Friends of
Pukekura Park
Events Blog
Future Events
May
5th - Wanderers’ walk. Lead - Daniel Coombes TRC environmental Officer Pest Plants
Meet at Bellringer Pavilion - 10.30am
Daniel will lead us on another look at the ornamental weeds their presence and their level of pest in the Park.
10th - Mothers’ Day Madness – Plant Sale
12th - Historic Walks - Lead Alan Metcalfe
12 Committee meeting.
19th - Wanderers’ walk. Lead - Cliff Lawrence (TBC)
Meet at Bellringer Pavilion - 10.30am
Cliff will lead us around trees of Gondwanaland.
26th - Staff lunch – to coincide with 150th Anniversary
Citizens Advice Bureau, next to the Y.M.C.A - Midday
This is our opportunity to thank the staff for their tireless work. The friends provide savouries but ask that any members who would like to contribute sweets or fruit would be appreciated. The staff look forward to this every year and will be viewing the 150th celebration video during the lunch. All contributions really appreciated.
28th - Members’ morning tea
Pukekura Park Tea House - 10:30am
Grab yourself a coffee or tea and enjoy a slice of our 150th celebration cake. Also enjoy the displays of historic photos.
Note – There is NO May evening meeting
June
2nd - Curator’s walk.
9th - Committee meeting.
16th - Wanderers’ walk. Lead - Nicky Tootill
Meet at Bellringer Pavilion - 10.30am
Join Nicky for a Guided Freshwater Explorative Walk.
Discover the hidden life of our local waterways on a hands‑on, curiosity‑driven walk led by the Wai Connection team. Together we’ll investigate biotic and abiotic indicators of freshwater health, take part in a macroinvertebrate identification workshop, and explore the importance of fish passage and species protection across Aotearoa.
The walk is also a chance to learn more about Wai Connection, a national programme by Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust that empowers communities to understand, monitor, and care for their local freshwater environments. It’s about strengthening our relationship with Wai and supporting collective action for its wellbeing.
Please come prepared with sturdy footwear, clothing suitable for New Zealand’s “four seasons in one day” climate, and a bottle of water. The terrain may be slippery and uneven, so a reasonable level of fitness is recommended. If you require accessibility support, please let the organisers know — we’re happy to help where we can.
We look forward to exploring, learning, and connecting with you alongside the life in our freshwater habitats.
25th - Thursday’s speaker. Reporting NPDC.
Citizens Advice Bureau, next to the Y.M.C.A. - 7pm
Please note: Speakers and walk leaders are subject to change.
Changes will be notified by blog, email and Facebook
Review of April's Events
April 8 - Wanderers' Walk
Leads Tony Burrell & Alan Metcalfe
An intrepid group of 13 gathered this morning for our guided wanderers walk. Tony and Alan stepped in to take us on a dual act and amble through the park. It was most interesting, as always.
As it was drizzly, we sheltered and listened to Alan telling the tales of how the sports field was first thought of, was converted from swamp and the terraces formed.
If you have his book, this would be a really interesting chapter to read. Thomas Kelly, the Provincial Secretary had the foresight to see where the lakes could be situated and to plan for their development.
In relation to trees we spotted the white wash fungus on a tree beside fountain Lake then later a wonderful example of the jelly ear fungus which is the one that Chew Chong famously exported to China, with lots of locals gathering it for him.
The Parapara tree fascinated us all and we heard the story of the small Ruru (more pork) who got caught in the stickiness, fell to the ground where the dry leaves stuck to him/her – a sorry sight!. We saw the before and after photos… A happy ending.
April 23rd - Evening Meeting
Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting was a success with 24 members in attendance.
Following the meeting a video produced by NPDC as part of the 150th anniversary celebration was played. The video featured many historic photos, and interviews with the five most recent curators.
From the Zoo
Carlos the Red-rumped agouti
By Monique Earp (Brooklands Zoo Keeper)
The red-rumped agouti (Dasyprocta leporina) is a forest-dwelling rodent species native to parts of north-eastern South America, such as Brazil and Venezuela.
At Brooklands Zoo, we have one male agouti named Carlos who is housed in a mixed species habitat with our cotton-headed tamarin pair, Nomi and Teo. They co-exist well together as Carlos primarily lives on the ground and the tamarins are arboreal.
Carlos was born at Hamilton Zoo in 2017, making him eight years old. Unlike most rodent species, which are relatively short-lived, agoutis can live up to 20 years in human care. At 3-6kg and about 60cm long, agoutis are one of the larger rodent species, with females slightly larger than males. They are also quite agile and can jump up to 1.5m high!
Agoutis are considered crepuscular and are most active early morning or late evening, when they forage for food.
