Halswell Quarry Park
The biggest park is Halswell Quarry Park which can be accessed from Kennedys Bush and Cashmere Roads at the base of the hill.
As the name suggests, the Park was once the site of a quarry from which Halswell Stone was mined and used in a variety of ways and at locations around Christchurch. The Quarry had a long life – opening in the 1860s and not closing until the 1990s when it was made into the Park that we have today.
The Park provides wonderful opportunities for walking, mountain biking, orienteering and picnicking and has a series of sister cities gardens as well as a regular outdoor cafe.
Halswell Quarry has a dog exercise area where dogs may be off their leash. This area is not a designated dog park however, and is not fenced. Dog owners should be aware of other park users and keep their dogs under control at all times. Dogs may be taken on most tracks through Halswell Quarry provided they are kept on a leash but are prohibited from the Wetlands Conservation Area.
Walking tracks around the Quarry
There are a range of walking experiences at the Quarry to accommodate different needs.
The Rim Track
The Rim Track begins behind the Quarry buildings, leading in a gentle loop, anticlockwise around the quarry. The track climbs around the back of the Quarry, and a platform at the top of the quarry provides views of the space and the rock structures. Descending from here, the track winds through native plantings alongside hillside housing before the Kennedys Bush Track to the Sign of the Bellbird leads off to the right. Passing under a row of pines, the track descends into the old orchard at the eastern side of the Quarry.
The Crocodile Track
This is a shared mountain bike/walking track that can be used to close off a loop with Kennedys Bush Rd or for access from the quarry to the Kennedys Bush Track. The Road/Quarry/Crocodile loop takes around an hour to walk. The Crocodile begins near the dog exercise area in the quarry and ends at the beginning of the Kennedys Bush Track at the top of Kennedys Bush Rd.
Kennedys Bush Track to the Summit Rd
This track can be accessed from the top of Kennedys Bush Rd or from tracks going up from Halswell Quarry Park. It takes about 1-1.5 hours to walk from the top of the road to the Summit Road from where you will find tracks in several directions to places further afield.