the lagoon and then follow a track around to the left towards a gate.

Lagoon Bush Walk (30 mins) This walk can be entered via the Davies Rd. entrance or from the main entrance off Roto St. From Roto St. continue down the gravel track until you come to an open grassed area. To your left is the beginning of the Lagoon Bush Walk.

This walk follows the Mangaotuku Stream, which runs through the domain. After reaching the bridge follow the lower track that runs alongside the stream. About 500m along you will come to a T junction.

At the T junction you can either go down to a small gully the stream has carved out (note this is a dead end track), or continue up the hill to your right towards the lagoon. At the top of the hill are three tracks. The track on your right will take you to the Rayward Bush Walk. The other two tracks will take you to Barrett Lagoon.

New Plymouth District

Map Of Park

Main Track

Lagoon Bush Walk

Rayward Bush Walk

Fred Cowling Kauri Reserve Walk

Other Tracks

Dogs Prohibited - lake, pond and wetland areas

Dogs on Leash

to

St.

Kororako Drive

2

Ro

Alba St.

Tu k

ap

aS

t

e

n Av

atio

on Cor

n St

Vivia

ies

Dav

Rd

GPS: 39° 05’ 05’’ S 174° 02’ 48’’ E BARRETT LAGOON

3

Manuka Place

Karamea Street

5 4

Pond

6

1 Alba Street Entrance Riding For The Disabled area be aware of horses Redwood Crescent

Roto Street Entrance

RO T

NORTH

7

O

ST

Davies Road Entrance

Points Of Interest 5 Sir Victor Davies Memorial Planting Lagoon Bush 2 Kororako Pa site 6 Mangaotuku Stream Gully 3 Rayward Bush 7 Riding For The Disabled 4 Fred Cowling Kauri Reserve 1

Park Entrance/Exit Picnic area

For further information contact New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre, refer to page 6. website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Barrett Domain 13

Marsland Hill 51 Robe Street, New Plymouth Open all hours First settled in the 1730s by the Nga-potiki-taua hapu of the Taranaki iwi, Marsland Hill was originally known as Pukaka Pa. Since then the strategic position of the hill has seen it given many uses and today it is a popular, accessible and scenic recreational reserve.

Designated a cemetery from 1841 to 1842, burials at Marsland Hill included Charles Armitage Brown (3) whose memorial is located on the slope behind St Mary’s Cathedral, after being rediscovered by local historians in 1921 following an extensive search. The cemetery was officially closed in 1908.

In 1855, the top of the hill was levelled, reducing its height by some 12 metres to create the headquarters for the imperial regiments stationed in Taranaki.

Between 1874 and 1880, the barracks provided temporary accommodation for newly arrived settlers, and in 1891 the remaining section was relocated to Mt Taranaki as tourist accommodation, where it is now known as The Camphouse.

In 1909 Governor General Lord Plunket unveiled the New Zealand Wars

14

Monument (3), and the South African War Memorial (4) followed in 1911, unveiled by Governor General Lord Islington in memory of the Taranaki men who fell in the Anglo-Boer War. The Observatory (5) was opened in 1920, following the formation of a local Astronomical Society. The building has expanded from the original 1920 dome with additions in 1936 and extensions for a second telescope in the 1970s.

A 37 bell Carillon (2) donated by George Kibby in memory of his late wife Mable was installed in 1971. It received a major refurbishment in early 2014. Together the brass bells weigh over four tonne and play daily at 10am, 11am, noon, 2pm, 4pm and 5pm.

The surrounding reserve has grown over the decades to now encompass 3.78 hectares, which were declared a historic reserve in 1987. The reserve has many recreational uses and with its great views over the city is a popular picnic, heritage and lunchtime running destination.

For further information contact New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre, refer to page 6.

New Plymouth District

Map Of Park

5

GPS: 39° 06’ 15’’ S 174° 07’ 32’’ E T EE

H

G

U

O

BR

M

R ST

A

4 1 2

3

T

EE

6 BE

R ST

RO

ST MARY’S CHURCH IA IV V N ET RE ST

NORTH

Points Of Interest

1 2

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Park Entrance/Exit Parking Path Interpretive sign Carillon

3 4 5 6

New Zealand Wars Monument South African War Memorial The Observatory Charles Armitage Brown Grave

Marsland Hill 15

Matekai Park 19 McKellar Street, Oakura Open all hours Matekai Park was established in 1980 with subsequent land being purchased to create a 6.5 hectare area that is a popular link between Oakura’s shopping village and the beach.

The Park provides opportunities for walking in bush-like settings, and with its large wetland area and natural open spaces, gives good views of birds and other wildlife. A perimeter track is supplemented by three grass paths with rustic bridges that cross the wetland between the upper and lower tracks.

A number of clearings and seats have been established to make the most of the views and landscape.

Matekai Park boasts a wide range of tree species, including puriri, karaka, titoki, pukatea, rewarewa, kahikatea, rimu, cabbage tree, mapou, lemonwood and kowhai. The wetland has been identified as an area of national importance by the Department of Conservation and consists of raupo, flax and carex, creating a habitat for a number of rare bird species.

16

Over recent decades Matekai Park has been the focus of an ongoing planting programme, which has centred on reestablishing native and introduced trees, which now attract bird life to the reserve.

Over recent decades Matekai Park has been the focus of an ongoing planting programme, which has centred on reestablishing native and introduced trees, which now attract bird life to the reserve.

The Matekai Park loop track can be used to walk dogs without a lead and at the upper end of the reserve is a large area of open space used for horse riding activities, with a large parking area.

Within five minutes drive along surf highway 45 you can explore the popular picnic spot, Lucy’s Gully and the various beaches with world-class surf breaks.

For further information contact New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre, refer to page 6.

3

M im

ai t W ar

Ur

aR

ive

ha

r

Motunui

ka

Waitara

iho er R iv

am

outh Plym

Parihaka Road

Rahotu

Pem broke Road

Dawson Falls

Oeo

45

Auroa Auroa Road

Roa d

Pa tik

Pihama am

T

Midhirst

Oeo

Kapuni

Ngaere

Mangatoki Eltham Road

R LLA Matapu CKE

Otakeho

Eltham 3

ET

E STR

M

Te Roti

UTH

Manaia

NORTH Normanby

Inaha

HR OUT

r e am

g Wain

o ng o

ro R

O PLYM EW TO N Lake

Rotorangi

S

Hawera Points Of Interest

Mokoia

a Tang

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

H45

S OAD

Tokaora

iver

Douglas

Toko

Okaiawa

Kaupokonui o nu i S t Kau p o k

Wharehuia 43

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Pembroke

T KOU LOO

iR oa

d

Riverlea

Strathmore

THE

nake

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Road

Ro ad

ia Ih a

Te Kiri

oad ake R Opun

Te Wera

Te Popo

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Makaka Awatuna

it i Str e

Tuna

Cardiff

Rowan

Taungatara

aiaua River

R

East Egmont

oad aR

Ar

rr Su

Mt Taranaki / Egmont

ey

Huiroa

Kupe

d

North Egmont

iki Road Ngar

Oaonui hat aw

AIRN

Tariki

Hasting Road

Wiremu Road

Pungarehu

Ratapiko

oa

Park

Newall

E

Tarata

Kaimata

Du rha m

Egmont

GPS: 39° 11’ 62’’ S 173° 95’ 09’’ E Tumahu National

Manaia

Warea

Ca

Ro ad

Ro ad

f Ox

Pu nih o

p ae Waipae

WAIRAU RO AD

Te Henui Up Tataraimaka Inglewood pe Korito rP ito ne Kaimiro Ro eet ad or Str d on Ro t ad ng rri

Okato

Puniho

RAC

Waitui

Egmont Village

Eg mo nt

River

Hurworth

d Roa

Koro

45

TER

3A

STRE E

Oakura

GER

Okoki

BEA CH

Up

3

ve

PITC

tre

RA

MES SEN

Lepperton

Hillsborough

Uruti

r

Ro ad

eS

ive

Urenui

OAK U

Tikorangi

l a nd

ua

Ri

Onaero

Brixton

New Plymouth Ta p

ui

r

iw Wa

Map Of Park

en

iR

New Plymouth District

Pukearuhe

ho e

Rive

Park Entrance/Exit Manutahi Path 3 Parking Kakaramea Dog Exercising am Patea Str e Oakura Pony Club e ka Wair

r

Whenuakura River

Wav

Matekai Park 17

Pukeiti 2290 Carrington Road, New Plymouth Open 9.00am to 5.00pm Set in a magnificent rainforest on the lower slopes of Mt Taranaki, Pukeiti is New Zealand’s premier rhododendron garden.

Established in 1951 when keen horticulturalist William Douglas Cook purchased a 63 hectare hill block with the vision of creating a vast natural garden of rhododendrons, Pukeiti is now recognised as a Garden of National Significance.

