Don’t have a backyard? Come visit ours! We’ve got more than 50,000 hectares of backyard just waiting for you to explore.

Each of our “oarsome” parks offers something a little bit special, with different activities and landscapes particular to them. No two parks are the same, so you need to visit them all!

If your idea of beauty is remote, windswept bluffs with lighthouses, we’ve got that. How about lush native forests? We’ve got that too. We’ve got rivers and beaches, farmland and wetlands, sand dunes and film sets. Our parks and their landscapes represent the diversity that is the Greater Wellington Region.

There are activities to suit almost everyone. We’ve got opportunities for walking, hiking and tramping, mountain biking and recreational cycling, horse riding, fishing, diving and camping. There’s hunting and picnics, kayaking and motor cross, and swimming and feeding eels.

Warning – toxic algae 

There are high levels of toxic algae in Kaitoke Regional Park at the meeting of the Pakuratahi and Hutt rivers. It is also present between Moonshine Bridge and Fairway Drive Bridge on the Hutt River. You are strongly advised not to swim in these places, to monitor your children and to keep your dogs on a lead. Toxic algae can cause serious illness or fatality if eaten. To ensure you can recognise it in any waterway and remain safe, take a look at our Is it safe to Swim? page.