Cracroft Reserve facts for kids
Cracroft Reserve is a lovely public park in Christchurch, New Zealand. It covers about 3.2 hectares (that's like 8 football fields!). You can find it on Cracroft Hill, right next to a famous spot called the Sign of the Takahe.
This reserve is a favorite place for both visitors and locals. It has a special viewing platform that's 200 meters high. From here, you get amazing wide views of Christchurch city, the flat Canterbury Plains, and the tall Southern Alps mountains. The main way to enter the reserve is from the southern end of Hackthorne Road.
Cracroft Reserve: A Great Viewpoint
What Can You See?
Cracroft Reserve offers incredible views. There's a strong stainless steel map, called a plane table, that helps you identify landmarks. This map points out many places you can see from the reserve. These include Aoraki / Mount Cook to the south and Mount Tapuaenuku to the north.
This special map is set on a base made of Halswell stone. The Rotary Club of Christchurch put it there in 1967. It's a great way to learn about the landscape around Christchurch.
Who Was Cracroft Reserve Named After?
Cracroft Reserve is named after a person called John Cracroft Wilson. He used to own the land that is now the reserve. This land was once part of a much larger farm called Cashmere farm.
Around 1925, John Cracroft Wilson sold this property to the city. This sale was part of a bigger plan led by a well-known local leader named Harry Ell. Harry Ell wanted to create a network of parks, rest stops, and walking paths throughout the Christchurch Port Hills. His idea was to protect these beautiful areas for everyone to enjoy.
