Craigavon Park

Craigavon Park's playground is built around a sloping water play unit that channels water down through the site's natural contours rather than sitting as a flat pool, paired with handcrafted Robinia Wobbly Wood timber pieces running through the whole layout, a combination that draws families from well beyond Blockhouse Bay.

Equipment

Toddlers and preschoolers get easy-access swings, a basket swing, a carousel and rockers, while older kids take on a mega swing and a see-saw. The sloping water feature and timber Wobbly Wood pieces tie the layout together rather than sitting as separate zones. A large circular seat wraps an established tree, with rocks placed around it for a calmer corner away from the main play.

Access and Inclusion

The basket swing suits mixed-age or mixed-ability siblings swinging side by side. The site's existing dog park, parking, barbecue and restrooms were kept and built around rather than replaced, so the upgrade slotted into a layout locals already knew, and a perimeter fence keeps the play equipment separate from the neighbouring dog exercise area.

History and Cultural

The land was a gift: Marianne Caughey, co-founder of the Smith and Caughey's department store family, donated 30 acres in November 1929, presenting the title deeds to Viscount Craigavon at a reception in Ellerslie before he passed them to Auckland's mayor. She named the park for Craigavon in Northern Ireland, her birthplace, and required the entrance gates be lettered with its name. The Smith family had already used the land for camping and recreation, and William Henry Smith planted trees on it himself. In late 1930 the council commissioned Fred Tschopp, a Swiss émigré considered New Zealand's first modern landscape architect, to design the tree planting, clearing and pathways that still shape the grounds nearly a century later.

Practical Info

Onsite amenities include 15 fitness stations, a drinking fountain and a barbecue. A skate park sits just across Kinross Street at the neighbouring reserve for older kids who outgrow the playground, making a two-stop visit easy on the same afternoon.