Access
521 Ferry Road, next to the Kimihia Early Learning Centre.
Metroinfo(external link) has up to date bus information.
Dogs
To protect native plantings and wildlife values, dogs are prohibited from the Reserve.
A stormwater basin and urban forest development.
Visit
Urban forest
Te Oranga Waikura is a developing urban forest and stormwater basin situated on the old Linwood Lower Fields. It is designed to protect properties from flooding during storm events and regenerate the local ecosystem.
In time, the planted matai, kahikatea, totara and hinau trees will grow to be a habitat for native bush birds such as bellbird/korimako and kereru and also attract locally extinct birds back into the city.
These particular native trees were chosen so Te Oranga Waikura would represent the look of an ancient Canterbury Plains forest, much like Riccarton Bush. The trees will grow for 1000 years, which means 32 generations of people will be able to touch their leaves.
Find out more about the benefits this forest will have to the local community.
Te Oranga Waikura loop walk
Start: 521 Ferry Road, beside the Kimihia Early Learning Centre.
Finish: Same place as starting point.
Distance: 500m.
Time: 10 to 15 minutes return.
Accessible: Suitable for buggies and wheelchairs although the path is replaced by grass just over half-way around.
Description:
Follow the path up the driveway from Ferry Road and enter through the gate, taking care to close it again behind you to stop predators from getting in.
The trail takes you past the newly planted trees – many of which were planted by members of the community – and around the stormwater basin.
At the end of the path, continue onto the grass and walk back to the entrance. If the grass is too wet, return the way you came.