Cornwall Park, Auckland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cornwall Park
One Tree Hill near the heart of Cornwall Park
location within Auckland
Type	Park open to the public owned by Cornwall Park Trust
Location	Epsom, Auckland, New Zealand
Area	670 acres (270 hectares)
Created	1901
Operated by	Cornwall Park Trust
Status	Open year round during daylight

Sir John Logan Campbell's statue at Cornwall Park's formal entrance in Epsom.

Cornwall Park is a huge and beautiful park in Epsom, near the center of Auckland, New Zealand. It surrounds another important park called Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Together, these two parks create one very large green space, covering about 670 acres (271 hectares).

This park is full of history, with old heritage sites and wide-open spaces. You can find peaceful spots, tree-lined paths, and even sports fields for tennis and bowls. It also has a working farm, which helps city kids learn about farm life.

Cornwall Park: A Special Place

The park was a gift from John Logan Campbell, who lived in Auckland since 1840. He was also the mayor at the time. On June 10, 1901, he gave 230 acres (93 hectares) of land to a special group called a private trust. The nearby Maungakiekie park was bought by the government in 1845. Since 2012, it has been looked after by a Māori group called Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective.

The day after his gift, John Logan Campbell presented the park's papers to the Duke of Cornwall and York. This Duke later became King George V. Campbell asked if the park could be named Cornwall Park in the Duke's honor. A few weeks later, another nearby park, Alexandra Park, was named after the Duke's mother.

How the Park Started

Sir John Logan Campbell, who gave the park to the people.

John Logan Campbell gave the land to the Cornwall Park Trust. He set up this trust just for the park. At the time, people called the park's land "the finest land in the district." It was part of a much larger area that Dr. Campbell had bought many years before. He had planned to build a house there and planted many trees for it. But he later decided to live closer to the city center in Parnell.

You can still see the path he made in Cornwall Park. It sweeps in a curve from Puriri Drive to where his house was meant to be. Visitors can walk along this historic path today.

Who Manages the Park?

The Cornwall Park Trust Board Inc. looks after Cornwall Park. Their job is to make sure the park is used for the "recreation, enjoyment, pleasure and instruction" of the people of New Zealand. This means they manage the park so everyone can enjoy it.

Until 2012, they also helped manage the One Tree Hill Domain. But now, the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective makes all the decisions for Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill Domain.

The first people to be trustees of Cornwall Park were David Murdoch, Arthur Myers, Robert Hall, and Alfred Bankart.

Park Design

A young landscape designer named Austin Strong helped plan the park's layout. He was inspired by the famous Golden Gate Park in San Francisco.

Today, the park's design is still being looked after by expert landscape architects. They work to keep the park beautiful and enjoyable for everyone.

How the Park is Paid For

In 1907 and 1908, John Logan Campbell gave more land to the park. This extra land was meant to be rented out for building houses. The money from these rentals helps pay for the park's care and upkeep. With these gifts, Cornwall Park grew to about 477 acres (193 hectares). When you add the nearby One Tree Hill Domain, the total park area became about 607 acres (246 hectares).

Over the years, there were some challenges with paying for the park. In 1914, some land was rented out for homes to get money for urgent needs. The trustees also asked for help with taxes. In 1922, the government agreed to value the park's land based on its income as grazing land, which helped reduce taxes.

Later, in 1938, the government passed a law to help the park even more by making it free from certain taxes. In 1952, after Campbell's daughter passed away, the rest of his money also went to the Cornwall Park Trustees. This money is used for many good purposes, just as Campbell wanted.

Park Rules: No More Riding or Golf

Soon after World War II began, some activities were stopped in the park. Horse riding was banned because horses damaged the lawns. Golf was also stopped because it bothered the sheep that grazed in the park. Also, the park's rules said that activities should be for everyone, and golf was not seen as something everyone could do.

Cornwall Hospital in the Park

From 1942 to 1945, during World War II, the park was used by the country's defense forces. A temporary hospital was built there for the United States Army. It was a very big hospital, designed for 1,050 patients and their 715 helpers. Soon, it was made even bigger to hold 2,000 beds! There were 122 separate buildings, covering about 8 acres (3.2 hectares). They were built very quickly, in just over six weeks, during a wet winter.

After the war, these hospital buildings became Cornwall Hospital, which included a maternity ward and a hospital for older people. All these buildings were taken down in 1975. However, a hospital for blinded soldiers, which was also built nearby, still exists in the Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill Domain. It is now called Sorrento in the Park and is used for events.

Fun Things to Do at Cornwall Park

An Auckland ewe and her lamb enjoying the park.

Cornwall Park is a great place for many activities! You can enjoy the beautiful scenery, have a picnic, or watch birds. It's also perfect for walking, jogging, or bicycling. Remember to keep your dog on a leash! You can also see ewes (female sheep) and their cute lambs grazing in the fields.

The park also has special areas for organized sports:

• Tennis: You can play at the Campbell Park Tennis Club.
• Cricket: The Cornwall Cricket Club is based here.
• Rugby union: The Grammar Carlton RFC team plays here.
• Rugby league: This is the main place for the Auckland Rugby League.
• Archery: You can find Auckland Archery in the neighboring One Tree Hill Domain.
• Lawn bowls: Carlton Cornwall Bowls is also located here.

A Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in the park.

A peaceful scene in Cornwall Park.

A cute spring lamb.

How Big is Cornwall Park?

To help you understand how big Cornwall Park is, here's how it compares to some other famous city parks around the world:

• Richmond Park, London: 2,360 acres (955 hectares)
• Bois de Boulogne, Paris: 2,088 acres (845 hectares)
• Golden Gate Park, San Francisco: 1,017 acres (412 hectares)
• Central Park, New York: 843 acres (341 hectares)
• Hyde Park, London and Kensington Gardens: 620 acres (251 hectares)
• Cornwall Park: 425 acres (172 hectares)
• Hagley Park, Christchurch: 407 acres (165 hectares)
• Botanical Gardens, Wellington: 62 acres (25 hectares)