Pukekura Park is a world-renowned park in New Plymouth, with a huge area of gardens, water features, display houses and entertainment facilities.
Pukekura Park is an idyllic, inner-city botanical wonder that was first opened in 1876. Once swamp land, the 52-hectare park is both a garden and a public recreation ground.
The park includes two lakes (one of which has wooden rowboats for hire during the summer), children's playgrounds, a cricket ground, fernery and display houses, a tea house , fountain and waterfall, historic band rotunda, and an entertainment venue - the Bowl of Brooklands.
National and international acts regularly perform at the Bowl of Brooklands, a natural amphitheatre positioned at the edge of a lake. At night, audiences are treated to an amazing light show, because the water of the lake reflects whatever is happening on stage. Next to the Bowl are beautiful English-style gardens and a free children's zoo.
Every summer Pukekura Park hosts the spectacular TSB Festival of Lights. During December and January, hundreds of lighting displays turn the park into a huge, illuminated fantasyland.