Queen Elizabeth Park

The Kids Own Playground at Queen Elizabeth Park is a big, character heavy play space built around a wooden castle, playhouses and a train themed unit, best suited to primary school aged children with a fenced junior area alongside for toddlers. It sits inside Masterton's 81 hectare riverside park, alongside a skatepark, BMX track and mini golf, so a visit easily stretches into a full afternoon.

Equipment

The castle structure anchors playhouses, a train themed play unit, slides, a flying fox, swings, a hamster wheel, a spinner, a swing rocker and a climbing net, with a fenced junior area set aside for younger children nearby. The Masterton Skatepark and BMX Track are a short walk away, and mini golf runs on site for an added fee.

Access and Inclusion

The playground includes play equipment suited to visitors with mobility impairments, sits on bark surfacing close to parking on Dixon Street, and is shaded by established trees. Masterton District Council parks operate under a smokefree policy.

History and Cultural

The park was established in 1875 as Masterton Park and first planted in 1878, taking its current name in 1954 to mark Queen Elizabeth II's visit to the town. A band rotunda dates to 1902, built for King Edward VII's coronation. The miniature railway has run since 1972 and still charges $1 a ride, a price unchanged since 1984, operating during school holidays and weekends. The Kids Own Playground itself was built in 1999 by around 2,300 community volunteers over six days, and the Rotary Club of Masterton South is now planning its replacement. The park holds a Green Flag Award from the 2022/23 round, one of just 23 in New Zealand recognised for park quality.

Practical Info

Angle parking runs along Dixon Street, with public toilets on site. The miniature railway operates school holidays and weekends for $1 a ride, and mini golf and pedal boats or kayaks on the lake are available for an added fee.