AusLeisure

23 Australasian public parks have received the prestigious international Green Flag Award for 2013/14.

Announcing the Awards, Parks Forum Chief Executive David Clarke, congratulated each of the managing organisations on attaining the Green Flag Award.

Clarke stated "it is great to see so many new sites, as well as last year's winners being nominated for the 2013-14 Award.

"To have so many nominated sites go through the rigorous judging process and come out with this award is a wonderful achievement and a testament to the great work of our park organisations.

"Winning agencies can confidently promote their parks and reserves as being the highest quality green spaces that provide a great experience for visitors. Local users, national and international tourists alike can be sure that they will be visiting an exceptional park."

The Green Flag Award acknowledges excellence in the management of parks against key criteria relating to public usage and benefits. Qualified judges from Australia and New Zealand assess each park on their standards of safety, welcoming facilities, management of the environment and historical features, as well as recognising the role of parks as being great places to play and recreate. Parks were also judged on their sustainability practices and overall standard of management.

All Green Flag Award 2013/14 winners are listed below.

Applications are now open for the Green Flag Award 2014/15 with the Parks Forum encouraging all agencies to nominate their best parks for the Award.

Applications close on 1st July 2014.

2013/14 Green Flag Award in Australia and New Zealand.

Ambury Regional Park
Ambury Regional Park is a working farm close to urban Auckland that preserves rural landscapes and provides farm education programmes for school children. The park offers expansive vistas of the Manukau Heads and Mangere Mountain, and contains unique geological features, such as lava caves, Maori stonefields and European stonewalls.
 
Centennial Parklands, Sydney
Centennial Parklands is one of Australia's leading public parklands and holds a distinctive and special place in Australian history, culture and modern day life. Encompassing Centennial Park, Moore Park and Queens Park, the Parklands covers 360 hectares and receives an estimated 11 million visits a year.

Centennial Parklands

Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne
Fitzroy Gardens – with its tree-lined avenues and broad array of horticultural and built features – is the garden that people most readily identify as 'Melbourne'. It is the City of Melbourne's premier garden. Popular features in the Gardens include the Conservatory, the Fairies' Tree and Cooks' Cottage.
 
Hamilton Gardens
This park on the banks of the Waikato River has already become the region's most popular visitor destination attracting about one million visits annually. Tourism NZ figures suggest it is the urban park most frequently visited by New Zealanders travelling outside their region and there appears to be a growing international recognition.
 
Kaitoke Regional Park
Kaitoke Regional Park protects a large expanse of pristine lowland forest. This easily accessible park is managed for future Wellington water supply, biodiversity and offers extensive passive recreational opportunities within a natural setting. With over 200,000 visits per annum the park is a popular area for camping, walking and hiking, swimming and visiting the Lord of the Rings film site of Rivendell.
 
Karangahake Gorge
The Karangahake Gorge, located in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park is packed with rich history and natural beauty. It is a place where people can learn about the historic heritage of the region and offers a range of family friendly visitor opportunities.
 
Kings Park and Botanic Garden, Perth
Kings Park and Botanic Garden is the single most visited place in Western Australia. It holds a very special place in the hearts of Western Australians and the social, historical, environmental and cultural fabric of the State.

Kings Park 

Lake Matheson Walk, Fox Glacier
Lake Matheson is located 6 kilometres from Fox Glacier village in the Te Wähipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area. Nestled in ancient rainforest with a well formed walking track around the lake it provides safe and easy access to viewpoints of the Southern Alps.
 
Long Bay Regional Park
Long Bay Regional Park boasts one of the region's best urban beaches, and visitors travel across Auckland to continue their families' traditional summer gatherings. It has safe swimming and extensive grassed picnic areas. A popular all-abilities children's playground attracts local and the wider Auckland community.
 
Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington
Oruaiti Reserve is a popular recreational destination which provides a green backdrop to the suburb of Seatoun. The cultural significance and military heritage of the area is outstanding and can be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. 
 
Parihaka Scenic Reserve
Parihaka and the Hatea river reserves provide a 389 hectare natural, cultural and recreational backdrop to Whangarei City. Once a stronghold of thousands of people, now a forest clad mountain the reserves are steeped in history and now provide for urban users, walkers and more adventurous mountain-bikers.
 
