Parks and Reserves

Prideaux Park (Plunket Street)

Our most central sports ground is located off Plunket Street. A mere five minute walk from the shopping centre, this picturesque reserve, with a variety of attractive, mature trees around the perimeter is used year-round for a wide range of sporting activities and community events. It is used for cricket, athletics, netball, outdoor bowls, marching, dog shows etc.

Facilities include:

• Athletics track (400 metres, 6 lanes)
• Long jump pits (sand)
• Netball & Basketball courts
• Cricket wicket (artificial)
• Pavilion with showers and toilets (available for hire)
• Motor home site
• Effluent Dump Site

Prideaux Park is the home of cricket and athletics in Kawerau. Adjacent to Prideaux Park there are bowling greens, a recreation centre, BMX and skateboarding track and our town's swimming pool complex.

Tarawera Park (Cobham Drive)

Our largest sports ground, Tarawera Park caters for a wide range of sporting codes including rugby, touch rugby, rugby league and soccer and is especially suitable for large events and tournaments. This picturesque park is situated at the south end of the town and is bordered by the Tarawera River. The main access is from Cobham Drive.

Facilities include:

• Rugby fields
• Soccer fields
• Two club rooms leased to local organisations
• One practice area
• Multi purpose fields
• Ablution Block
• Toilet Block
• Field lighting available
   

Boyce Park (Tamarangi Drive/River Road intersection)

Located by the Tarawera River at the Tamarangi Drive/River Road intersection, this was the first park to be established in Kawerau. The Kawerau Judo Club and other martial arts groups use the building on the reserve.

Firmin Field (South End of Waterhouse Street)

The Kawerau Sports and Cultural Club has its club rooms and a playing field here, (with lights for evening training sessions). The Kawerau Scout Hall is also located at Firmin Field.

Monika Lanham Reserve

Monika Lanham Reserve is currently being redeveloped and planted in native trees and shrubs. Two of the town water supply reservoirs are on this reserve. A number of walking tracks cross the reserve and link opposite sides of the town.

Click for further information on the Monika Lanham  restoration project.

Other Reserves

Several smaller reserves throughout the town provide passive recreation areas within easy walking distance of most homes. These include the Lyn Hartley Reserve off Ward Street, Stoneham Park off Peter Lippa Drive and the Waterhouse Street Reserve on the north side of Waterhouse Street, adjacent to the Tarawera River. The Waterhouse Street Reserve includes a jogging track and fitness trail.   The Hilldale Reserve, located between Hardie Avenue and Beattie Road, has also been developed as a passive reserve and is the only authorised golf practice area in the town.

Picnic Areas and Walkways

Kawerau has several very pleasant walks. A map is available from the Information Centre.

Stoneham Walk

This walk is only a hop, skip and a jump from the town centre, is a place of rare beauty.

Its catalyst is the stunningly-beautiful Ruruanga Stream, which meanders lazily through Stoneham Glade, where a stone bridge, scented gardens and plantings of herbs can make you feel like you're in an English Park. The walk takes you through groves of native and exotic trees and shrubs, past places where trout can be caught, where children splash about in swimming holes in summer and where families love to picnic.

Don't be surprised if you stumble upon a wedding party along the way, because this is a favourite venue for photographs.

Stoneham Walk can be accessed from Bell Street, Kirk Crescent, Opunoke Drive, Blundell Avenue or Fenton Mill Road.

For people with disabilities and for wedding cars, the Council will open the gates at Fenton Mill Road by prior arrangement. For this service, contact the Council, Ph (07) 306 9009.

Tarawera River Margins Walk

This stunning walk provides a link to Tarawera Forest from State Highway 34, from the Tamarangi Drive Bridge, via Kawerau College, Waterhouse Street to the golf course and over the town water supply pipe bridge to the Tarawera Forest. From this point the walk extends towards the Tarawera Falls, but stops some distance short of the Falls.

Ruruanga Stream Walkway
This dedicated junior anglers' stream is stocked regularly with trout and is also a popular swimming place. Its grassy banks provide restful picnic spots and the area attracts many species of birds, including tuis. The walkway provides a link from Prideaux Park on Tamarangi Drive, to Stoneham Walk.

Public Toilets

These newly-renovated, centrally-located public toilets are located at the Information Centre on Plunket Street, across the road from Prideaux Park. Opening hours are 9.00am to 4.00pm daily during the winter months and from 8.00 am to 7 pm during summer.

Sports fields & Pavilions

The Council manages three sports pavilions:-

The Netball/Tennis Pavilion
Adjacent to the netball courts on Plunket Street, is used by the Netball Club during the winter season. The tennis courts are open for use during the summer.

Prideaux Park Pavilion
Adjacent to the Bowling Club on Prideaux Park, is used by the Harriers and Athletics Clubs and is available for hire on a casual basis.

Tarawera Park Pavilion
Located on Tarawera Park , Kawerau's largest sports field, used for rugby, soccer, touch and league. It has a set of changing rooms for teams using the park which is available for hire.  A great venue for large sports tournaments.

Pavilion Toilets are available at all sports fields and keys for access to these facilities are available when applying for use of a sports field for a fee.

Casual use is welcomed for a small charge. Bookings for seasonal use should be made at the Council.