Boasting more than 10,000 rhododendrons and azaleas amongst lush native bush, ferns, mountain streams and a lively bird life, Pukeiti features drifts of primulas, hostas, bluebells and the world renowned vireya collection, to provide year-round interest.

18

Overlooking the gardens, the Gatehouse CafĂŠ (1) serves morning tea, afternoon tea and light lunches over the summer months.

Designed with seasonal interest in mind, there are three marked trails to explore: Rhododendron Stroll, Valley of the Giants walk and Puketewhiti Trail. Visitors can also wander freely around the gardens, though beyond the established area is the domain for serious trampers.

A fourteen-seater mobility vehicle offers tours between 11am and 11.30am, Friday to Monday.

Pukeiti is owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council, and admission is free.

3

ai t W ar

Ur

aR

ive r

ha

ka

Waitara

iho er R iv

d Roa outh Plym

l a nd

Egmont National Park

Parihaka Road

Rahotu

North Egmont

Mt Taranaki / Egmont Pem broke Road

Dawson Falls

Ih a

ia

Makaka Te Kiri d

Riverlea

iR oa

e it i Str

e am

Oeo

Auroa Auroa Road

45

Roa d

Pa tik

Pihama

pa Waipae

Ro ad

Midhirst

Oeo

Pembroke

Kapuni Mangawhero

Wharehuia 43

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Eltham 3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Kaupokonui

NORTH Kaupokonui Stream Wain

Manaia

Rive

Further Information: New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre Puke Ariki, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth Phone: 06 759 0897 or 0800 639 759 Email: enquiries@npdc.govt.nz Website: www.newplymouthnz.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Lake Rotorangi

1 Normanby

Inaha

or o go ng

Douglas

Ngaere

Mangatoki Eltham Road

Strathmore

Toko

Road

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Awatuna

nake

ake Opun

Te Popo

Cardiff

Road

Ro ad

Rowan

Taungatara

aiaua River

Tuna

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

R

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

oad aR

Ar

y

East Egmont

iki Road Ngar

Oaonui hat aw

rre Su

Hasting Road

Wiremu Road

Pungarehu

Tariki d

Newall

Ratapiko

oa

Tumahu

Manaia

Warea

Ca

Ro ad

Ro ad

f Ox

Pu nih o

Tarata

Kaimata

Du rha m

Te Henui Up Tataraimaka Inglewood pe Korito rP ito ne Kaimiro Ro et tre ad or d nS Ro to g a n GPS: 39° 20’ d rri 16’’ S 173° 95’ 09’’ E

Okato

Puniho

Waitui

Egmont Village

Eg mo nt

River

Lepperton 3A

Hurworth

Koro

45

Okoki

Up

3

Oakura

ve

Tikorangi

m

Uruti

r

Urenui

Onaero

Brixton

Hillsborough

e

St New Plymouth re a

Ri

ive

r

iw Wa

ua

ui

Motunui

New Map OfPlymouth Park Ta p

en

iR

New Plymouth District

M im

Tokaora

r

Hawera Mokoia

Points Of Interest oe R

iver

Manutahi

ah Rhododendron Gatehouse Café Tang 3 Stroll (45 min) Park Entrance/Exit Kakaramea Valley of the Giants Parking Walk (60 min) Patea Toilets Waireka Stream Puketewhiti Trail Wav (2 hours) Wheelchair Access er Trails Whenuakur a RivOther Shelter

Pukeiti

19

Pukekura Park and Brooklands 10 Fillis Street, New Plymouth Open 7.30am to 7.00pm and until 8.00pm during daylight savings Pukekura Park is a world-renowned park located in the heart of New Plymouth city.

Beginning its life as a barren and swampy valley, it has been shaped into one of the best inner-city parks in New Zealand and is the backdrop for the annual TSB Bank Festival of Lights - a free spectacular event held from mid-December to late January.

The park covers approximately 52ha and contains a diverse range of landscapes, including many plant collections, exotic specimen trees, formal gardens, lakes and walking trails through native bush.

To mark the opening of the park in 1876 an oak for Great Britain, a puriri for New Zealand, a Norfolk Island pine for the South Pacific islands and a Monterey pine for America were planted and are still growing on Cannon Hill (14).

The park includes the Fernery and Display Houses (20), a facility recognised internationally by horticulturalists for its house design, propagation expertise and consistently high-quality plant displays.

The garden estate area of Brooklands is the home to the acclaimed TSB Bowl of Brooklands (46), one of the country’s foremost open-air venues. In February 1958 the natural outdoor amphitheater

20

opened with the first Festival of the Pines event and has since been the venue for the annual international music festival WOMAD and many iconic musicians including Lionel Richie, Paul Simon, Sting and Jack Johnson.

A highlight of a visit to the park is Brooklands Zoo (33), a free, familyfocused zoo featuring a modern aviary with a chattering of tropical birds, a mini farmyard full of playful animals, a close-up view of swimming and sunbathing otters, and enclosures of cheeky monkeys whose antics will amuse. A children’s playground sits at the centre of the zoo, complete with a picnic area.

The park’s Sports Ground (2), which was a major location for the Tom Cruise movie The Last Samurai, regularly hosts matches between regional teams competing in cricket and football. The

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

New Plymouth District

grassed terraces provide a bird’s eye view of the ground. Cricket publishers, Wisden, named Pukekura Park one of the six best grounds in the world to watch cricket.

Relax by the Main Lake and Band Rotunda (12) where you can enjoy refreshments with views of the iconic Wisteria Pergola (17) at the recently refurbished Tea House on the Lake (16).

The use of water is a common theme throughout the park including Fountain Lake (5), where the fountain was installed in 1955 to mark the visit of Queen Elizabeth II, the year before. The fountain has 14 spray combinations with its main jet reaching 15 metres. Nearby is the man-made 10 metre high Waterfall (11).

The popular Poet’s Bridge (25) paid for by the generosity of Park Board member J.T. Davis from winnings on a horse called The Poet, crosses the Main Lake, and the upper lake can be crossed by the Boat Shed Bridge.

Two gardens were installed to celebrate the sister city relationships that the New Plymouth District Council has with Mishima (Japan) and Kunming (China).

Kunming Garden (31) is a traditional Chinese garden created by Chinese craftsmen and local landscapers, featuring a moongate entrance and pavilion connected by a meandering pathway.

The Japanese Hillside (6), designed

and planted to reflect a typical Japanese hillside forest, includes the Mishima Gate, a traditional red Japanese torii gate, officially opened

by Mishima City Council Chairman Mr Hajime Shimura and Deputy Mayor Peter Tennent to mark the sister city’s 10th anniversary.

Pukekura Park is also home to The Gables (32) - the oldest hospital still standing in New Zealand. Erected in 1848 on the current site of New Plymouth Girls’ High School, the hospital was built on the instructions of Governor Sir George Grey to provide integrated care for Maori and Europeans. In 1904, The Gables was purchased by Mary King, wife of Newton King, and relocated to its present site.

The 2000 Year Old Puriri Tree (37), the largest of its species in New Zealand, sits south of the park and is easy to find, as is the historic giant Ginkgo (41) tree located slightly north-east of the puriri.

Other popular attractions include Monument Hill (28), Lily Lake & The Aotearoa Sculpture (49) and the Chinese Plant Collection(39) as well as the Rhododendron Dell (50), which is fringed by an impressive mixed grove of totara, rimu and kowhai.

For further information contact New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre, refer to page 6.

