Waimarama Domain

A flying fox and swings a short walk from the surf at Waimārama Beach make this domain playground, south of Havelock North in Hastings District, the easy way to break up a long beach day. The play area sits on the grassy Waimārama Domain just behind the surf life saving club and its watch tower, so the sand and the patrol flags are a couple of minutes away.²

Equipment

The council lists a flying fox, seesaw, slides, monkey bars, standing spinners, a skateboard teeter, a climbing frame, a merry-go-round and swings.¹ Kids On Board adds a surf life saving boat that children can clamber into.² Aerial imagery shows the equipment set around a round, sand-coloured play circle, with a large tree on one edge and two shade sails just beside it. The spinners, merry-go-round and monkey bars suit school-age kids best, while the swings, seesaw and boat give under-fives plenty to do.

Access and Inclusion

Aerial imagery shows no fence around the play area, which opens straight onto the domain lawn. That is good for running about but means toddlers need watching, particularly with the beach so close. The beach itself has strong rip currents and is patrolled by surf lifeguards at weekends from November to March, so swim between the flags.⁴

Practical Info

The domain has public toilets, picnic tables and a free-to-use barbecue,¹ and Kids On Board notes a changing area by the toilets.² One Google reviewer found it always well kept, with plenty of picnic spots and somewhere to park the car in the shade. To drive in, take Airini Road past the store, turn right onto Moori Road and right again into the domain, then follow the road round to public parking and beach access.³ The general store has a takeaways menu for an easy lunch,³ and the bare outline of Motu o Kura (Bare Island) lies about 2 km off the coast.³ Waimārama is about 20 minutes' drive from Havelock North.³