Cornwall Park, Auckland (must see)

Cornwall Park is one of Auckland’s best loved open spaces with its large landscaped gardens, sports fields and walking paths widely used by many of the city’s residents. Cornwall Park was named after the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and opened in 1903 by the then mayor Sir John Logan Campbell. The park is often referred to by locals as One Tree Hill after the lone tree that grew atop the park’s natural summit when the city was settled. The space that the park is laid out on is a volcanic cone, which makes it a highly fertile land where beautiful gardens can easily be cultivated.

The space was a traditionally important place for the Maori and it is the site of one of the largest Maori fortifications in the country. Today at the top of the hill you will see a large obelisk, which was unveiled in 1948 to celebrate the centenary of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Cornwall Park is also home to Acacia Cottage, the former residence of the Father of Auckland, Sir John Logan Campbell and the oldest surviving building in Auckland. The park is open from 7am until dusk each day of the year.