Pukekura Park and Brooklands 21

Ahititi

Okau

Pukearuhe 3

M im

iR

ai t W

Pukekura Park and Brooklands ar

Ur

aR

ive

r

ha ka

iho er R iv

Auroa 7 Auroa Road

Roa d

Pa tik

Oeo

WAT E R W H E E L

Oeo

Mangawhero

14 13

Matapu 9

18

E IV

24

Eltham

16 TEA HOUSE

BAND ROTUNDA

50

Ngaere

17

12

49

103

DR

Elth

27 POET’S BRIDGE

25

26

11 Te Roti

28

Manaia

KUNMIN GARDE

31

29

30

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

Tokaora

SHO RT

Inaha

Okaiawa VICTORIA ROAD

Hawera

LA

9 Hatchery Lawn 18 Fred Parker Lawn Points Of Interest r Rive Lake 10 goroMain 19 Curator’s Office n 1 Main Gates o 20 Fernery and Display Houses aing11 Waterfall W 2 Sports Ground 12 Band Rotunda 21 King Fern Gully Mokoia 3 Practice Cricket Wicket 13 Jubilee Drinking Fountain 22 Band Room Lawn 4 Bellringer Pavilion 14 Cannon Hill 23 Stainton Dell 5 Fountain Lake Manutahi r 15 Sunken Dell 24 Rive Eastern Hillside Lookout e o 6 Japanese Hillside ah 25 The Poet’s Bridge 16 Tea House on the Lake Tang 7 Water Wheel 17 Wisteria Pergola 26 Boat Shed Bridge 3 8 Palm Lawn ND S T

R EET

27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35

Kakaramea

22

48

6

Otakeho Str e am

Mangatoki 15 am Road

Douglas S TA D I U M

C A R PA R K

Toko

23

19

FERNERY AND D I S P L AY HOUSES

47

TSB

43

Mahoe Finnerty Roa20 d

Skeet Road

44

Wharehuia

Pembroke 22

Stratford

Strathmore

Te Popo

E

DS

d

5 8 Kapuni F O U N TA I N

Kaupokonui o nu i Kau p o k

4

IV

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

AN

Riverlea

DR

KL

iR oa

d

Awatuna

Tuna

Road

Kaponga

N

OO

Eltham Road

45

Ro ad

Du rha m

Ro ad

MAIN G AT E

Te Kiri

Pihama

ake Opun

SO

BR

REET 1 L I A R D E T S T Makaka

Taungatara

e am e it i Str

2

MA

R

Midhirst

Cardiff

SPORTS GROUND

Rowan

Road

Ro ad

ia Ih a

Dawson Falls

a Road nai Ma

a

ad Ro

Pem broke Road

FILLIS STREET

Road

at a wh

y rre Su

East 21 Egmont

Manaia

Road

North Egmont

3 Mt Taranaki / Egmont

GILBERT STREET

Wiremu Road

ehu

43

Tariki oa

Newall

GOVER STREET Eg mo nt

Ca

Egmont National Park

Tumahu

Poho

Ratapiko

ET

d

Kaimiro

et tre d nS to g n rri

RE

Ro a

Ro a

ST

d

Inglewood

GPS: 39° 03’ 44’’ S 174° 04’ 42’’ E

RACE COURSE

Tarata

Kaimata

N

Ro ad

Te Henui Korito

GA

f Ox

or

un i ho

Pit on e

Waitui

Egmont Village RO

pe r

to

d Roa outh Plym

Up Tataraimaka

3A

Hurworth

Koro

45

Okoki

Up

3

Oakura

Coronation AveC O R O N AT I O N A V E

Urenui

Lepperton

Hillsborough am

Hasting Road

tre

Uruti

r

ve

Tikorangi

l a nd

eS

3

ive

N

ua

Ri

Onaero

Brixton

New Plymouth Ta p

ui

r

iw Wa

Motunui

Waitara

en

ai r e k

a St

r e am

Patea

The Serpentine Monument Hill Goodwin Dell Kauri Grove Kunming Garden The Gables Colonial Hospital Brooklands Zoo Brooklands Chimney Brooklands Lawn

New Plymouth District

Map Of Park

ENUE

3

MARANUI STREET

CO

RO

NA

TI

LIST STREET

ON

AV

EN

UE

HIGHLANDS I N T E R M E D I AT E SCHOOL 40 39 41 38 42

37

UPJOHN STREET

45

4

32

36

SO EXETER STREET

33 ZOO

C O R N WA L L S T R E E T

35

K A I M ATA S T R E E T

34

46 TSB BOWL OF BROOKLANDS

ME

RS

ET

ST

RE

ET

NG N

BROOKLANDS ROAD

LEGEND

36 Ambush Gully 37 2000 Year Old Puriri Tree 38 Upper Maranui Gully 39 Chinese Plant Collection 40 Maranui Homestead 41 Ginkgo 42 Lower Maranui Gully 43 Scanlan Lookout 44 Bowl Lake

45 Pinetum 46 TSB Bowl of Brooklands 47 Brooklands Stage 48 Bowl Lake Bridge 49 Lily Lake & The Aotearoa Sculpture 50 Rhododendron Dell

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Dogs not permitted in the playgrounds, zoo or fernery 1

Main Entrance Gate Dogs required to be on leash in the park

Park Entry/Exit Gate Toilet Playground Parking Park paths and tracks Lakes, Ponds & Streams Park area

Pukekura Park and Brooklands 23

Tupare 487 Mangorei Road, Hurworth Open 9.00am to 5.00pm Sculpted from a hillside overlooking the Waiwhakaiho River, Tupare is a beautifully landscaped garden on the outskirts of New Plymouth.

The property’s original developer was prominent businessman Sir Russell Matthews, who bought the gorse-covered property with his wife in 1932.

Sir Russell had a strong vision, a good eye for landscaping and liked to be first to acquire fashionable plants, often buying two or three at a time because of the status they afforded the garden. His vision lives on at this grand property.

Tupare features a homestead (1) designed by prominent New Zealand architect, James Chapman-Taylor, which

24

can be visited during October-March for a free guided tour at 11am on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The property’s history can be explored at the Gardeners’ Cottage (2) which is constructed from recycled material from the original home that stood where the tennis court is now located. The cottage is now the information centre and gathering point for garden workshops.

The property’s landscaped garden contains majestic trees, a water feature and extensive plantings in different settings.

Tupare is owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council.

ai t W ar

Ur

aR

ive

r

ha

ka

iho er R iv

am

outh Plym

45

Hurworth

Waitui BURMA

GPS: 39° 08’ 40’’ S 174° 10’ 99’’ E Henui

Korito

Kaimiro GATEHOUSE

Kaimata

Ro ad

d

oa

ROAD

MANGORE I

WALK

TO SH 3

Mt Taranaki / Egmont

a Road nai Ma

Rowan Makaka

Midhirst GLADE

PemCOTTAGE LAWN Pembroke broke Road BUSH WALK UPS AND DOWNS

Te Popo

LAHAR MARY LANE

2

GLASS East Egmont

Dawson Falls

MT TARANAKI

Tuna

r Su

JILL WALK

Wharehuia

Stratford

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Manaia

Auroa Road

Roa d

Oeo

Hasting Road

Road

d

iR oa

Pa tik

Oeo Otakeho Manaia website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Dou

Ngaere

Points Of Interest Further Information: Kaponga Mangatoki Te Kiri Eltham Road ad o R m a h t l E New Plymouth i-SITE Visitor Centre Homestead Eltham Awatuna Riverlea Puke Ariki, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth Gardeners’ Cottage 3 Phone: 06 759 0897 or 0800 639 759 Park Entrance/Exit Matapu Auroa Kapuni Email: enquiries@npdc.govt.nz Parking S k e e t R oad Mangawhero Pihama Te Roti Website: www.newplymouthnz.com Toilets 45

43

Toko

Cardiff

oad ake R Opun

Huiroa

Kupe

RICHARD WALK re

JOHN WALK

ZIG ZAG

RIVER FLAT

Ratapiko

TENNIS COURTS

gatara

m

Tarata

1 Egmont Tariki ELIZABETH STABLES National GARDEN WATSON RUSSEL AVENUE Park CATHEDRALNorth Egmont R WALK y

Ro ad

Wiremu Road

a ia

InglewoodTRAIL

Eg mo nt

Ca

Te Up Tataraimaka pe rP ito ne Ro eet ad or Str d n o Ro t ad ng rri Tumahu

NORTH

Egmont Village

d Roa

Koro

Ro ad

Oakura

3A

Up

3

Okok

Lepperton

Hillsborough

Du rha m

tre

ve

Tikorangi

l a nd

eS

r

r

iw Wa

ua

Ri

ive

Urenui

Onaero

Brixton

New Plymouth Ta p

ui

Motunui

Waitara

Map Of Park

en

iR

New Plymouth District

M im

Playground

Okaiawa

Normanby

Wheelchair Access Point of interest i-Site The Boundary Walk The Garden Walk The House Stroll

Tupare 25

R

Stratford District Located in the heart of Taranaki, the town of Stratford is indelibly linked to its namesake Stratford-upon-Avon. The works of that town’s favourite son are immortalised in Stratford-upon-Patea’s street names, parks and its distinctive Glockenspiel Clock Tower, which performs passages of the Great Bard’s Romeo and Juliet at 10am, 1pm, 3pm and 7pm daily.

Beyond Stratford itself, the district is the gateway to both Mt Taranaki to the west and New Zealand’s oldest heritage trail, the Forgotten World Highway, which links the central North Island to the east. Each of these attractions are worthy of a day’s exploring in their own rights – the Mountain offers countless walks within Egmont National Park or a night at the Stratford Mountain House, and the Forgotten World Highway a drive back in time with over 30 scenic and heritage points of interest punctuated by the heritage village of Whangamomona.

26

Stratford District

STRATFORD

Prospero Netball

Arboretum

Holiday Park

Rugby

27

King Edward Park Corner Fenton and Portia Streets, Stratford Open all hours Located within easy reach of the town centre King Edward Park is an ideal sanctuary to experience countless varieties of plants, mature trees and birdlife and fast-flowing mountain streams.

