Edwardian Formality in a South Taranaki Garden
King Edward Park is Hāwera's main formal garden, located near the town centre. It was commissioned in 1875, laid out to a design by surveyor and engineer Henry Climie, and opened in 1902 to mark the coronation of King Edward VII. Two oak trees planted at the opening ceremony still stand near the main entrance. The park is built around two intersecting grassed avenues intended for promenading, alongside collections of plants suited to the South Taranaki climate.
Notable Features and Memorials
The park accumulates history in its objects. Wrought iron gates erected for the Hāwera Industrial Exhibition of 1904 also commemorate the district's troops who died in the Boer War. A marble statue of pioneering farmer Arthur Albert Fantham was unveiled in 1908. The observatory, which began as a band rotunda, and a naval cannon that never fired a shot in anger, were both installed in 1912.
But the park's most unusual statue is a bronze statue of Wendy, installed in 1951. It was created in England to commemorate Hāwera mayor James Campbell, who died in office, and is the companion piece to the Peter Pan statue in London's Kensington Gardens. A pirate ship and tree fort built by the local Lions Club carry the Peter Pan theme into the children's playground.
Another unusual feature is the Sound Mirrors. These are modelled on parabolic dishes set up around the time of WW2 to detect aircraft noise. Here they are arranged to reflect sounds between the dishes.
Gardens, Lake, and Plantings
Much of the park's horticultural character was shaped by Charles Goodson, a community leader and botanist who championed both native and exotic plantings. The tōtara hedge he established in 1905 still runs along part of the park boundary. His extensive daffodil beds and a scented luculia he introduced to New Zealand add seasonal interest.
After his death, the Hawera Horticultural Society created the Goodson Memorial Garden, which holds rhododendrons and azaleas. The model boating lake is a wide ornamental pond that reflects the surrounding trees and rose borders; it is home to ducks and occasional model yachts. The park also has a rose garden, camellia collection, and children's playground with public toilets.
How to Get There
King Edward Park is near central Hāwera and can be accessed from High Street, Waihi Road, and the corner of Camberwell and High Streets. A 30-minute Park-to-Park walkway connects King Edward Park southward to Naumai Park via the town centre.
Other nearby places to visit include Tawhiti Museum, Waihi Beach, Ōhawe Beach and Kāpokonui Beach.
