Hammond Park : Hamilton's Hidden Gem
If you asked many in Hamilton if they know about Hammond Park, I would guess many would ask - what park? Because Hammond Park is one of those hidden gems that many locals still do not know about but is an awfully special place to know.
Hammond Park is a green patch of indigenous forest located on the banks of the Waikato River. Hamilton is one of the most modified landscape’s in New Zealand, with only 1.6% of the indigenous vegetation remaining.
Hammond Park is a beautiful patch of native bush that is Hamilton’s most diverse forest remnant and Hamilton’s hidden gem.
Location
Unless you are looking for it, you will properly won’t find Hammond Park. Nestled within the suburb of Riverlea, surrounded by some of the fancier houses in Hamilton, is Hammond Park. Access can be found from Balfour Crescent, Riverlea Road and Malcolm St park.
History of Hammond Park
Hammond park over the years has been restored by community groups and the council. Trees have been planted, weeds have been pulled, pests caught, and boardwalks constructed. It is now a place that is both a natural haven for wildlife, but also for the community.
Hammond Park is part of the wider green network of Hamilton, a network of gullies along the Waikato River. These spaces are incredibly important to wildlife, as they provide a corridor for flight for birds like tui, kaka and the bellbird, between Hamilton and places like Pirongia Forest Park.
The park has particular importance to Maori with two Pa previously occupying the site prior to European settlement.
The Walk
The walk is mostly board walked and takes you through this one-hectare bush along the Waikato River. The walk is a shared pathway for cyclists, as it is part of the Te Awa River Trail. It is mostly flat. The board walk passes through more than one kilometre of forest, past a lookout with scenic river views and crosses two small streams before exiting on to Balfour Crescent and Riverlea Road in the south.
The walk takes as long as you want it to, and you walk in and back out. Some of the boardwalk at present is closed to the public.
At the section which is closed, you can go down a flight of concrete stairs, which takes you closer to the forest. This section of the walk will also take you along a stream and across a bridge. It is one of my favorite parts of the walk, as it feels as if you are in the middle of a faraway forest despite being in the middle of Hamilton City.
Special Features
Bats - New Zealand’s rare long-tailed bats are regularly sighted within the park. Hamilton is the only city in New Zealand known to have its own population of bats. They nest inside the hollows of dead and dying trees.
These bats are tiny, weigh only 8-11 grams, and at dusk commonly fly along the forest edges. They can fly up to 60kmph and their range can be more than 100km2.
Project Echo, which is a collaborative project supported by the Department of Conservation, Waikato Regional Council, Waikato Museum, Riverlea Environment Society and Go Eco, builds bat boxes for bats to roost in as well as extensively monitors them via an acoustic monitoring programme. To learn more about the Go Eco Project, check out their Facebook Page.
Swamp Maire - Swamp Maire, or Syzygium Maire, an evergreen endemic tree was once common within Hamilton but due to development and agriculture, the tree with distinctive pink bark is now almost gone from the city. However, in Hammond Park, it thrives. Swamp Maire has pretty white flowers in Autumn and bright red berries, which are edible.
Native Plants - There are many other native plants found in Hammond Park. Kawakawa bushes line the boardwalk, dappled in the sunshine, Mahoe trees which have unique purple berries, lemonwood which when crushed releases a delicious lemon aroma, kaikomako which produces shiny black fruit in autumn and is a favourite food of the New Zealand bellbird and Pate, or seven fingers, which is a glossy leaved endemic tree with unique finger-like leaves. In total, there are around 145 different native plant species to be found in this small one-hectare bush.
Native Birds - There are many native birds that call this space home. You will most likely hear the call of the tui as you venture through the bush. You may also see or hear riroriro or grey warbler, silvereye/tauhou, Kahu or the harrier, and kereru. If you are lucky, you may also spot kaka or bellbird | korimako.
Community
If you want to get involved in this amazing green space, you can come along to one of the community days hosted by Riverlea Environmental Society. Every second and fourth Thursday they have a weed pulling morning, and the last Saturday of the month, they have a planting and weeding morning. To find out more, check out their website.
Quick Facts
Dogs - Dogs are allowed but must be on a leash.
Accessibility - Most of the walk is suitable for prams and wheelchairs, except for the part at the end which has stairs
Bins - There is a bin at the access point at Malcolm Road.
Walk - One Kilometre of boardwalk, easy grade
Toilets - No toilets available, so go before you come