To mark the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, a variety of trees and a suspension bridge were planned to span the Patea River between the Page Street Reserves and the town centre. The planted area became known as King Edward’s Park and later the reserves on both sides of the river were incorporated into the park.

The main access to the park is through the historic Malone Gates (1) on the corner of Fenton and Portia Streets.

The concrete gates were built in 1923 as a tribute to Colonel William George Malone, who was killed at Chunuk Bair in 1915. Nearby a commemorative lone pine

28

tree was planted in 1968 with a seedling from Gallipoli’s Lone Pine Ridge.

Rhododendron plants from the Exbury Estate in Southampton were planted in the 1950s along with seeds from the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

Named after a Parks and Reserves Committee Chairman, Mr Edward Wallace McCullough, the McCullough Rhododendron Dell (2) includes a pond, selections of rhododendron hybrids, azaleas, hydrangeas and native and exotic shrubs and trees.

Surrounding the Scout Den, a sloping lawn leads to a grassed stage with views of the Patea River. To the east is a shaded picnic area.

Today, the park encompasses the Stratford Holiday Park, TSB Swimming Pool Complex, playing fields, netball courts, a children’s playground, and the Centennial Rest Room built in 1949.

Hillsborough l a nd

3A

Up

3

Waitui

Egmont Village Te Henui Korito

Inglewood

Ro ad

Ratapiko Map Of Park

Ro ad

(to New Plymouth)

Tariki oa

d

Eg mo nt

mont tional Park

North Egmont

y rre Su

naki / Egmont

R

Tuna Midhirst

Ngaere

Hasting Road

GPS: 99’’ E ad 16’’ S 174° 27’ m Ro34’ Eltha39° Eltham

Road

Riverlea Kapuni

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

ET

Mangawhero

Okaiawa

2

Manaia Inaha

g Wain

o ng o

r

er o R iv

1

R Hawera VE RI

EA PAT

CON

BRE

ST RE AM

tr e am

Tokaora

HARD COURTS

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

PA

D

ROA

ah Tang

TSB POOL COMPLEX

Mokoia

ET AH I

Otakeho Kaupokonui

HOCKEY TURF

(to Hawera)

Mangatoki

E STR

Auroa Road

Mahoe Finnerty Road

TIA

uroa

Toko

POR

una

NORTH

Douglas

43

d

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Wharehuia

Cardiff

Manaia

kaka

oa ake R Opun

ET

RE N ST

A REG

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Strathmore

Te Popo

Pembroke

Pem broke Road

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

3

East Egmont

Dawson Falls

Pohokura

Du rha m

Kaimiro

et

Tarata

Kaimata

Stratford District

Hurworth

oe R

HOLIDAY PARK

TO

3

a St

r e am

Further Information: Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place, Broadway, Stratford Ph: 06 765 6708 or 0800 765 6708 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz Website: www.stratfordnz.co.nz

A BRO

T REE

E ST PAG

ek Wair

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

3

Y SH DWA

Manutahi

iver

Kakaramea

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River

Points Of Interest Malone Gates McCullough Rhododendron Dell Park Entrance/Exit Parking Toilets

Playground Wheelchair Access Picnic area Carrington Walkway Three Bridges Trail Clemow Walk

King Edward Park 29

Prospero Place Broadway, Stratford Open all hours Named after a character in Shakespeare’s play The Tempest, Prospero Place is at the heart of Stratford’s business district and links the Stratford District and Centennial Library and Percy Thomson Art Gallery to the main shopping area.

Once a large gully with a stream running through it the area was purchased in the 1950s to enable the development of a shopping mall. Though the idea never eventuated, pedestrians began using the area as a walkway, and in the late 1950s a formal pedestrian route had been developed.

Prospero Place has reflected the changing face of Stratford - from concrete planters and raised gardens in the 1970s to the brown timber painted fences and tileedged lawns of the 1990s. An upgrade and extension of the library took place in 1998 and in 2002 Prospero Place was chosen as the site of the Percy Thomson Art Gallery.

This building, whose architectural feature is an outline of Mt Taranaki, became

30

possible following a bequest from former Stratford mayor Percy Thomson, who died in 1962. The building also hosts the i-SITE Information Centre and a café. In keeping with the mountain theme the landscaping incorporates alpine planting.

The paving has also been upgraded, with specimen trees and the existing gardens and lawn area revamped to create an informal enclosed space in the centre of the business district. This area has now become a focal point of the town with street market days, Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular events and outdoor exhibitions.

Across Broadway stands New Zealand’s only glockenspiel clock tower (1) which plays a five minute sequence from Romeo and Juliet. Overlooking Prospero Place is a bust of William Shakespeare (2), further linking Stratford-on-Patea to its namesake Stratford-on-Avon.

Hillsborough l a nd

3A

Up

3

Waitui

Egmont Village Te Henui Korito

Inglewood

Ro ad

Ro ad

(to New Plymouth)

Tariki d oa

North Egmont

y rre Su

naki / Egmont

R

Tuna

Pem broke Road

Midhirst

Auroa Road

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Ngaere (to Hawera)

Mangatoki

Hasting Road

GPS: 38’’ E ad 70’’ S 174° 28’ m Ro33’ Eltha39° Eltham

Road

Kapuni Mangawhero

NORTH

Toko

Cardiff

Manaia

uroa

Riverlea

Douglas

3

una

Wharehuia 43

d

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Pembroke

SH AY ADW BRO

kaka

oa ake R Opun

Strathmore

Te Popo

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

3

East Egmont

Dawson Falls

Pohokura

Ratapiko Map Of Park

Eg mo nt

mont tional Park

Tarata

Kaimata

Du rha m

Kaimiro

et

Stratford District

Hurworth

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

LIBRARY

1

Okaiawa Otakeho

Manaia

Kaupokonui

Normanby

Inaha

tr e am

r

Hawera CAFE

TRE AS AND

Rive

MIR

g Wain

ro o ng o

Tokaora

Lake Rotorangi

2

Mokoia

ET

a Tang

ho e

r Rive

Manutahi PERCY THOMSON ART GALLERY 3

Kakaramea

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Further Information: Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place, Broadway, Stratford Ph: 06 765 6708 or 0800 765 6708 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz Website: www.stratfordnz.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River

Points Of Interest Glockenspiel clock tower Bust of William Shakespeare Park Entrance/Exit

Parking i-Site Toilets Wheelchair Access

Prospero Place 31

Thomson Arboretum Cloten Road, Stratford Open all hours Developed in 2001, the Arboretum was made possible by a bequest to the community from the late Percy Thomson, a former mayor of Stratford who died in 1962. The bequest also funded a virtual herbarium which can be found at www.taranakiplants.net.nz.

The arboretum represents the native flora of New Zealand. This brief has been expanded to illustrate New Zealand’s ancient connection to the Gondwana land mass, through links to Australia and Chile.

A number of plants in the arboretum are the living descendents of those on the former Gondwana continent, which

32

formed present day Antarctica, Africa, South America, Australia and New Zealand.

The arboretum adjoins Windsor Park and the Carrington Walkway, and covers around 4000 metres, and a looped path provides an easy walk.

The arboretum was planned only a few years ago so it is still very young in terms of plant growth. Plantings of rimu, miro and native conifers will eventually become a patch of rainforest as the trees mature.

Hillsborough l a nd

3A

Up

3

Waitui

Egmont Village Te Henui Korito

Inglewood

Ro ad

Ratapiko Map Of Park

Ro ad

(to New Plymouth)

Tariki oa

d

Eg mo nt

mont tional Park

North Egmont

R

Tuna

Ngaere (to Hawera)

Mangatoki

GPS: 18’’ E ad 16’’ S 174° 29’ m Ro34’ Eltha39° Eltham Hasting Road

Kapuni Mangawhero

NORTH

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Manaia

g Wain

Rive

Tokaora

r

D

Inaha

ro o ng o

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

ROA

Kaupokonui

tr e am

ET

E STR

TEN CLO

Auroa Road

uroa

Riverlea

IET

JUL

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Road

una

Toko

d

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Manaia

kaka

oa ake R Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Strathmore

T REE

Pem broke Road

Pembroke

3

H AY S ADW BRO

Te Popo

Midhirst

East Egmont

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

3

ST TON FEN

y rre Su

naki / Egmont

Dawson Falls

Pohokura

Du rha m

Kaimiro

et

Tarata

Kaimata

Stratford District

Hurworth

Hawera Mokoia

ho e

Manutahi

r Rive

RI VE R

a Tang PA TE A

3

Kakaramea

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Further Information: Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place, Broadway, Stratford Ph: 06 765 6708 or 0800 765 6708 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz Website: www.stratfordnz.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Patea

Whenuakura River

Waverley

Points Of Interest Park Entrance/Exit Parking Carrington Walkway Footpath

Thomson Arboretum 33

Victoria Park Orlando Street, Stratford Open all hours Dating back to 1885, Victoria Park gained its name and many of its trees in 1897, when £5 was spent on the purchase and planting of trees to commemorate 60 years of reign by Queen Victoria.

