Queen Elizabeth Park, Kapiti Coast

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Queen Elizabeth Park
Queen Elizabeth Park, New Zealand.jpg
Queen Elizabeth Park, looking towards State Highway One
Queen Elizabeth Park, Kapiti Coast
TypeRegional park
Location Kapiti Coast, New Zealand
Coordinates 40°57′54″S174°58′10″E / 40.964928°S 174.969335°E / -40.964928; 174.969335
Area638 hectares (1,580 acres)
Created1953
Operated by Wellington Regional Council
Open8am-dusk
StatusOpen

Queen Elizabeth Park is a regional park located on the Kapiti Coast in New Zealand. The park is managed by the Greater Wellington Regional Council and contains the last area of natural dunes on the Kapiti Coast. [1] Facilities and attractions at the park include walkways, a restored wetland, a campground, a visitor centre, the Wellington Tramway Museum, and an area for equestrian activities.

Contents

Geography

The park is bordered by Paekākāriki, Raumati South, two state highways (SH 1 and SH 59), and the North Island Main Trunk Railway.

The main entrance is at Mackays Crossing; secondary entrances are in Raumati South and Paekākāriki. [1]

History

The park is steeped in history including pā sites at Whareroa Beach and Wainui Beach. The tangata whenua of the park are Ngati Haumia, a hapu of the Ngāti Toa iwi and Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai, [2] who occupied the area for hundreds of years until the mid-19th century. [3]

The number of European settlers grew during the 1830s, and European farmers started to dominate the area from the mid-1850s. [3]

During World War II, the park was the location of two United States Army and Marines bases, Camp MacKay and Camp Russell. U.S. troops were stationed at the camps in 1942–44 prior to being sent into combat in the Pacific Ocean theatre. Today, little evidence of the 20,000 strong military camps remains. [2] [4] A group of facades represents the huts of the marines who lived in the area during World War II, and there is also a sculpture memorial to ten marines who died when a vessel sank offshore. [5]

The park was named for Queen Elizabeth II before her coronation and was opened during the 1953 Royal Visit. Many recreation facilities were developed in the 1950s and 1960s. [2]

The park has legal protection as a recreation reserve under the Reserves Act 1977. [6]

Restoration of wetland

Wetland scene at Queen Elizabeth Park Wetland scene at Queen Elizabeth Park.jpg
Wetland scene at Queen Elizabeth Park

Two areas of wetland were created within the park in the 2000s near Mackay's Crossing, using excavation and plantings to restore the habitat. There is a renmant of native bush adjacent to the restored wetland. [7]

In 2021, about 25 hectares (62 acres) of highly modified peat land on the north-eastern corner of the park was replanted, to restore it to wetland and native forest by about 2026. [8] [9] Environmentalists wanted other farmland in the regional park to also be restored to wetland. [10]

In December 2021, 200 hectares (490 acres) of land previously leased for grazing stock was retired so that it could be restored. [11]

Visitor centre

Ramaroa Centre - Mackays Crossing, Queen Elizabeth Park Ramaroa Centre - Queen Elizabeth Park -MC 01.jpg
Ramaroa Centre – Mackays Crossing, Queen Elizabeth Park

Plans for the development of the park facilities at the Mackays Crossing entrance were announced in 2012. [12] A visitor centre named Ramaroa was opened in 2017. [13] The complex includes a meeting room with capacity for 60 people, a park ranger office and public toilets. The design of the Ramaroa Centre is unusual and includes a gullwing roof. The architecture takes inspiration from the history of the site, including Māori wharenui and the forms of the tents and huts used in the US Marines camp. [14]

Recreation

Several expansive lawn areas near Whareroa Beach and the southern entrance at Paekākāriki provide plenty of space for picnics and recreational activities. Public toilets are located at the car parks at the end of the road to Whareroa Beach, and near the playground and car parks at the Paekākāriki entrance. [1]

A coastal walkway and an inland walkway run the length of Queen Elizabeth Park from Raumati South to Paekākārikii. Near the main entrance, a loop walkway leads through a wetland area and bush remnant with mature kahikatea. [1]

The park also includes the Wellington Tramway Museum [15] and several campgrounds. [1]

The park is open from 8am to dusk, year-round. Dogs are permitted, but must be kept on a leash in picnic areas and are not permitted on or near farmland. Fireworks are prohibited at all times. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Queen Elizabeth Park". gw.govt.nz. Wellington Regional Council. Archived from the original on 23 October 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 "Queen Elizabeth Park History". gw.govt.nz. Wellington Regional Council. Archived from the original on 21 December 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2019.
  3. 1 2 Willis, Rosalie (30 December 2019). "Lots to do at Queen Elizabeth Park on Kāpiti Coast". New Zealand Herald. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  4. ↑ "The Camps". nzhistory.net.nz. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Archived from the original on 21 October 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2008.
  5. ↑ Walker, Randall (23 January 2013). "History tour of royal park". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  6. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Park". Land Information New Zealand. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  7. ↑ "Queen Elizabeth Park Resource Statement" (PDF). Greater Wellington Regional Council. November 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  8. ↑ "Final planting just the beginning for Queen Elizabeth Park". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. New Zealand Herald. 9 July 2020. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Gaylor, Penny (30 September 2020). "Restoration work in popular park means big win for environment". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Kapiti News. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  10. ↑ Wannan, Oliva (3 March 2020). "Queen Elizabeth Park wetlands restoration delay could cost thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide". New Zealand Media and Entertainment. Dominion Post. Archived from the original on 12 September 2021. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
  11. ↑ "Stock grazing to end in Queen Elizabeth Park". RNZ. 11 December 2021. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  12. ↑ Maxwell, Joel (12 September 2012). "Queen Elizabeth Park to get $2m revamp". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  13. ↑ "Ramaroa opening adds new dimension to Queen Elizabeth Park". Greater Wellington Regional Council. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "Ramaroa Centre". Greater Wellington Regional Council. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  15. ↑ Thomson, Rebecca (17 December 2015). "Tramways museum keeps trams trundling along". Stuff. Archived from the original on 3 October 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2022.

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