Pukekura Park

Pukekura Park is an urban park and botanical garden in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand, located close to the city centre. It is a major public green space in the city containing formal gardens, lakes and recreational areas.

Within the park are ornamental lakes, walking trails, a fernery and the open-air amphitheatre known locally as the Bowl, which is used for concerts and public events. The park’s layout combines planted displays and areas of native vegetation and is used year-round for recreation and events.

The park was developed as a public urban reserve in the late 19th century and has been managed as a public garden and recreational space since that period. Over time features such as the amphitheatre and conservatory have been added to support public events and horticultural collections.

Pukekura Park sits immediately south of New Plymouth’s central business district on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, within the Taranaki region and close to the city shoreline.

• Setting: The park combines ornamental lakes, formal gardens and native plantings and is located immediately adjacent to New Plymouth city centre.
• Best time to visit: Spring and summer are the seasons when the plant displays are at their fullest and when outdoor events are most frequently scheduled.

What to See #

• The Bowl: An open-air amphitheatre located within the park used for concerts and events, set above the lakes and formal gardens.
• Fernery and conservatory: A collection of conservatory and fernery spaces housing a mixture of native and exotic plants in controlled conditions.
• Lakes and waterways: Several ornamental lakes and ponds connected by walking paths that form focal points for the park's landscaping and wildlife.