Pretty cool park with a neat little road track with stop signs and stuff for kids (and some adults)…read moreto learn the road rules, and a funky swing that looks like something out of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. And... A ridiculously steep slide!!! Check out my pics and read the tip on this one, you're gonna need it... I can hear you shiver with antici - - - - pation!

The park is clean and the playground is super duper exciting with a huge climbing structure made of…read morerope. More for the advanced of young climbers, 8 years and up. There's a two person swing which again should only be attempted by the agile and sober...and preferably of the smaller in stature and of similar sizes. The park is clean with well kept gardens. The toilets are on an electronic release and subjected to vandalism. It would pay to bring your own disinfectant wipes but there is toilet paper and the hand dryers are working! Bonus! The park benches are under luscious green trees which provide cool shade which was welcome respite on a hot day like today. Best not to hang around after dark. Best not to park your freedom camper nearby either. The area can be a bit rough. Other than that, enjoy! Other than that, it's a blast!

Beautiful water garden that I stumbled across by accident online and correctly knew that I had to…read morevisit in person with the family. The photos do not do it justice- it was so much more beautiful seeing it in real life. Had such a great day just being with nature and soaking up the summer sun with good company. An amazing, huge circular garden with a maze of walking paths on the forest floor, ground, mud, grass leading to different points of interest marked by letters of the alphabet, at different levels and heights. Had a good time admiring the various sculptures within the gardens from life size to small garden ornaments. At Wrights, they specialise in aquatics as well as ground-bound plants- there were several big ponds with waterlilies frequented by thin dragonflies, saw their eel pond but had trouble finding their colony of turtles. They had a cool wooden boardwalk-type over the ponds that we had quite some fun with. Tall, small, colorful and vibrantly bright flowers around everywhere amongst the green bushes, grass, shrubery and trees. Lots of ups, downs, curved pathways into mini forests, next to fields and around the Mauku Waterfall and stream the gardens were built around. A surprise temple and neat wedding venue field as well. A lovely gift shop with a huge range of Chinese porcelain vases, as well as tinkling windchimes, souvenir jewellery and other knick knacks. They also have a cafe that we were unable to visit this time around but noticed their small collection of drinks and snacks if you don't bring your own just before entering the gardens. Stopped by the garden nursery just before we left as well to see the plants thriving in their individual water crates as well as lots of different types of fish for sale. A beautiful spot to visit for anyone of any age- highly recommend it

This was our first visit here. We took a packed lunch and spent a few hours wandering around…read moreexploring the wonderful sights. It is also a great location for a Wedding !

Totara Park is a South Auckland staple. Its highly likely that growing up in the Manurewa/Manukau…read morearea meant you were here for swimming lessons, a day out with family or school, or a hangout with friends. Its ideal for family picnics, barbecues (they have facilities available) and get-togethers. The children's playground keeps the younger ones, and the young at heart, entertained. The free supervised swimming pools are open in February and March, and are perfect for that relaxing swim on a scorching day. As a teenager, my dad dragged my siblings and I here every morning of the school holidays for the 45 minute bush walk, and while I barely liked it back then, I'm grateful. These days, that bush walk, among the other trails you can take at Totara Park, are somewhat of a blessing (apart from the killer stairs!). The farm track from the Redoubt Rd entrance to the main picnic area on Wairere Road is a popular one, just be sure not to run past the cows as they can get pretty scary (for me at least). Another track, the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail, takes about two hours to complete and connects Totara Park with the nearby Botanic Gardens.

Whether you're feeling a bit like Sir Edmund Hilary and fancy a steep climb, or you would like a…read moregentle walk into a forested cathedral with a cascading waterfall, Clevedon Scenic Reserve has something for you. I've climbed the summit (which took about 40 mins) and sipped in the beautiful sea view beyond the forest. I've also walked the boarded path to Thorps Quarry, which is a secret haven for some forest-loving pixies. Both are thoroughly enjoyable, and highly recommended for any outdoor fan. Parking is ample and very close to some Clevedon cafes/superettes if you're thirsty after your expedition.

Every time I walk the 30 mins to up the top of Clevedon reserve I'm glad I did. The 360 degree…read moreviews of Manukau, Waitakere, Auckland, hauraki gulf the Coromandel are breathtaking.