Tekapo Playground and Flying Fox

Two flying fox cables run side by side down the bank towards the turquoise water at this Lake Tekapo lakefront playground, so siblings can race each other with the Southern Alps across the lake. It sits right behind the Four Square on Tekapo's main street in the Mackenzie Country, which makes it the easiest stop in town when the kids need to run.

Equipment

The play space is split in two. Up the bank, a raised timber deck launches the twin flying fox,¹² and beside it a long enclosed tube slide drops from a small tower, with sleeper steps leading up. It is the slide and the flying fox that visitors keep mentioning, and adults happily have a go on the flying fox too. Down on the flat sit two swing frames: one with a basket swing and toddler bucket seats, the other hung with long woven rope log swings. Surfacing is pea gravel held in by railway sleepers,¹ with grass and tussock planting around the edges.

History and Cultural

The community built the playground in 2017 with its own funds and equipment, helped by a $102,000 council reserve grant.¹ Council tendered a rocket-themed upgrade in 2026,³ but councillors voted to drop it and keep $150,000 for maintenance instead.⁴

Practical Info

Parking is shared with the Four Square, and public toilets and the supermarket are a short walk away, so lunch is easy. A roofed shelter with picnic tables on the lawn is the main shade; there is little else on a hot Mackenzie afternoon. Nothing is fenced and the lake edge is open, so toddlers need a close eye, especially near the flying fox landing. The swings suit little ones, while the flying fox and slide are where school-age kids will spend their time. Expect campervans and a steady flow of travellers in summer.