Features and gardens

Located at the top of the Japanese Hillside, the traditional torii gate was a gift from New Plymouth's Japanese sister city, Mishima in 2001.

No. 7 - Pukekura Park map

Located in Fountain Lake, the 228-jet fountain with its 15-metre high floodlit plumes was installed in 1955 to commemorate the visit of Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh. It may be operated by a nearby push button.

No. 8 - Pukekura Park map

Cannon Hill was named for the two cannons that were displayed near the summit from 1884 to 1928. The so-called Dicky Barrett cannon is now part of the Puke Ariki collection. The first ceremonial tree plantings were made around the hill in 1876.

No. 12 - Pukekura Park map

Close to the rotunda, the marble fountain was erected to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee in 1897 and is still functional for thirsty park visitors of today.

No. 13 - Pukekura Park map

The band rotunda was built in 1891 making it one of the oldest rotundas in the country. It is located at the base of Cannon Hill overlooking the Main Lake and next to the Jubilee drinking fountain.

No. 24 - Pukekura Park map

The artificial waterfall is located between the Hatchery Lawn and the Main Lake. It represents the Waiwahakiho River in its passage from its turbulent beginnings on Mount Taranaki/Egmont. The waterfall comes to life at night with colourful lights.

No. 25 - Pukekura Park map

Poet's Bridge is located at the narrow point between the Main and Upper Lake of Pukekura Park. It opened in March 1884, paid for by winnings that James T. Davis (a Recreation Ground Board member) had from the racehorse The Poet at the 1883 Auckland Races. Deterioration of the original bridge caused it to be replaced by one of a similar design, which opened in 1938. Its colour scheme is based on the famous red lacquer bridge at Nikko, Japan.

No. 32 - Pukekura Park map

Located at the Bowl of Brooklands, Water Lily Lake was formed during the 1890s by damming a stream to form the lake which now features artist Michael Smither's sculpture, Aotearoa.

No. 39 - Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

Built in a natural amphitheatre, with a stage set in a lake, the Bowl of Brooklands is an unusual and  stunning venue. It hosts international acts every year but is worth a visit even when no one is playing. 

Bowl of Brooklands venue information

No. 44 Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

One of New Zealand's earliest surviving crown health enterprise, the Gables Colonial Hospital was built in 1847 on Mangorei Road. In 1904 Mrs Mary King had the then derelict building moved to its current location at Brooklands Park. In 1985, it was extensively restored to become the Taranaki Arts Society gallery. It is popularly known as 'The Gables'.

No. 45 - Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

The Spring Wind Pavilion sits in the middle of Kunming Garden. 12 Chinese craftsmen and 34 tonnes of timber, stone and carvings shipped over in two containers from Kunming City in China, created this beauty. The structure was made without powertools or using nails or screws.

No. 46 - Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

The Moongate at the entrance to Kunming Garden, is a circular opening in the garden wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway. The Moongate is a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens. The materials for this structure were imported from China as part of the gift from New Plymouth's sister city, Kunming in 2005.

No. 46 - Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

Brooklands Zoo is located the Brooklands Drive entrance to the Park. It is diverse range of animals including Bolivian squirrel monkeys, capuchins, reptiles and farm animals. Walk through the aviary, enjoy a picnic in the grounds or burn off some energy at the playground.

Find out more about Brooklands Zoo

No. 48 - Brooklands Park map

The Brooklands Fireplace is the only surviving remnant of Captain King's home that was burnt down during the first Taranaki War of 1860. It is typical of those in English farmhouses of the 1840s with its huge open fireplace and massive iron bar with a smaller baking oven in the back wall.

No. 53 - Brooklands Park map

The Kunming Garden in Brooklands was a gift from the Mayor of Kunming following the signing of a sister city agreement between New Plymouth District and Kunming, China in August 2003. Chinese craftsmen worked alongside local landscapers and builders on the garden, which includes traditional Chinese features such as a moon gate framing the intricate pavilion and garden, dragon motifs and hand-crafted wood carvings. The garden layout is of typical Yunnan design and symbolises friendship between both cities and was opened in 2005.

No. 46 - Pukekura Park map and Brooklands Park map

This hillside was designed and planted to reflect a typical Japanese hillside forest. In 2001 the Mishima Gate, a traditional red Japanese torii gate, was opened by Mishima City Council Chairman Mr Hajime Shimura and Deputy Mayor Peter Tennent to mark the 10th anniversary of the Sister City relationship between New Plymouth and Mishima.

No. 7 - Pukekura Park map

The Fernery and Display Houses are built into a hillside which aids temperature control, and are connected by iconic earth tunnels. The facility is recognised internationally by horticulturalists for its house design, propagation expertise and consistently high-quality plant displays.

Learn more about the Fernery and Display Houses.

No. 21 - Pukekura Park Map

King Fern Gully is located beside the Sports Ground and Terraces on Fillis Street. It was named after the para or king fern, which is sometimes called a horseshoe fern because of the base of the frond is shaped like a horse's hoof. The plants were used by Maori as food. King ferns, with their shining 4m-high fronds, are now rare in the wild owing to the ravages of wild pigs.

No 17 - Pukekura Park Map

The Eastern Hillside overlooks the Main Lake and slopes down towards the area of Stainton Dell. There is a lookout platform at the top of the hill and a picnic area. 

No. 31 - Pukekura Park Map

Located next to Fountain Lake, the Hatchery Lawn is one of the venues for evening concerts and performances in the park during the annual TSB Bank Festival of Lights. 

No. 11 - Hatchery Lawn

This ancient tree is one of the largest of its species in New Zealand and was estimated to be 2000 years old in 1913. It is located near the track at the Somerset Street entrance to Brooklands Park.

No. 56 - Brooklands Park map

This female Maidenhair Tree, one of the largest of its species recorded in New Zealand, was likely planted around 1902 by the landowner Clement Govett.
It is located in the Maranui Gully near the List Street gardens, where the track takes a loop to a grove of king ferns.

No. 57 - Brooklands Park map

This garden is made up of trees and shrubs that originate from China and was first planted in 1993. The Chinese collection is located in the Upper Maranui Gully, next to the Coronation Avenue entrance. 

No.64 - Brooklands Park map