Beniorns Park

Ben Iorns Reserve is a small neighbourhood park in western Masterton on Waterhouse Street, with direct access also from Vogel Crescent. It combines native plantings with open recreational space and a modest playground.

Equipment

The playground includes swings and see-saws on a bark surface. The small, open site has no shade for play equipment or spectators. The remainder of the reserve is grassed open space with a section of native tree planting.

Access and Inclusion

The park is an open, unfenced reserve. On-street parking is available on Waterhouse Street. The flat setting makes it easy to access on foot for families in the surrounding residential streets. All council parks are smokefree.

History and Cultural

The reserve is named after Bennett Iorns (1883 to 1977), described as one of Masterton's most interesting local characters: an astute historian, tree lover, and great-grandson of Masterton's founder Joseph Masters. Masters' daughter Sarah married Richard Iorns, whose grandson became Bennett Iorns. The reserve was established in the 1970s during a new housing subdivision on Masterton's western edge. The land had previously belonged to jockey and horse trainer Arthur Messervy, who purchased it from the estate of Robert Buick in 1955. Part of the land lies within the Ngaumutawa Block. The naming honoured Iorns' lifelong passion for trees and environmental conservation, reflected in the native plantings within the reserve.

Practical Info

Parking: on-street parking on Waterhouse Street. No public toilets on site. A walkway connects the reserve between Vogel Crescent and Waterhouse Street.