They often bury excess food for sparser times (a unique feeding behaviour called caching) which means they retain a key seed dispersal role in the rainforest. They are especially important in the distribution of Brazil nuts as they are the only animal in their region able to open the husk of the Brazil fruit and therefore disperse the woody seeds.
Their wild diet consists of nuts, seeds, fallen fruits and vegetation. At Brooklands Zoo, we feed our agouti a variety of fresh vegetables and a commercial rodent pellet, alongside nuts for training purposes.
Carlos is very clever and currently trained to go into a crate, stand on scales and to station on a platform.
The biggest threats to agoutis in the wild are habitat destruction and the bush meat trade; however, they are listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that their wild population is stable.
Come say hi to Carlos the next time you’re at the zoo
Friends of Pukekura Park Membership Application Form
To apply for membership, either click on the link to our website page or download a pdf application form
Copyright © 2024 Friends of Pukekura Park, All rights reserved.
Future Events
APRIL
Wednesday 8th - Wanderers’ Walk. Lead - Alan Jellyman (Wednesday)
Meet at Bellringer Pavilion 10.30
Alan is a renowned horticulturist and author with a long history with the Park. He became Director of Parks and Recreation in 1977, and contributed greatly to the Park for over 30 years
14th - Committee meeting
21st - Wanderers’ Walk. Lead - Nicky Toothill (Wai Connection Coordinator for Wild for Taranaki)
Meet at Bellringer Pavilion 10.30 a.m.
A walk on the Wai side with Nicky Toothill. A walk and exploration of the freshwater habitats and species in the park, with a focus on water health and habitat restoration.
23rd Evening Meeting - AGM
Citizens Advice Bureau, next to the Y.M.C.A. - 7pm
Annual General Meeting. Celebration of 150 years history with videos from curators – produced by NPDC as part of the celebration.
May
5 Wanderers’ walk. Daniel Coombes TRC environmental Officer Pest Plants will lead us on another look at the ornamental weeds their presence and their level of pest in the Park.
12 Committee meeting.
19 Wanderers’ walk. Cliff Lawrence (TBC) will lead us around trees of Gondwanaland.
26 Staff lunch – to coincide with 150th Anniversary
29 Members’ morning tea with displays of historic photos at the Tea House
Note – There is NO May evening meeting
June
2 Curator’s walk.
9 Committee meeting.
16 Wanderers’ walk. Tony Burrell will lead and look at the structure of trees in the park. Some change during their life stages while others change to suit the environment. We will check out examples within the park.
25 Thursday’s speaker. Reporting NPDC.
Please note: Speakers and walk leaders are subject to change.
Changes will be notified by blog, email and Facebook
Review of February's Events
March 3 - Wanderers' Walk
Lead - Sheryl Clyma
Groundcovers that work well in Pukekura Park and plant adaptations were among the highlights from Sheryl (Park Lead) on the recent Curator’s Walk.
We stopped halfway between the Bellringer Pavilion and the old curators’ office where Sheryl explained that the perennial succulent herb Plectranthus neochilus aka blue coleus was establishing itself well in the dry shade after being relocated from the Palm Lawn. She explained how plants thrive in different locations, soil types, shade, sun etc., and how moving them can often give much better results. Nearby scented Brunfelsia undulata ‘White Caps’ relished the same conditions.
The Tractor Seat Plant, Ligularia reniformis (renamed Cremanthodium reniforme) was flourishing on the damp bank behind the Tea House.
Sheryl’s favourite, Elatostema rugosum, the New Zealand begonia, in both its purple and green leaved form can be seen throughout the park bedecking stream edges.
We then ventured to Stainton Dell. The Hosta plantaginea delighted us with its fragrance. It boasts the largest flowers of the Hosta family. The beaked Magnolia rostrata seen there is another fragrant tree, which is an endangered species from the Himalayas.
On the Fred Parker lawn the summer flowering crinum lilies were proving a good fit for soggy or dry soil and the South African bulb Scadoxus multiflorus subsp. Katherinae, was brightening up a bank in the shade.
Special trees Sheryl pointed out to us were:
The inedible Chinese pistachio that tolerates drought conditions.
Nyssa sylvatica tolerates the damp and produces fine autumn colouring.
The Dinner Plate Fig, Ficus dammaropsis (from Papua New Guinea) whose form won much admiration.
Acer pentaphyllum is a 5 lobed maple on the critically endangered list (there are approximately 500 remaining in the wild). It comes from the high mountainous regions of south western China.
The colourful Brugmansias ‘Butterscotch’ and ‘Kathy’ (pink) angel’s trumpets.
