Jim Barker Memorial Playground

A full scale replica of an Otorohanga Transport truck and a Strait Shipping ferry anchor the Jim Barker Memorial Playground on Huiputea Drive, both built to commemorate the two companies founded by the town's namesake. It's a genuine destination build that suits a wide age range, from natural log scrambles for toddlers to the climb through structures for primary aged kids.

Equipment

Children can climb through and over both the truck and ferry replicas in ways standard equipment does not allow. A large Buzzy Bee figure and rugby goal posts at the entrance tie the site into Otorohanga's kiwiana streetscape, and a flying fox threads through wetland plantings at one end of the reserve, finishing beside a timber boardwalk. Water play features sit alongside the more active equipment, and stepping logs and log scrambles spread through the grassed areas give younger children unprogrammed space. Swings, further slides, climbing structures and balance beams round out the site.

Practical Info

The reserve fronts Lake Huiputea, with a walking track circling the lake and connecting to the Sir Edmund Hillary Walkway through town. Parking and toilets are on site, and shaded spots are available within the grassed, native planted setting, which suits pushchairs on the flat terrain around the main equipment.