Anderson Park

Anderson Park's playground sits inside a 24 hectare landscaped estate in Waikiwi, a compact family stop built for toddlers and younger children rather than as a destination in its own right. The wider grounds, home to the Invercargill Public Art Gallery and a remnant of native kahikatea and matai bush, give it a garden setting few Southland playgrounds can match.

Equipment

Equipment includes swings with an infant swing, a slide, a horse rocker, and a climbing frame carousel suited to inclusive play, set on an artificial surface within a fenced junior area.

Access and Inclusion

The park is flat, with sealed paths and open lawns giving good general access, and parking sits at the entrance off McIvor Road, State Highway 6. A barbecue, picnic tables, seating and public toilets are all on site.

History and Cultural

Sir Robert Anderson, a prominent Invercargill businessman, had the Neo Georgian homestead built here in 1925 to a design by Christchurch architect Cecil Wood, using the property to display his extensive collection of New Zealand art. Behind the house stands Te Wharepuni o Anehana, a carved Maori whare with carving sourced from Rotorua. After Anderson's death the family gifted the estate to the city, and the homestead has operated as the Invercargill Public Art Gallery since 1951, reopening in November 2022 after earthquake strengthening.