Phillip Island Nature Parks, Victoria
Phillip Island Nature Parks is the home of Australia's most popular natural wildlife attraction – the iconic Penguin Parade, along with the Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island and Nobbies Centre.
 
Pukekura Park
Pukekura Park is a 52 hectare botanical gem that has pride of place in the centre of New Plymouth. 
In 1876 a stream river valley on the edge of the town was set aside as recreation ground. In the intervening years the city has grown around the park, which has itself been transformed into a mix of forest, green space, lakes, sports and entertainment venues, historical features and botanical excellence. 

Timber Trail - Pureora-Ongarue
The Timber Trail is a newly created recreation opportunity in the Pureora Forest Park. The trail and associated stories contrast the beauty of nature with the area’s logging history in a package that will appeal to young and old alike. 

Redfern Park, Sydney
Redfern Park, incorporating Redfern Oval, located in the heart of Redfern, was built in 1885. Its design reflected typical Victorian era pleasure grounds catering for passive and active recreation. The park continues to provide for the recreational needs of a diverse community.
 
Redwoods/Tokorangi
Rotorua's Tokorangi Forest, more commonly referred to as 'The Redwoods', is 280 hectares of exotic forest adjoining the greater Whakarewarewa Forest. Originally planted as a trial nursery in the early 1900s it has developed over time into a popular outdoor attraction and recreational haven for the local community and visitors.
 
Royal Park, Melbourne
Royal Park is the largest of Melbourne's parks, covering 165 hectares. The large open spaces make it hard to believe you are still in the city but the excellent facilities make it a popular place for sport, recreation and relaxation. 

Ruakuri Walk, Waitomo
The Ruakuri walk is a free karst and caves experience in the heart of Waitomo, famous for its glow worm caves. This sustainable experience has been created with the user in mind. Beginning at an amenity area with BBQ’s, toilets and a carpark, a quick 1km walk reveals the wonders of a karst landscape. 
 
Ruapekapeka Pa, Whangarei
Ruapekapeka Historic Reserve is the site of the last battle of the Northern War (1845/6) when Northern Maori stood up against the might of the British Empire. The pa offers panoramic views of rolling countryside with maunga (mountains) significant to Northland iwi visible on the horizon.

Ship Creek, Haast
Ship Creek/Tauparikaka is located adjacent to SH 6, approximately 12 kilometres north of Haast on the West Coast of the South Island. This is a place where visitors can stop and safely explore a remote and wild coastline, discover hidden dune lakes and walk through stunning lowland coastal forest in a pristine natural setting. 
 
Tawharanui Regional Park
Tawharanui Regional Park is considered one of the most remote and iconic of the regional parks, and integrates conservation with recreation and farming. It has superb swimming and surfing beaches, the largest campground in the regional parks network, and extensive walks with spectacular views of the Hauraki Gulf. 

Tawharanui Regional Park
 
TECT All Terrain Park
When the purchase of a huge adventure playground in the wilderness of Western Bay was announced in 2005 it was the answer to the dreams of hundreds of outdoor enthusiasts in the region. All Terrain Park is home to a range of clubs developing facilities for shooting, motorsports, equestrianism, model aircraft and mountain-biking.
 
Wairongomai, Bay of Plenty
The Waiorongomai Valley located in the Kaimai-Mamaku Forest Park (4 kilometres South of Te Aroha) is packed with rich history and natural beauty. It is a place where people can learn about the historic heritage of the region and offers a range of family friendly visitor opportunities. 

For more information go to www.parksforum.org/cms/pages/Green-Flag-Award.html

17th February 2013 - PARKS FORUM INVITES INDUSTRY TO CELEBRATE PARKS WEEK

29th January 2013 - CENTENNIAL PARKLANDS GAINS WORLD-CLASS RECOGNITION WITH GREEN FLAG AWARD

16th September 2012 - GREEN FLAG AWARD LAUNCHED IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND 

28th December 2011 - FOUNDATION CHIEF URGES AUSTRALIANS TO MAKE THE MOST OF ‘PARKS FOR PEOPLE’

10th May 2011 - PARKS ESSENTIAL FOR HUMAN HEALTH

27th June 2008 - PARKS FORUM HIGHLIGHTS VALUE OF PARKS

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