From its early days, Victoria Park has hosted organised sport - it is home to Stratford’s rugby, cricket amateur athletics and croquet clubs.

The park is divided by a central lake (1), formed by a natural creek and originally developed as a perch pond. The lake was once used by anglers, boaters and swimmers before becoming a refuge for waterfowl. A well established walking track follows the lake edge through native

34

plantings and offers many seats for picnics and reflection.

A poignant reminder of the sacrifice made by Stratford’s young men in the Great War stands at the corner of Fenton and Orlando Streets in the form of the Victoria Park Memorial Gates (2), unveiled on ANZAC Day 1926.

In 1997, the Fenton Street boundary was planted in rhododendrons and flowering cherry trees (3). Now mature, these trees and shrubs give an attractive spring display of colour each year.

A playground and skate park are popular features of the park.

Hillsborough l a nd

3A

Up

3

Waitui

Egmont Village Te Henui Korito

Inglewood

Ro ad

Ratapiko Map Of Park

Ro ad

(to New Plymouth)

Tariki oa

d

Eg mo nt

mont tional Park

North Egmont

y rre Su

naki / Egmont

R

Tuna

Pem broke Road

Midhirst

Auroa Road

Kapuni Mangawhero

(to Hawera)

GPS: 88’’ E ad 85’’ S 174° 27’ m Ro33’ Eltha39° Eltham 3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Manaia

Kaupokonui

g Wain

ro o ng o

Rive

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

Inaha

tr e am

Douglas

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Hasting Road

uroa

Riverlea

NORTH

Toko

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Road

na

Wharehuia 43

d

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Pembroke

Cardiff

Manaia

kaka

oa ake R Opun

Strathmore

Te Popo

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

3

East Egmont

Dawson Falls

Pohokura

Du rha m

Kaimiro

et

Tarata

Kaimata

Stratford District

Hurworth

Tokaora

r

Hawera Mokoia

a Tang

ho e

Manutahi

r Rive

3

Kakaramea OAD WAY SH3 am

TO B R ek Wair

a St

re

Further Information: Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place, Broadway, Stratford Ph: 06 765 6708 or 0800 765 6708 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz Website: www.stratfordnz.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River

Points Of Interest Central lake Victoria Park Memorial Gates Rhododendrons and flowering cherry trees Park Entrance/Exit

Parking Toilets Playground Wheelchair Access Picnic area Path

Victoria Park 35

Windsor Park Cloten Road, Stratford Open all hours Located on the bank of the Patea River, this small park gets its name from Shakespeare’s play The Merry Wives of Windsor. Gently sloping towards the river, and shaded by established trees, Windsor Park offers a tranquil escape. Sunny grassed areas can also be found and there are many picnic spots.

In the 1880s, E Burgess and Sons established the Stratford Sash and Door Company on the site, which included a tunnel to divert the Patea River to a water wheel powering the factory. Adjacent to this was Johnston’s Aerated Cordial factory.

The park was developed in the 1930s by a group of locals with a vision of a riverbank garden. They faced a huge challenge -

36

the area was a wilderness of blackberry and weeds – which eventually overwhelmed them and the Stratford Council took over management of the park.

Featuring an “island” of three giant miro trees and other natives, along with plantings of exotic trees, this park is frequently seen in the background of local wedding photos.

Windsor Park once included a pathway under the rail bridge to Broadway, marked by several large magnolias, which now forms part of the Carrington Walkway.

One of the park’s highlights include standing on the stony riverbank beach (1) while looking for fish in the river as they travel downstream.

Hillsborough l a nd

3A

Up

3

Waitui

Egmont Village Te Henui Korito

Inglewood

Ro ad

Ratapiko Map Of Park

Ro ad

(to New Plymouth)

oa

d

Eg mo nt

Tariki

North Egmont

R

Tuna

IET

(to Hawera)

JUL

Hasting Road

Road

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

Kaupokonui

Inaha

tr e am

g Wain

ro o ng o

Rive

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby Tokaora

r

D

Manaia

ROA

Okaiawa Otakeho

ET

E STR

GPS: 79’ E ad 18’’ S 174° 28’ m Ro34’ Eltha39° Eltham

Manaia

Kapuni Mangawhero

EET STR

Ngaere

Mangatoki

TEN CLO

Auroa Road

3

Mahoe Finnerty Road

TON

uroa

Riverlea

NORTH

Toko

Cardiff

d

Kaponga

Eltham Road

una

Douglas

43

FEN

kaka

oa ake R Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Pembroke

Y SH DWA

Pem broke Road

Strathmore

Te Popo

Midhirst

East Egmont

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

3

ROA

y rre Su

naki / Egmont

Dawson Falls

Pohokura

TO B

mont tional Park

Tarata

Kaimata

Du rha m

Kaimiro

et

Stratford District

Hurworth

Hawera Mokoia

a Ta1ng

ho e

Manutahi

r Rive

3

VER PATEA RI

ek Wair

Kakaramea a St

r e am

Further Information: Stratford i-SITE Visitor Centre Prospero Place, Broadway, Stratford Ph: 06 765 6708 or 0800 765 6708 Email: info@stratford.govt.nz Website: www.stratfordnz.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Patea

Whenuakura River

Waverley

Points Of Interest Riverbank beach Park Entrance/Exit Parking Picnic area Path

Windsor Park 37

South Taranaki District South Taranaki spans a large portion of the region, from Okato on the coast, south around the mountain to Eltham. At the heart of this lush dairying district is the main centre of Hawera, a town rich in history and well endowed with interesting parks and gardens, many of which have a story or two to tell.

The district boasts some of the best tramping, fishing and surfing in New Zealand, and is home to the amazing Tawhiti Museum, regarded as the best private museum in the country. Not to be missed is the museum’s Traders and Whalers exhibit, a unique canal boat ride through the Taranaki region’s pioneering history.

Beyond Hawera the towns of Opunake and Eltham offer friendly communities, cozy cafés and an eclectic array of shops and studios to recharge a day exploring the district’s parks and gardens.

38

South Taranaki District

HAWERA

39

Goodson Dell Corner Cameron and High Streets, Hawera Open all hours Originally part of the home garden of community leader and farmer Charles Goodson, the Dell was first developed as a swimming pool by damming a small spring. The swimming hole was lined by tidy concrete steps (1), and a bridge stretched over the spot where many Hawera children learnt to swim and paddle a boat. The Dell’s trees, many of which are over 100 years old, include a magnificent Swamp Cypress.

Over the years, the garden has been divided and sold. The swimming hole was drained and the garden fell into wrack

40

and ruin until four walking friends from the Hawera Women’s Club - known as the Goodson Guerrillas - decided to do something about it. Together the group created the gorgeous Goodson Dell.

This park offers many pleasant opportunities to sit and enjoy the pretty vistas the Guerrillas have developed and enhanced. There is also a chance of meeting one of them spending an hour or two weeding or pruning, perhaps adding a seedling or two and ensuring the Goodson Dell is picture-perfect for future generations.

aranaki / Egmont

Midhirst

East Egmont

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Riverlea

Kapuni

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Manaia

Kaupokonui

i Str pokonu

3 3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Eltham

Hasting Road

Auroa Auroa Road

Inaha

e am

g Wain

o ng o

ro R

Tokaora

iver

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

NORTH

Hawera

HIG

H ST

REE

T

Mokoia

GPS: 39° 56’ 97’’ S 174° 25’ 37’’ E a Tang

ho e

Rive

Manutahi

r

3

r e am

Patea

1

N ST

a St

Waverley

TO B

ROA

DWA Y SH 3

Whenuakura River

ERO

ek Wair

REE

Kakaramea

CAM

Roa d

Oeo

Map EOf Park ltham Road

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Road

Kiri

Toko

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Manaia

Makaka

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Rowan

oad ake R Opun

Wharehuia

T

Dawson Falls

Pembroke

South Taranaki District

Pem broke Road

Further Information: South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Ph: 06 278 8599 or 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz Website: www.southtaranaki.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Points Of Interest Steps Park Entrance/Exit Path Stream

Goodson Dell 41

Hollard Gardens 1686 Upper Manaia Road, Kaponga Open 9.00am to 5.00pm A horticultural oasis in the heart of dairy country, Hollard Gardens is an intriguing and relaxing destination all year round.

Primarily a plant collection, much of the informal four hectare garden is woodland.

The gardens are renowned for their repository of plants, representing exotic introductions and New Zealand-bred plants spanning the last 75 years.

