Wellington Parks and Gardens

(Wellington, North Island, New Zealand NZ)



Wellington Parks and GardensThe North Island is a particularly verdant place to visit and encourages its native wildlife with a number of dedicated nature reserves, such as the expansive Zealandia Sanctuary. Visitors to Wellington will also be able to enjoy a series of public parks and some very pleasant gardens, with the region boasting in excess of 500 square kilometres / 195 square miles of forests and parklands.

The splendid Wellington Botanic Gardens can be found in the central Thorndon district and function as something of a tourist magnet. With impressive landscaping, mature trees and shrubs, and colourful flower borders, the Botanic Gardens also come with a large and fragrant collection of historic roses, sculptures, a pond with ducks, secluded seating areas and the popular Treehouse Visitor Centre. Especially central is the harbourfront Frank Kitts Park, which is named after the city's longest-serving mayor and is a good place to hire a canoe for a few hours.

Wellington City Council maintains an extensive network of local bushwalking trails, such as Otari-Wilton's Bush, where indigenous plants are in abundance and scenic views can be expected at all times.


Wellington Parks and Gardens

Botanic Gardens

Address: Glenmore Street, Thorndon, Wellington, North Island, 6001, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 499 1400
Established roughly 150 years ago, in the late 1860s, the Botanic Gardens cover some 60 acres / 25 hectares and can be reached via the scenic cable car from Lambton Quay. A number of significant sculptures stand within the grounds, being created by acclaimed artists such as Andrew Drummond, Henry Moore and Dennis O'Connor, with further attractions including the Carter Observatory, the Cable Car Museum and live music performed in the 'Sound Shell'.
Open hours: daily - dawn to dusk
Admission: free

Central Park

Address: Brooklyn Road, Brooklyn, Wellington, North Island, 6002, New Zealand
Tel: 64 0(4) 802 4860
Located close to the very centre of Wellington and just a short distance to the south of the Victoria University campus, the spreading Central Park is a vast parkland, with large expanses of grassed areas, benches, pathways suitable for walking and jogging, a playground for children and numerous peaceful picnic spots. The onsite Renouf Tennis Centre is always busy, while you may also like to check out the neighbouring Prince of Wales Park and the Polhill Reserve.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Avalon Park

Address: Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt, 6009, New Zealand
Tel: +64 0(4) 570 6666
Avalon Park lies on the northern outskirts of Wellington, being sandwiched by the Hutt Golf Club and the Belmont Domain. Offering a variety of things to see and do, such as sporting activities, an exceptional playground for children, a large lake, views of the Hutt River and picnic areas, Avalon is particularly popular with families, who often come here to feed the ducks.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Belmont Regional Park

Address: State Highway 2, Lower Hutt, Wellington, North Island, 6009, New Zealand
Tel: +64 0(4) 570 6666
The Belmont Regional Park lies within the Hutt Valley area, close to Normandale and Tirohanga, and is home to many natural areas of extreme beauty. Attractions at Belmont Park include scenic picnic locations, walking / tramping trails, green hills, scrublands and plenty of native flora and fauna. A number of the trails are highly suitable for mountain biking and hiking, such as the 'Puke Ariki'.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free



East Harbour Regional Park

Address: Eastern Bays Marine Drive, Eastbourne, Wellington, North Island, 6008, New Zealand
Tel: +64 0(4) 802 4860
The East Harbour Regional Park can be found in the Eastbourne area of the city, being situated on the eastern side of Wellington Harbour. Highlights include scenic views of the coastline and the Butterfly Creek valley, picnic spots, secluded bays, seating areas, the Pencarrow lighthouse and popular coastal walking trails. Nearby attractions come in the form of the Eastbourne Domain Recreation Reserve, the Francis Bell Reserve, the Wainuiomata Golf Club, Mahina Bay and Days Bay.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Frank Kitts Park

Address: Jervois Quay, Wellington, North Island, 6001, New Zealand
Tel: +64 0(4) 802 4860
Established in the 1970s on the site of a series of old wharf sheds, the centrally located Frank Kitts Park is sited close to Lambton Quay and fronts the harbour. This popular spot offers spectacular harbour views, mature planting, pathways suitable for jogging, walking and cycling, and a host of water sports and other outdoor activities. There is also a playground sited here with a fun lighthouse-themed slide, as well as an albatross water feature and a mast salvaged from the Wahine shipwreck - an inter-island ferry that sank in 1968 near Steeple Rock.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Zealandia Sanctuary

Address: Waiapu Road, Karori, Wellington, North Island, 6005, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 475 9300
Formerly named the Karori Wildlife Reserve, Zealandia is a vast wildlife sanctuary full of important native animals, including New Zealand's famous kiwis and a number of other endangered creatures. Situated in western Wellington, this reserve is a protected area covering an expanse of some 550 acres / 225 hectares and is encircled by a huge pest-exclusion fence, which successfully prevents mice, rats, rabbits, deer and more from entering the site. Many native bird species have been released here, including the Little Spotted Kiwi, with the Lower and Upper Karori reservoirs being a good place for some serious birdwatching.
Open hours: daily
Admission: charge, discounts available for children

Khandallah Park

Address: Woodmancote Road, Khandallah, Wellington, North Island, 6004, New Zealand
Tel: +64 0(4) 802 4860
Sited to the north and next to Johnsonville Park, Khandallah Park features popular playing fields suitable for a range of sports. Other attractions include picnic spots, gas barbecue facilities, seating areas and an outdoor swimming pool, along with a small playground, good views of Mount Kaukau and a nearby bowling green on Woodmancote Road.
Open hours: daily - 24 hours
Admission: free

Nga Manu Nature Reserve

Address: Ngarara Road, Waikanae, Wellington, 6010, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 293 4131
The Nga Manu Nature Reserve is rich in native wildlife and contains a wealth of local birds, including numerous kiwis housed in a nocturnal enclosure. Located in the picturesque coastal location of Kapiti and best reached via the State Highway, the reserve operates a number of important conservation programmes and is known for its healthy population of red-crowned parakeets.
Open hours: daily - 10:00 to 17:00.
Admission: charge, discounts available for children and families

Wilton Bush and Otari Native Botanic Gardens

Address: 160 Wilton Road, Wilton, Wellington, North Island, 6005, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 475 3245
New Zealand's only public botanical garden dedicated to growing nothing other than indigenous plants, the Otari Native Botanic Gardens covers a sizeable 260 acres / 105 hectares and resides within the north-westerly suburb of Wilton. Visitors will find a number of important plant collections, numerous secluded picnic spots, nature trails, expanses of scrubland and a raised walkway. Be sure to look out for the ancient conifer tree, which is reputed to be more than 800 years old. The onsite Te Marae o Tane Information Centre is worth checking out as well.
Open hours: Monday to Friday - 07:30 to 16:00, Saturday and Sunday - 09:00 to 17:00
Admission: free

Queen Elizabeth Park

Address: MacKays Crossing, State Highway 1, Paekakariki, Wellington, North Island, 6010, New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 298 5139
The Queen Elizabeth Park is an attractive coastal spot, based roughly 50 minutes to the north of the city, being just past Paekakariki and alongside the Kapiti coastline. With calm waters suitable for swimming, walking trails, sandy beach areas and scrublands, there are always plenty of things to see and do here. The natural sand dunes are a particular feature, as is the interesting WWII heritage. Founded in 1953, the park is managed by the Wellington Regional Council and covers a vast 1,600 acres / 650 hectares.
Open hours: daily - 08:00 to disk
Admission: free


Other popular parks and gardens worth visiting in the Wellington area and nearby suburbs include: