Spencer Park : Christchurch City Council

Spencer Park is a great place for a family day trip or a weekend stay at the nearby holiday park.

Spencer Park is 14km north-east of Christchurch. The main access is off Lower Styx Road and Heyders Road.

Metroinfo (external link) has up to date bus information.

Family activities and picnics

Spencer Park has a small animal enclosure, a children’s adventure playground, a paddling pool, and many interesting short walks. There are also a number of picnic areas and free bbqs in the park.

View a map and find out about booking one of these picnic spaces.

Beach

The beach is a short walk or drive from the main park. Safe swimming is between the flags at the Surf Life Saving Club in the summer months.

Adventure

Brooklands Lagoon and the coastal path provide much longer walks and are especially interesting for bird-watching. Just south of the park there are plenty of horse and biking routes in Bottle Lake Forest Park.

Fishing

Fishing and whitebaiting is popular but a permit and key must be obtained from the Spencer Park Rangers phone (03) 941 7560. If driving a vehicle on the beach, please keep to the hard sand. Motorbikes, dune buggies and 4WD vehicles in the dunes damage plants, destroy wildlife and disturb nesting and roosting birds

Opening hours

Gates are open from 8am to 7pm and during daylight saving months from 8am to 9pm. The Animal Park is open from 9am to 4pm.

Gate closures are administered by ADT security. A call out fee will be charged to release vehicles. Beach gates are closed at all times.

Dogs

Dogs are permitted in Spencer Park and must be on a leash in certain areas. Dogs are not permitted in Brooklands Lagoon. The Dog control map [PDF, 232 KB] has more information.

Spencer Park is a rubbish free park. Please take your rubbish home with you.

Find out more about the park and what it has to offer in the Spencer Park and Brooklands Lagoon brochure [PDF, 1.1 MB].