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Last reviewed: Fri, 10 May 2013

Parks and walkways

Christchurch City is recognised as New Zealand’s Garden City with over 740 parks and an extensive system of rivers, streams and wetlands.

Earthquake update:

There are plenty of walking tracks now open in Christchurch so you can get out and about in the city.

While some walking and mountain biking tracks remain closed due to safety reasons following the February earthquake, the Christchurch City Council’s parks team is working hard to reopen popular recreation areas as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Port Hills tracks  that are now open include the H. G. Ell track and Latters Spur track. As well as these tracks, residents can access all of Halswell Quarry and Kennedys Bush Reserve areas. Some mountain bike tracks can be accessed off Mt Pleasant Road – please comply with all signage. Walkways are open at Travis Wetland and Charlesworth Wetland while recreation areas at Spencer Park, The Groynes and Styx Conservation area are also open.

Many Eastern Port Hills tracks remain closed, including the Bridle Path, Barnett Park and Godley Head Walkway from Taylor's Mistake. Coastal Area Parks closed include Bexley Wetland, Horseshoe Lake and Whitewash Head/Scarborough Walkway also closed due to instability. Signage is in place indicating areas that are closed due to rock fall hazard, as areas are further assessed these signs will change.

Bottle Lake Forest Park and Seafield Park have reopened for all users but with some new track alignments to allow for the safe management of the earthquake resource recovery operation within the central area of the forest. Please follow all public safety instructions.

For regular updates on the status of Christchurch’s mountain biking tracks, visit www.ccc.govt.nz/trackstatus

 

Hagley Park.

Christchurch's parks and walkways

Christchurch is fortunate to have such a diversity of parks and waterways, from neighbourhood playgrounds, sports grounds and heritage gardens, to large wilderness areas, coastal parks, wetlands and rivers.

Within half an hour's drive from Cathedral Square in the central city, you can discover beaches, wetlands, forests, or grasslands. You can be swimming in the sea, fishing off the New Brighton Pier, kayaking in the estuary, peering from a bird hide, mountain biking through a pine plantation, or tramping and enjoying the stunning views from the Port Hills.

 

Contact us

Transport and Greenspace
Phone: (03) 941 8999
Email:  

Authorising Unit: Transport and Greenspace

Last reviewed: Friday, May 10, 2013

Next review: Saturday, May 10, 2014

Keywords: parks, walkways