Christchurch City Parks
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Castle Rock |
Victoria Park and Port Hills
The gateway to one of the most loved landscapes in Christchurch, Victoria Park offers the ideal starting point for your Port Hills adventure! With picnic areas, playground, dog park and Information Centre the park offers all you need for a quick or full day visit. The Ports Hills offer a selection of adventures and experiences including scenic drives, mountain bike tracks, running, rock climbing and a range of wildlife habitats running in an almost continuous line from Godley Head to Coopers Knob.
Hagley Park
This park has always occupied a unique and special place in the heart of the city. The park hosts a vast range of public events including national and local sports, televised concerts, shows and community days.
Botanic Gardens
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Botanic Gardens |
The Christchurch Botanic Gardens was established in 1863 and has always been the jewel in the crown of the ‘Garden City’. Covering over 30 hectares of landscaped, world class, plant collections, everyone is very welcome.
Garden Information Centre
Open Mon - Fri 9 am - 4 pm,
Sat and Sun 10.15 am - 4 pm
Daily Tours available during Summer
Bottle Lake Forest Park
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Bottle Lake Forest |
Bottle Lake Forest Park offers something for people wanting to keep fit and also provides the peace and tranquillity of a forest setting. Recreational facilities include mountain bike tracks, horse trekking trails and walking tracks. Bottle Lake Forest is a production forest and trees are felled and logged by the Selwyn Plantation Board.
Travis Wetland
Travis Wetland Nature Heritage Park is a lowland freshwater wetland, located in the midst of an urban environment. It offers a number of easy walkways and viewing areas, with opportunities to see many bird species and plant communities.
No Dogs
Don’t feed the birds
Horseshoe Lake
As surrounding wetlands gradually disappear, Horseshoe Lake Reserve stands as a reminder of a once common land type. The stretch of water now called Horseshoe Lake was probably once a meandering arm of the Otakaro (Avon) River, cut off when the main current found a more direct route to the sea.
Halswell Quarry Park
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Halswell Quarry Park |
Halswell Quarry Park is an unusual combination of historic sites, picnic areas and botanical collections. Historic buildings from the quarrymen’s days are being preserved and the once noisy rock face is now a quiet amphitheatre facing onto a parkland of grasslands, gardens and wetland ponds. Halswell Quarry also features six sister city gardens and a Canterbury botanical collection.
Bexley Wetland
Since 1992 Bexley’s 12.5 hectares have been designated as an Ecological Heritage Site. Now protected from future development, this waterland wilderness offers a place to view the abundant birdlife, saltmarsh, saltmeadow and freshwater wetlands. No matter what the season, a visit to Bexley Wetland is a diverse wilderness experience.
Dogs on leads at all times
Don’t feed the birds
The Groynes
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The Groynes |
The wide range of recreational activities on offer make this reserve a popular choice for picnics, walking, fishing, canoeing or just relaxing. Situated to the north of Christchurch, the Groynes stretches along the Otukaikino Creek. The creek provides the reserve with a supply of fresh water and plentiful habitats for wildlife among the native and exotic plantings.
Styx Mill Conservation Reserve
The Styx Mill Conservation Reserve is approximately 57 hectares in size, extending along the Styx River for nearly 1.6 km. The reserve forms part of the natural river corridor associated with the Styx River. This reserve provides a great place for walks, picnics and the opportunity to enjoy nature not far from urban life.
Spencer Park
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Spencer Park |
Spencer Park is a great place for a family day trip or a weekend stay. It has sheltered picnic areas, wetland walks, animal park, children’s playground, paddling pool, bird lookout platforms, mountain bike tracks, with many short and long walks, that lead into the surrounding dunes and forests.
Riccarton Bush
Covering almost 12 hectares, this attraction consists of two historic buildings set in parkland and gardens bordered by the Avon River and a native forest reserve featuring Kahikatea trees up to 600 years old. The site, known to local Maori as "Putaringamotu" - the place of an echo, was home to Canterbury's pioneering Deans family, the first Europeans to settle on the Plains in 1843. Contact the Riccarton Bush Ranger for more information on (03) 348 4277 or 027 412 4944.
The Coast
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The Coast |
The coastline of Christchurch has much to offer for both recreational activities and for wildlife. It is a dynamic, ever changing environment with much to see, do and treasure. A track from Southshore Spit to the Waimakariri River mouth, gives good access to Christchurch’s coastline. Special places to visit include, North and New Brighton, Southshore Spit, Sumner and Taylors Mistake.
Further Info
Specific details on each site, other local parks, scenic drives, walking tracks and other things to do around Christchurch are available. These can be obtained by a variety of means including a visit to any Christchurch City Council service centre or library, the local tourist Information Office or a parks information centre. Make a virtual visit to www.christchurch.org.nz, www.ccc.govt.nz/parks or call (03) 941 6840.
Biodiversity
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Wetlands |
In many of these sites there are specific plans to enhance and preserve the biodiversity. These are planned and maintained by our ranger staff. Volunteer opportunities exist for groups and individuals to help increase biodiversity in parks. Contact the Council for more info.
Education
Many Christchurch parks can be visited by pre-booked school groups on a ‘Learning Through Action’ programme. The programmes are:
- Free!
- Curriculum linked and teacher designed
- Guided by experienced park rangers and environmental educators
- Hands on, encouraging student participation
For more information visit www.ccc.govt.nz/learningthroughaction or phone the Council Environmental Education Coordinator on (03) 941 6840
For further information about exploring these parks contact:
Christchurch City Council
Phone: (03) 941 6840
Fax: (03) 941 8267
Email: leisureandparks@ccc.govt.nz
Website: www.ccc.govt.nz/parks
For DOC reserves contact:
Department of Conservation
North Canterbury Area
Private Bag 4715
Christchurch
Phone: (03) 379 9758
