Visitor information
Located 14km north-east of Christchurch. The main access is off Lower Styx Road and Heyders Road.
Gates are open from 8am–7pm.
Daylight saving months: gates are open from 8am–9pm.
The Animal Park is open from 9am–4pm.
Gate closures are administered by ADT security. A call out fee will be charged to release vehicles. Beach gates are closed at all times.
Brooklands Lagoon Fact Sheet [PDF 800KB]
Metroinfo has up to date bus information.
Things to consider:
- Spencer Park is a rubbish free park. Please take your rubbish home with you.
- Please keep to the tracks to protect the plants and wildlife.
- If driving a vehicle on the beach, please keep to the hard sand. Motorbikes, dune buggies and 4WD vehicles in the dunes damage plants, destroy wildlife and disturb nesting and roosting birds.
- Dogs are permitted in Spencer Park and must be on a leash in certain areas. Dogs are not permitted in Brooklands Lagoon. The Dog Control Policy - Map 05 - Brooklands – Spencer Park [PDF 4,04MB] has more information.
- Safe swimming is between the flags at the Surf Life Saving Club in the summer months.
- For fishing or whitebaiting, a permit can be obtained from the Spencer Park Rangers, phone (03) 941 7560 .
- For organised groups or picnic bookings contact the Customer Call Centre, phone (03) 941 8888 .
About the park
Spencer Park is a great place for a family day trip or a weekend stay at the holiday park next door. It has sheltered picnic areas, wetland walks, an animal area, children’s adventure playground, paddling pool, bird lookout platforms and many short and long walks. Picnic bookings can be made for organised groups.
Wander along the bird sanctuary of Brooklands Lagoon, explore the sand dune coast on horseback, go fishing or cycle the mountain bike tracks which link up with Bottle Lake Forest Park.
Fishing and whitebaiting is allowed but a permit and key must be obtained from the Spencer Park Rangers.
Spencer Park became a domain in 1933 and was named after the first Domain Board chairman, W.P. Spencer. Due to increasing use and maintenance needs, the park was taken over by the Waimairi District Council in 1955. Spencer Park currently stretches over 81 hectares.
Wildlife
The diverse range of habitats in this area supports a wide variety of birdlife including forest birds, waders, waterfowl and coastal birds.
Brooklands Lagoon is an important wildlife area, with 74 species of birds recorded here. Common resident birds include oystercatcher, red-billed gull, spotted shag, white-faced heron, banded dotterel and pied cormorant.
The animal park features animals such as rabbits, kune kune pigs, goats and guinea pigs, along with aviaries and a variety of free-range birds including ducks, geese, peacocks and guinea fowl. This is an especially popular attraction with children.
Beach access and the Waimakariri walkway provide access to the Waimakariri River mouth, where fishing for whitebait, salmon and kahawai is popular.
Plant life
Spencer Park and Brooklands Lagoon have a diverse plant life. The lagoon has large saltmarsh areas. To the south of the lagoon are freshwater wetlands. Along the windswept coast, dune vegetation protects the area from migrating dunes and provides habitat for wildlife. Large trees are features of the picnicking areas and roadside.
Master and Management Plans
The Christchurch City Council has in place reserve management plans, approved under the Reserves Act 1977, for Spencer Park and Seafield Park, and an overall parks master plan for the public reserves and spaces in the area bound by the Waimakariri River to the north, Bottle Lake Forest Park to the south, the Styx River to the west and the sea to the east (the Brooklands Lagoon Parks Planning Area).
The Brooklands Lagoon Parks Planning Area contains a number of sites of high value for ecological conservation and use for recreation. The plans guide the Council on how it can best protect and manage the overall area for the public to enjoy and gain the benefits of access for recreation and experience of one of Christchurch's prime natural ecosystems.
The plans:
- Help protect and restore public open spaces and support the ecology and recreation opportunities in those places.
- Assist the review of park facilities so that ultimately all facilities are sustainable.
- Raise potential developments and other measures to enhance the open space.
- Promote the parks.
- Educate the community about the benefits of these parks.
Brooklands Lagoon/Te Riu o Te Aika Kawa Area Parks Master Plan 2010
The master plan integrates the public open space planning for the Brooklands Lagoon Parks Planning Area, and provides a long term, strategic focus for the protection, management and enhancement of the reserves and adjacent public areas that fall in this overall area. The plan guides the management of the public open spaces of the Brooklands Lagoon Parks Planning Area through the identification of 'zones' for remote and/or natural and scenic areas, and recreational uses and cultural uses, that require different levels of management.
Seafield Park Management Plan 2010
This plan covers the part of Seafield Park classified as scenic reserve under the Reserves Act 1977. It was classified by Council resolution on 10 July 2008. The management plan guides the management and restoration of the area. This will ensure that the public can access, enjoy and experience the scenic, landscape and ecological values of the Brooklands Lagoon estuary and its margins.
Spencer Park Management Plan 2010
This plan covers Spencer Park, and the part of Seafield Park classified as recreation reserve lying immediately north of Heyders Road. The management plan guides the management of the Spencer Park area so that this continues to be a premier Christchurch outdoor recreational resource, and a place where nature is protected and promoted.
To find out more about the Masterplan and Management Plans surrounding the Spencer Park, refer to "Where can I read the management plans for the parks".
Getting involved
The Park Rangers look after a diverse range of environments. Their work includes the restoration and maintenance of coastal, wetland, park, and forest areas. This involves continued sand management, native and shade plantings, weed and pest control, vehicle control and wildlife protection. They are also involved with the building and enhancement of facilities such as tracks, car parks and picnic areas, and with encouraging learning and research about the coastal wetlands and the natural processes of the beach.
Find out more information about how to get involved in your parks.
Contact us
Spencer Park Ranger
Phone: (03) 941 7560
Email: info@ccc.govt.nz