Hollard Gardens is the achievement of a lifetime’s work by Bernie and Rose Hollard.

Bernie came from a local dairy farming family and began the garden in 1927. An avid plant collector he had a reputation as one of this country’s foremost plantsmen.

The garden is a monument to his patience and horticultural skill, and offers intimate gardens, hidden paths, expansive lawns and swamp gardens.

42

Bernie’s Home Garden (1) features vegetables, herbs, a food forest, chooks and a beehive, and is a venue for regular home gardening workshops.

The children’s playground area (2) offers a free gas barbeque and gazebo, making this garden retreat the ideal spot for a family day out.

Whether you’re an expert gardener or just have a passing interest, the huge array of plants at Hollard Gardens will fascinate and absorb you. There are spectacular mountain views from a number of vantage points.

Hollard Gardens is owned and managed by the Taranaki Regional Council.

Ro ad

Pohokura

Ratapiko

Ro ad

Egmont National Park

Tariki

North Egmont

rre Su

Mt Taranaki / Egmont

y

R

Tuna

Pem broke Road

d

Riverlea

iR oa

Oeo

45

Auroa Auroa Road

Roa d

Pa tik

hama

Oeo

Kapuni

Eltham Road

Eltham 3 3

Matapu

Te Roti

Okaiawa

Kaupokonui r e am

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Otakeho

o nu i S t Kau p o k

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Hasting Road

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Road

Te Kiri

a

Toko

Road

Kaponga

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Manaia

Makaka

ake Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Strathmore

Te Popo

Midhirst

East Egmont Map Of Park Pembroke Dawson Falls

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

d

ahu

Tarata

Kaimata

Du rha m

Kaimiro

eet Str on gt rr in

Eg mo nt

d

Ca

Ro a

Inglewood

South Taranaki District

Pit on e

Te Henui Korito

oa

oad

ataraimaka

Manaia Inaha

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby Tokaora

GPS: 39° 35’ 38’ S 174° 43’ 83’’ E Wai

gor ngon

er o R iv

Hawera Mokoia

a Tang

ho e

Rive

Manutahi

r

3

Kakaramea

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River

Further Information: South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Ph: 06 278 8599 or 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz Website: www.southtaranaki.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Points Of Interest Visitor Pavilion Park Entrance/Exit Parking Toilets Picnic area

Playground Wheelchair Access Bernie’s Trail Rose’s Trail

Hollard Gardens 43

King Edward Park High Street, Hawera Open all hours King Edward Park offers pleasant picnic spots in tranquil locations, spectacular floral borders and rose gardens, dramatic seasonal changes and a wide range of amenities and attractions. Commissioned in 1875 and opened in 1902, the park commemorates the coronation of King Edward VII. The two oak trees standing near the main entrance were planted during the opening ceremony.

Intended to showcase plants suited to the South Taranaki environment, the park has been designed around a formal base of two intersecting avenues.

Championed by community leader and horticultural enthusiast Charles Goodson, many of the specimen trees and plants he introduced still remain today, notably the totara hedge planted in 1905, along with extensive daffodil beds, of which he was a noted breeder, and scented Luculia, a species he introduced to New Zealand.

After his death, the Hawera Horticultural Society created the Goodson Memorial Garden, which offers spectacularly colourful rhododendrons and azaleas.

Equally spectacular is the park’s model

44

boating lake (1), an expansive manmade pond that reflects surrounding trees and floral borders, and is home to many ducks and the occasional model yacht or power boat.

The recently restored park gates (2) were erected to mark the Hawera Industrial Exhibition of 1904 and the District’s troops lost in the South African War. The statue of pioneer farmer Albert Arthur Fantham (3) has surveyed the park for a century. The 167 year old naval cannon (4), which never fired a shot in anger, and the park’s observatory (5), which began life as a band rotunda over a tea kiosk, were both installed in 1912.

A unique feature is the Wendy Statue (6), created in England to commemorate Hawera mayor James Campbell, who died in office. The sculpture is the companion piece to the statue of Peter Pan in London’s Kensington Gardens and has been in place since 1951.

Built by the local Lions Club the pirate ship and tree fort (7) continue the Peter Pan theme and offer a popular playground.

Midhirst

East Egmont Dawson Falls

Kapuni

3

3

CA

M

Te Roti

Manaia

Kaupokonui m

g Wain

o ng o

ro R

Tokaora

iver

EL

L

RO A

D

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

Inaha

PE

RW

STAN LAY ENTRANCE

Okaiawa Otakeho

i Str ea

Eltham

Matapu

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Auroa Road

Hawera

2

3 WEDDING GARDEN

Mokoia

GPS: 39° 58’ 50’’ S 174° 27’ 20’’ E a Tang

ho e

Rive

Manutahi

r

53

4

ROSE GARDEN

Kakaramea a St

r e am

Patea

Waverley

H

Whenuakura River

G

7

ST R

EE

T

ek Wair

HI

Roa d

eo

pokonu

Map EOf d ltham RoaPark

Riverlea

Auroa

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Hasting Road

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Road

Kiri

Toko

Road

Kaponga

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Manaia

Makaka

ake Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Pembroke

South Taranaki District

Pem broke Road

1

6 NORTH

W AI

HI

RO AD

SH

3

Further Information: South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Ph: 06 278 8599 or 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz Website: www.southtaranaki.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Points Of Interest Model boating lake Park gates Albert Arthur Fantham Old naval cannon Park observatory Wendy Statue

7

Pirate ship Park Entrance/Exit Toilets Parking Picnic area Wheelchair Access

King Edward Park 45

Naumai Park Gladstone Street, Hawera Open all hours Renowned as a goblin park and a native plant ark, Naumai Park offers an overwhelming sense of being in an untouched native bush environment.

Formerly known as the Horse Paddock, Yarrow Park, Miro Park and East End Park, it was officially named Naumai Park in 1926. Despite its largely native plant content, Naumai Park is not a natural feature of the Hawera landscape, but a man-made transformation of a former dump site, created by a group of dedicated volunteers in the 1920s.

Developed around a central core of three small lakes (the upper of which has been abandoned), Naumai Park contains several notable features. These include the 1927 Kauri grove (1), a comprehensive

46

collection of native plants and impressive stone walls, the waterfall (2) which operates through a re-circulating pump in the upper lake, and the whare-like summerhouse (3), built in the 1940s and decorated with a striking mural.

The ornamental gates (4), from the original Hawera Hospital, were donated to the park in 1932.

The park provides a popular summer picnic destination, though its tall trees limit the number of sunny spots at other times of the year. The park has also been used to stage both theatrical and musical events and recently provided a film set for the movie Predicament based on the book by Hawera author Ronald Hugh Morrieson.

Midhirst

East Egmont Dawson Falls

Map EOf d ltham RoaPark

Riverlea

Kapuni

Matapu

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Eltham 3

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Kaupokonui Str e am

Wai

Manaia Inaha

gor ngon

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby Tokaora

er o R iv

Hawera NORTH STEPS

Mokoia

GPS: 39° 59’ 07’’ S 174° 29’ 19’’ E

Rive

Manutahi

r

2

ET

ho e

3 1

GLA

DST ON

ES TRE

a Tang

Kakaramea

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Patea

SEAT

Waverley

Whenuakura River

3

4 SH3

i pokonu

Auroa Road

Roa d

eo

Auroa

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Hasting Road

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Road

iri

Toko

Road

Kaponga

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Manaia

Makaka

ake Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Pembroke

South Taranaki District

Pem broke Road

HIG

H ST

Further Information: South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Ph: 06 278 8599 or 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz Website: www.southtaranaki.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

REE

T

Points Of Interest Kauri grove Waterfall Summerhouse Ornamental gates Park Entrance/Exit

Toilets Parking Picnic area Path

Naumai Park 47

Stark Park and Bridger Park Bridge Street, Eltham Open all hours This park is currently being extensively redeveloped after suffering storm damage in early 2012

Stark and Bridger Parks provide a charming and restful centrepiece to Eltham’s historic retail precinct.

The younger of the two, Stark Park commemorates local icon Jack Stark and is built on the site of a grocery business established by Jack in 1945. The store was demolished after a fire and the site served as a car park for many years, though a remnant of the original building remains to form Stark Park’s northern wall.

Opened in December 2005, nine months before Jack’s death, Stark Park was the first project by landscape architect Alice Cullen.

The design inspiration was Eltham as “the town of firsts” and the park’s grassed area is in the shape of an eye, representing the eye of the firsts. The park also features several distinctive mosaics.

Bridger Park, named after Ira Bridger, Eltham Mayor from 1923 to 1938, is a pleasant valley park that straddles the Manawharawhara Stream. Originally a wasteland of blackberry and tangled willows, it was transformed into an

48

attractive park as a project devised by Mr Bridger to provide work for the unemployed during the depression. With predominantly native planting, the park is especially attractive when the kowhai are in bloom in early spring.

