YOU ARE IN: Leisure > Places to go > Parks search

Parks search

New search

Auckland Domain and sportsfields

Park address

20 Park Road, 21 Domain Drive, George Street, Titoki Street and 72 to 80 Stanley Street, Parnell

Also known as

The Domain, Duck Ponds, Winter Garden, Sensory Gardens, Pukekawa, Pukekaroa, Cenotaph, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Band Rotunda, Kiosk, Gum Tree Hill.

About the park

The Auckland Domain is the city's oldest park.

The 75 hectare park has been developed around the cone of an extinct volcano. The 'tuff rings' created by volcanic activity can be seen in the land contours and forms a natural amphitheatre. Te Wherowhero, Waikato's great fighting chief, came to the hill called Pukekaroa to make peace with the Nga Puhi in the 1820's. When Lieutenant Governor Hobson founded the city of Auckland with the Ngati Whatua in 1840, he reserved 200 acres around the cone which became the Auckland Domain.

The Wintergardens are a feature of the Domain with the Auckland War Memorial Museum sitting at the highest point. There are formal gardens, duck ponds, large green open spaces edged by mature trees, bush walks and statuary. A garden for the blind is located near the intersection of Titoki Street and Maunsell Road extension and contains raised beds of aromatic, herbaceous and sensory plants. This was built in association with the Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind in 1970. Magnolia gardens sit along Domain Drive just past the Parnell Tennis Club and contain a variety of magnolias.

The 10 hectares of sports fields include 10 fields for rugby, league and soccer during the winter and 19 cricket wickets for the summer. This open area is surrounded by trees, monuments and the old grandstand.

The section of the park known as Gum Tree Hill is set aside as a dog exercise area. The gum trees provide shade for the hilly area on hot days.

For more information about the domain and wintergardens see Auckland Domain, and the Coast to coast walkway which passes through the domain.

Facilities

Band rotunda, boardwalk, artworks/monuments, drinking fountain, bike stands, toilets

Sports

Sportsfields, cricket pitch

Dog exercise area

Yes, see Dogs to view specific details for its use.

How to get there