Curletts Reserve / Ngā Puna Wai
Curletts Reserve/ Ngā Puna Wai/ Canterbury Agricultural Park
Curletts Reserve is situated behind Aidanfield and can be accessed on foot from Templetons Rd, Wigram Rd and Curletts Rd or through the Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub off Augustine Drive.
Curletts Reserve is unexpectedly spacious, with a track alongside the headwaters of the Heathcote River, and another track which circles the ponds of the Wigram Retention Basin.
Extensive native plantings have become well established, with fantails and bellbirds along the river, and ducks, scaup, seagulls, and black swans commonly found in the pond areas.
The main river track follows poles as it weaves a track along the river, crossing two footbridges. Eventually the broad track follows the river around to Curletts Road.
Ngā Puna Wai has a small lake at its heart surrounded by native wetland plants. This park is adjacent to the Canterbury Agricultural Park and is the site of a new sports hub to replace facilities lost at QEII Park and around the city. There is an easy trail around the pond, which has two islands with a wide range of birds, and extensive plantings of toetoe and sedges make the views across the pond very attractive.
Dogs are allowed on leash and under effective control.