A small amphitheatre (1) provides an occasional setting for concerts and other entertainment and the park is a popular picnic venue.

The children’s Toy Wall (2) is a bizarrely beautiful artwork began in 1997 when the late Fay Young, a long term employee of Jack Stark, found a child’s toy car on the ground outside her home. She put the toy on a concrete wall for the child to find, but when the unclaimed toy kept falling off, she cemented it on. After that, other children asked her to add their toys to the wall and even after her death in 2000, the wall’s collection has continued to grow.

A photograph of Fay Young is attached to the roof of a dolls’-house-sized church built in the shrubbery behind the wall. Inside is an urn holding her ashes.

Inglewood

Pohokura

Ro ad

Du rha m

Kaimiro

Ratapiko

Ro ad

eet

Kaimata

Tariki oa

North Egmont

rre Su

naki / Egmont

y

R

Tuna

Midhirst Map Of Park

Ngaere

Mangatoki Eltham Road

Road

Riverlea Kapuni

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

NORTH

Eltham 3

Matapu

Te Roti

GPS: 39°Okaiawa 42’ 95’’ S 174° 29’ 28’’ E

Kaupokonui

Str e am

gor ngon

Tokaora

er o R iv

STA N

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

Inaha

NER

Wai

Manaia

ET

Otakeho

SS TRE

Auroa Road

uroa

Mahoe Finnerty Road

M anaia

Eltham Road

una

Toko

Road

Kaponga

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Hasting Road

ake Opun

Wharehuia

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Rowan

Pembroke

Hawera 1 Mokoia BRIDGER PARK

a Tang

ho

er e R iv

R

GE

NE LA RK PA Manutahi

ID

BR

2

3

STARK PARK

HIGH STREET SH3

Dawson Falls

Strathmore

Te Popo

East Egmont Pem broke Road

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

d

Eg mo nt

gmont ational Park

akaka

South Taranaki District

Te Henui Korito

Kakaramea

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Patea

Waverley

STAGE

Whenuakura River BRIDGE STREET

Further Information: South Taranaki i-SITE Visitor Centre 55 High Street, Hawera Ph: 06 278 8599 or 0800 111 323 Email: visitorinfo@stdc.govt.nz Website: www.southtaranaki.com

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Points Of Interest Amphitheatre Toy Wall Park Entrance/Exit Parking

Picnic area Path Stream

Stark Park and Bridger Park 49

Oakley Garden 79 Lower Normanby Road, Manaia Open 9.00am to 5.00pm during festival season, or by appointment Situated just 2km from the South Taranaki coast, this established garden shelter creates a haven from prevailing winds. The striking private garden has developed a style that reflects owner Jenny Oakley’s formal horticulture and landscape design training and is recognised as a Garden of National Significance.

Jenny and her husband Guy began to plant shelter when they bought the property in 1984, while Jenny was working at Hollard Gardens. Initially the property had no shelter around the house, so Jenny gardened in a hollow in the paddock with the intention of shifting some of those plants to the garden when the shelter grew. However, by that time, the plants were all far too large to shift so had to stay where they were originally planted.

It wasn’t until Jenny left work with children on the way that the couple

50

began developing the garden from a bare slate consisting from only a walnut tree (1). Most of the hard work was done while the Oakley children were still babies - Jenny recalls putting her young children to bed and rushing outside in the hope that they would stay sleeping while she was working.

To counter the foliage burning of the salt-laden onshore winds, a lot of hardy natives have been planted, namely Pittosporum crassifolium - one of the hardiest hedge plants for Taranaki – along with boxthorn hedges used as farm hedges around the garden.

Today, the large family garden is complete with hedge-lined paths linking carefully planned garden rooms, brick walls and pillars, exuberant cottage style borders, early flowering roses, a vegetable potage and many hanging baskets.

Egmont National Park

Du rha m

Tariki

North Egmont

rre Su

Mt Taranaki / Egmont

y

R

Tuna

Pem broke Road

Pembroke

Wharehuia

a Road nai Ma

Te Kiri

atara

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Kaponga

d

Riverlea

Eltham Road

Eltham

3

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Te Roti

NORTH

Okaiawa

Oeo

Otakeho Kaupokonui

o nu i S t Kau p o k

Ngaere

Mangatoki

Manaia

Kapuni Mangawhero

Auroa Road

45

Auroa

Mahoe Finnerty Road

d

iR oa

Oeo

Pihama

Roa d

Pa tik

3

Toko

Hasting Road

oa ake R Opun

Road

Ro ad

Rowan

Douglas

43

Stratford

Map Of Park Cardiff Makaka

Strathmore

Te Popo

Midhirst

East Egmont Dawson Falls

r e am

Manaia Inaha

o

oR ng or

Lake Rotorangi

Normanby

45

Te Wera

Huiroa

Kupe

d

Tumahu

Ratapiko

oa

Ca

d

Kaimiro

et tre nS to g n rri

Gardens of Significance

d

Ro ad

Ro a

Eg mo nt

on e Ro a

Tokaora

Hawera

iver

ing 54’ 85’’ S 174° 10’ 04’’ E GPS:Wa39°

Mokoia

NURSERY AREA

TENNIS COURT

CHERRY r LAWN e Rive

WALNUT TREE LAWN

a Tang

1

ho

Manutahi

WIDE STEPS

3

Kakaramea VEGE GARDEN

45

SH

FAMILY HOME

ek Wair

a St

r e am

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River

Y NB MA

R NO AD RO

Further Information: Jenny & Guy Oakley 79 Lower Normanby Rd, Manaia Phone: 06 274 8060 Email guy.oakley@xtra.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

Points Of Interest Walnut tree Park Entrance/Exit Parking

Oakley Garden 51

Puketarata Garden 14 Ngawhini Road, Hawera Open 9.00am to 5.00pm during festival season, or by appointment Covering an acre and a half, on the brow of a north-facing hill, Puketarata Garden is a captivating private country garden 6km north of Hawera that offers fantastic views of inland Taranaki and Mt Taranaki.

Owners Ken and Jennifer Horner started their home and garden project in 1983 with a bare paddock and a shared passion for native New Zealand plants.

This passion, almost 30 years on, has resulted in increased native bird life including tui, bell birds and kereru.

Jennifer’s grandfather, Griff Williams, was the founding chairman of the Pukeiti Garden Trust and Jennifer’s earliest memories of gardening are those spent with her grandparents at their home in Ohangai.

The property features a large lawn adjacent to the home, a grass tennis

52

court on a level below the home, connected by a haha, and small orchard under-planted with daffodils. A vegetable and herb garden and a berry house can be found behind the home.

The gully below the house was fenced off and systematically planted with a mix of natives, deciduous trees and rhododendrons, which can be viewed from the haha and gully tracks. With an emphasis on greens and texture, the garden planting is a blend of natives, rhododendrons, roses, the usual and unusual garden shrubs and perennials.

The garden and home are adjacent to the Puketarata Pa, one of the many pa sites in this area, constructed some 400 years ago. Evidence of the trenches, house sites and midden are still visible.

Puketarata Garden is recognised as a Garden of National Significance.

Stratford

a Road nai Ma

Eltham Road

Eltham

Map Of Park

Riverlea

Kapuni

3

Matapu

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Ngaere

Mangatoki Hasting Road

Auroa Auroa Road

Roa d

Oeo

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Road

Kiri

Toko

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Manaia

Makaka

Douglas

43

Cardiff

Rowan

oad ake R Opun

Pembroke

3

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

D Lake OA Rotorangi IR N I

Manaia Normanby

Kaupokonui

H

Inaha

m i Str ea pokonu

g Wain

o

Gardens of Significance

Pem broke Road

Dawson Falls

oR ng or

Tokaora

iver

AW

NG

Hawera

NORTH

Mokoia

eR GPS: 39° 53’ 00’’ S 174° 34’ 31’’ gahoE

Tan

iver

TENNIS COURT

Manutahi 3

Kakaramea TO NGAWHINI ROAD [100M] TO AUSTIN AND e am TURUTURU ROADS eka Str Wair

Patea

Waverley

Whenuakura River FAMILY HOME

Further Information: Jennifer & Ken Horner 14 Ngawhini Road, Hawera Phone: 06 278 3081 Email: info@puketaratagarden.co.nz Website: www.puketaratagarden.co.nz

website: www.puketaratagarden.co.nz

Points Of Interest Park Entrance/Exit Parking Toilets

Puketarata Garden 53

Te Kainga Marire 15 Spencer Place, New Plymouth Open 9.00am to 5.00pm, September to April Te Kainga Marire, M ori for “the peaceful encampment,” is a skillfully designed native inner-city garden that mimics New Zealand’s natural environment.

