Cockle Bay Playground

Cockle Bay Playground pairs a three bay swing set, including a face to face adult and baby swing, with a natural play area of tree stumps, stepping logs, balance beams and timber stilts, all a short stroll back from the sand at Shelly Beach Parade.

Equipment

A multi play structure anchors the space with a tubular slide and a second slide sized for younger children, alongside a seesaw, monkey bars and a tube fun phone set for imaginative play. Much of the site is finished in bark, with fixed seating nearby for parents keeping watch.

Access and Inclusion

A 2022 upgrade added a wheelchair accessible carousel, a wet pour rubber surface around key play elements, and shade sails over the main play area. Community consultation, including engagement with mana whenua, ran from 2019 through to that delivery.

History and Cultural

Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, the local iwi, contributed cultural artwork to the rebuild, with pathway designs cast into the concrete and graphic painting across poles in the natural play area, created by artist Reuben Kirkwood.

Practical Info

On-street parking serves the site in Auckland's Howick area. There's no shade directly over the play equipment or seating, though established trees offer some cover for those watching on, and a smokefree policy applies.