A choice of easy, accessible walks connect small botanical collections representing six of Christchurch's sister cities: Adelaide (South Australia), Christchurch (England), Gansu Province (China), Kurashiki (Japan), Seattle (USA), and Songpa-Gu (Korea).
Sister City Gardens
The Sister City gardens project has seen the development of botanical collections that represent the landscape of our Sister Cities, as well as our own region here in Canterbury, New Zealand.
The landscaping of the gardens was carefully planned after extensive consultation with each of the Sister Cities. Each botanical collection has 1,000 square metres of land suiting the diverse plant types from around each Sister City region. The plants selected for each area are all natives of their respective regions.
Groundwork started in early 1999 and the first trees were ceremoniously planted in June that year. There are seats and sculptures to be enjoyed throughout the park while the gardens develop and become more established over time.
| Start | Main car park, Halswell Quarry, Kennedys Bush Road |
| Finish | Same as the starting point |
| Distance | 1.5 km |
| Time | 30 minutes one way |
| Toilets | Located in the main car park area and Findlay's picnic area |
| Dogs | Must be kept on a leash |
| Description |
There are several short 15-minute walks that explore the reserve and wander beside the ponds or through the Sister City areas. These tracks can be linked up for a longer perimeter walk which would take about an hour to return. Some tracks are suitable for wheelchairs and buggies. Get ready for this track using Plan My Walk(external link) by the NZ Mountain Safety Council. You can find track alerts, weather forecasts, trip reviews and a packing list, so you are set for your adventure. |
Disclaimer
While we do our best to ensure information is correct and regularly updated, errors in the data and its completeness may occur. The walks that we are promoting are represented by interactive, selectable lines - we cannot verify the accuracy of any tracks displayed on the underlying base map.
All users should be aware that changes in the environment can happen quickly such as slips, rockfalls, or access across private land and may not be represented immediately on the mapping provided. Take note of signs on the ground. Be aware of safety in the outdoors and be suitably prepared for your walk.
Walking tracks
Shared use
Connecting tracks
Closed
Parking
Bus stop
Toilets
Water fountains
Accessible tracks
Challenging feature
Entry and exit point
Point of interest