Situated in a once weedy New Plymouth valley, Te Kainga Marire is recognised as one of New Zealand’s five Gardens of International Significance by the New Zealand Gardens Trust.

In 1972, Valda Poletti and Dave Clarkson began their battle with half an acre of clay, kikuyu grass, gorse, fennel and blackberry. In an area of old pa sites, they built their own home - a “posh hut” designed to blend into the landscape.

Keen outdoor adventurers, the couple wanted a bird-friendly garden designed around the ecological groupings they had observed in the wild. Grasses, climbers, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees have been nurtured around rustic fences,

54

a pond, a colonial bush hut (1) and a cool, fern-filled whare (2).

Carefully planned native plantings on the property were designed to increase the number of tui and other native birds.

Opened to the public in 1990 the garden wraps around the family home and sits between a coastal swamp forest remnant and pa site, opening onto the neighbouring river reserve and Te Henui Walkway.

This is a harmonious garden that weaves subtle textures and colours with quirky forms. Lush ferns, wetland plants, alpine treasures and native trees make up a microcosm of the New Zealand landscape.

Te Kainga Marire was selected for inclusion in the prestigious BBC documentary Around the World in 80 Gardens.

Gardens of Significance

Map Of Park

TE HENUI STREAM

TE HENUI WALKWAY

GATE TO TE HENUI RIVER

PUKETEA DELL

GPS:39° 06’ 00’’ S 174° 09’ 67’’ E

FAMILY HOME

2

WHARE AND GLOW WORM TUNNEL

ALPINE GARDEN

VEGETABLE GARDEN POND AND WETLANDS

NORTH

1 SPEN

CER P

Further Information: Valda Poletti & David Clarkson 15 Spencer Place, New Plymouth Phone: 06 758 8693 Email: valda@tekaingamarire.co.nz Website: www.tekaingamarire.co.nz

website: www.taranaki.info/visit

LACE

Points Of Interest Colonial bush hut Fern-filled whare Park Entrance/Exit Parking

Toilets Path Te Henui Walkway Te Henui Stream

Te Kainga Marire 55

Taranaki Garden Festivals

POWERCO TARANAKI GARDEN SPECTACULAR Taranaki’s most spectacular public and private gardens are show-cased annually as part of the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular.

The annual festival is one of New Zealand’s longest running garden festivals, attracting thousands of people to the region’s gardens every year.

The iconic event presents over 50 of New Zealand’s most stunning garden environments ranging from large park-like country gardens, geometric and intimate inner city potager gardens, sub tropical and rainforest gardens. An extensive events programme including guided walks and celebrity speakers ensures there really is something for everyone.

However, it’s not just the gardens that make this festival so special – it’s also the warm welcome you’ll receive from our region’s most gifted gardeners. Renowned for their hospitality, expertise and dedication to their art, their gardens reflect an enormous amount of care, imagination, and sheer hard-work.

We invite you to feast your senses at the Powerco Taranaki Garden Spectacular – like no other!

For more information or a free programme go to www.gardenfestnz.co.nz or email enquiries@gardenfestnz.co.nz or call 0800 746 363 or +64 6 759 8412.

56

A garden festival like no other, the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival brings together an amazingly eclectic array of experiences.

Taranaki Garden Festivals

TARANAKI FRINGE GARDEN FESTIVAL

The Festival, New Zealand’s largest garden festival with more than 90 gardens and places of interest on offer, includes small to large gardens, art and sculpture displays, and tools and machines of yesteryear, in all corners of Taranaki.

Behind the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival’s success are the gardeners themselves, and the Festival offers plenty of opportunities to tap into their experience and insight. They love to share their innovative ways of growing and are likely to offer an abundance of handy hints to anyone who asks.

There is a huge range of gardens in the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival, including pocket-sized gardens on small town sections, traditional stately gardens, large country gardens with mature trees and special interest gardens with a focus on specific plant types. There are quirkier gardens full of surprises and amazing artistically inspired sculpture gardens brimming with inspiration and ideas to take home.

For more information on the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival, visit www.taranakigardens.com.

57

ai t W

Taranaki Parks and Gardens

Ur

ar aR ive

r

ha

Waitara

ka

iho

2

Tumahu

Newall Parihaka Road

Rahotu

r e S tr e am

Ar

Rowan Makaka

Ih a

Te Kiri

Taungatara

Riverlea

iR oa

d

d

Oeo

Pihama 45 e it i Str

e am

Auroa Auroa Road

Roa d

Pa tik

ver Waiaua Ri

Ro ad y

Kupe

R

Tuna

Oeo

Kapuni

8

11

Mahoe Finnerty Road

Tok

Ngaere

Mangatoki Eltham Road

10

12

Cardiff

Wharehuia

Eltham

17 3

Matapu

Te Roti

Okaiawa Otakeho

Kaupokonui on Kau p o k

Pembroke

Stratford9

Skeet Road

Mangawhero

Te P

Midhirst

14

Kaponga

Eltham Road

Awatuna

Opunake

oa ake R Opun

Road

Oaonui hat aw

pa Waipae

Du rha m

Pem broke Road

oad aR

ia

t r e am

rre Su

East Egmont Dawson Falls

iki Road Ngar

t r e am

O ao nui S

North Egmont

Mt Taranaki / Egmont

Ro ad

nua S O t uwh e

Tariki

a Road nai Ma

P ungae r e e

Wiremu Road

Pungarehu

Waitata Stream

Ratapiko

d

Warea

Egmont National Park

Hasting Road

Ro ad

Manaia

Pu nih o

Tarata

Kaimata

Ro ad

i ve r

Inglewood

f Ox

Warea R

Te Henui Up Tataraimaka pe Korito rP ito 5 ne t Kaimiro Ro e tre ad or d nS Ro to g ad n rri

Okato

Puniho

Waitui

Egmont Village

Eg mo nt

r

Ca

Stony Rive

3

Hurworth

d Roa

Koro

45

3A

oa

4

outh Plym

Oakura

Lepperton

Hillsborough 1 20 7

6 3

am

U

Tikorangi

l a nd

tre

ve

Up

eS

Ri

Onaero

Bell Block Brixton

er R iv

ua

ui

Motunui

New Plymouth Ta p

en

r

iw Wa

Regional Map

REGIONAL MAP

am u i Str e

Wai

Manaia 18

Inaha

gor ngon

er o R iv

Normanby 19

Tokaora

15

Hawera

13 16

Mokoia

a Tang

ho e

Rive

r

ek Wair

a St

r ea

Ahititi

Okau

Pukearuhe 3

M im

iR

ive

Uruti

r

r

Urenui

Okoki

Te Wera

Huiroa

Strathmore

Popo

a

Douglas

43

KEY & GPS COORDINATES

PARKS & GARDENS Pohokura

Manutahi 3

Kakaramea

am

Patea

Whenuakura River

Waverley Waitotara

LONGITUDE

1

Audrey Gale Reserve

-39.07

174.10

2

Barrett Domain

-39.05

174.02

3

Marsland Hill

-39.06

174.07

4

Matekai Park

-39.11

173.95

5

Pukeiti

-39.20

173.95

6

Pukekura Park and Brooklands

-39.06

174.08

7

Tupare

-39.08

174.10

8

King Edward Park

-39.34

174.27

9

Prospero Place

-39.33

174.28

10

Thomson Arboretum

-39.34

174.289

11

Victoria Park

-39.33

174.27

12

Windsor Park

-39.34

174.28

13

Goodson Dell

-39.56

174.25

14

Hollard Gardens

-39.35

174.43

15

King Edward Park

-39.58

174.27

16

Naumai Park

-39.59

174.29

17

Stark Park and Bridger Park

-39.42

174.29

18

Oakley Garden

-39.54

174.10

19

Puketarata Garden

-39.53

174.34

20

Te Kainga Marire

-39.06

174.09

ko

Lake Rotorangi

LATITUDE

GPS co-ordinates source: http://www.position-finder.appspot.com

Images courtesy of: Rob Tucker Jane Dove Juneau Jennifer Horner New Plymouth District Council South Taranaki District Council Stratford District Council Taranaki Arts Festival Trust Taranaki Regional Council Venture Taranaki Trust

Venture

TARANAKI Te Puna Umanga

Visit the website for: Events, activities and attractions Getting here and around Accommodation options Job opportunities Business growth programmes The latest regional intelligence

www.taranaki.info

TGM J001869

This publication was produced by Venture Taranaki with assistance from New Plymouth District Council, Stratford District Council, South Taranaki District Council and Taranaki Regional Council.

All efforts have been made to ensure information provided in this publication is accurate, but track conditions and situations do change and some tracks in this guide require a high level of skill and technical knowledge. If you are unsure then we advise you to seek expert guidance.

ISBN 978-0-473-19003-3