Auckland Council secures land to expand and protect Botanic Gardens

Auckland Council has paid $12.37 million for 1.6 hectares of land on Hill Road in Manurewa to extend the Auckland Botanic Gardens and protect access to this treasured park.

Mayor Wayne Brown says a large land acquisition is a difficult decision to make at a time of significant budget constraints, but the benefit for future generations and open space provision in a fast-growing part of the region weighed heavily in favour of the purchase.

Mayor Brown advised “we have made a decision that will protect one of the region’s most treasured assets and provide both guaranteed access and greater protection to the Gardens. We had to act now to protect it from inappropriate development, or this opportunity would have been lost forever.”

Council's payment of $12.37 million for the property excludes GST, which will see $10.76 million funded by debt.

“We don’t have funds sitting in reserve for open space purposes, so the choice to debt-fund this acquisition is based on spreading the cost of a strategic capital investment across the generations that will use it,” notes Mayor Brown.

The first and largest block of land acquired for the Auckland Botanic Gardens was purchased by the Auckland Regional Authority from the Nathan Estate in 1967 beginning a long association between the Gardens and the Nathan family.

A Nathan family representative shared  “Our father’s generation chose to make their family farm available as a botanic garden for Auckland, instead of subdividing it.

"As neighbours, we have remained passionate supporters of the Gardens and are thrilled that we can continue to be part of the Auckland Botanic Gardens history and to see the Gardens grow.

“We think Jack Hobbs and his team has done a wonderful job and look forward to seeing how they integrate this property into the Gardens for everyone to enjoy.”

Planning, Environment and Parks Committee Chair Cr Richard Hills says this land acquisition offers room for growth and a future opportunity to develop themed gardens in alignment with the Auckland Botanic Gardens Masterplan.

“Ethnobotanical gardens are one of the masterplan’s elements and it’s exciting to think that this space could offer the opportunity to include Māori and Pasifika traditional gardens that provide educational, ecological and cultural experiences for visitors and future generations.

“Alongside meeting our core purpose of a being a spectacular south pacific botanic garden, there’s also a practical element that scored highly when assessing whether to buy this land.

“The ever-increasing popularity of the Gardens draws more and more visitors each year, putting pressure on busy Hill Road and creating traffic safety and management challenges.

“Being able to extend the Gardens’ frontage further along Hill Road has the potential to address current traffic management issues when budget allows,” he says.

The Friends of Auckland Botanic Gardens has congratulated the council on acquiring this strategically important property. 

Friends President Viv Canham says the property will ultimately add so much value to the experience of the Gardens’ one million-plus annual visitors adding “Its elevated north-facing aspect and roadside location opens up exciting possibilities, and the Friends look forward to actively supporting its development.”

Auckland Council’s representative on the Friends’ executive, Councillor Christine Fletcher, says the Gardens is a particularly important piece of the heart of south Auckland and, had this opportunity been lost to development, it would have been lost forever.

“The Gardens carries all the hallmarks and values of the regional parks network, whose founders were referred to as ‘dreamers of the day’ for their foresight in securing such valuable land as open space for generations of Aucklanders to enjoy. It is heartwarming to think that we have been able to add to that legacy.”

Cr Fletcher also acknowledges the incredible partnership that the Friends has with the council sharing “Through its membership, support and fundraising, the Friends continue to add value to the Gardens and have signalled their ongoing commitment to ensure operating costs can be minimised as we bring this land into the Gardens’ footprint.”

• Auckland Council has confirmed an unconditional purchase of the 1.6187 hectare site adjacent to the Auckland Botanic Gardens at 120 Hill Road in Manurewa, at a cost of $12,377,299 (including GST). Settlement is scheduled for the end of October 2023.

• Funding for any future development would need to be considered in the outer years of the Long-term Plan 2024-2034, including consideration of partnership and external funding.

• In the interim, the expected immediate operational expenditure for maintenance of the site will be met from existing Auckland Botanic Gardens operating budget and staff resource.

• The future use of the land will be held as a regional park and be protected in perpetuity under the Local Government Act 2002. This means that the land will be held in public ownership for natural, cultural, ecological, botanical and recreational purposes, and is protected from disposal.

Auckland Botanic Gardens gets around one million visitors annually. Visitation peaked at 1,142,057 in 2019/20 when it hosted Sculpture in the Gardens and has almost doubled since 2004/05 – due to the opening of the Huakaiwaka Visitor Centre.

Images from top:The Pōhutukawa Walk leads visitors up to the Huakaiwaka Visitor Centre; expansion plan; Land acquired from the Nathan Estate on Hill Road in Manurewa Credit: Bayleys; Auckland Botanic Gardens opened in 1982 and now welcomes around one million visitors each year