We finished our tour in the Fernery with a salute to the women who had left their stamp there. Mrs Lovell from Hawera designed the fernery which opened on January 28, 1928. The Lawson sisters Evelyn, commencing in 1939, and Noeline in 1942, were the first women employed at the Park due to manpower shortages. They were joined by Iolanthe Small who gave 48 years of service (1944-1992) and her right hand woman, Alisa McCrone, who worked for 45 years (1956 -2002). Between them they set the tone when training apprentices. Felix Jury named a pale pink magnolia in Iolanthe’s honour, and there is seat in the fernery in her memory.
Sheryl began her time in the Park doing work experience with cymbidium orchids. In 2022 she became the first woman curator.
After pointing out the replaced ponga wall which was displaying intriguing pitcher plants, Sheryl was proud to show off a rarely seen bulb, the Giant Peruvian Daffodil, Paramongaia weberbaueri, which likes harsh dry stony conditions, and is strongly scented first thing in the morning.
March 17 - Wanderers' Walk
Lead - Tony Barnes
Nineteen FoPP Members gathered in warm autumnal sunshine at the Zoo Carpark for a walk guided by Tony Barnes. We were entertained for approximately 15 minutes by a large kereru feasting on cabbage tree seeds right above our heads before finally flying off. Tony confessed his topic was supposed to be “deciduous trees around Brooklands Bowl” but quickly dismissed that idea and thought a ramble around the Zoo enclosure to look at what was growing there would be a better idea.
Before entering the Zoo area Tony pointed out overhead a spectacular flowering specimen of a Backhousia citriodora (lemon myrtle) with stunning bracts of lemon scented flowers and also a large example of Parrotia persica (Persian ironbark tree).
Once inside the Zoo gates we saw 2 large beds of lingularia growing in perfect conditions (light shade) alongside flowering plectranthus with lovely purple flowers which will last through until mid-winter in this sheltered shady position. In this area there were two examples of tall mountain pawpaw trees, but they probably won’t produce any viable fruit.
Moving on we saw a huge ornamental banana tree with spectacular jade green fronds and an area of Australian ornamental grasses which grow particularly well in New Plymouth conditions. These were thriving in the area they have been planted in the Zoo garden. Abutilons were flowering and growing well against a wall, also in light semi shade. The Backyard Garden with flowering dahlias and asters were a colourful addition and attracted the bees and monarch butterflies.
Who would have thought there was so much to see and discuss in the garden borders of the Zoo enclosure? After about an hour we moved to Brooklands Lawn where Tony admitted he loves some tropical plants, especially canna lillies and hibiscus and there were 2 good examples of a brilliant red canna in flower alongside a hibiscus. He commented that not all tropical plants cope with New Plymouth’s colder weather alongside the high rainfall during the winter months and wonders why Landscape Gardeners often use them in inappropriate places around New Plymouth. There are also very good examples of a huge Strelitzia and a black cordyline (caruba) at the entry to Brookland Lawn – these varieties not often seen. Once again no one minded that we overran our time and everyone thoroughly enjoyed Tony’s talk in lovely autumn sunshine.
Julie
March 26th - Evening Meeting
Speaker - Georgina Ngametua
The March monthly evening meeting was well attended with an audience of 20 members. Georgina Ngametua gave us a very lively talk about her experiences visiting the sub-Antarctic islands with Heritage Expeditions as Young Explorer Scholarship. She is a DOC ranger and also a tutor at WITT in Conservation and Environmental Studies
Georgina visited the remote World Heritage Site Islands of The Snares, Auckland Islands, Macquarie Island and Campbell Islands (the Galapagos of the Southern Ocean trip). Her videos of Macquarie Island Elephant Seal pups were remarkable - very noisy and funny. With a King Penguin in the view, we could see how large the pups were at only a few weeks old. We appreciated the gale-force wind effect on the visiting humans and marvelled at the size of the megaherbs in such conditions, 1.5 to 2m tall, being well fertilised by all the birds and marine mammals. Such a tall canopy obscures elephant seals on their pathways, alarming the human visitors who meet them.
From the Zoo
Enrichment
By Gemma Andrew (Brooklands Zoo Keeper)
Enrichment plays a vital role in the daily care of animals at Brooklands Zoo, helping them stay mentally stimulated, physically active, and behaviourally healthy. By offering activities and objects that encourage natural instincts, keepers create an environment where animals can explore, problem‑solve, and express the behaviours they would use in the wild. Brooklands Zoo incorporates a wide range of enrichment techniques tailored to each species, ensuring every animal has opportunities to thrive.
For the zoo’s primates, natural enrichment is especially important. Squirrel monkeys, known for their agility and curiosity, may receive pinecones filled with peanut butter and mixed nuts. These textured objects encourage the monkeys to forage, manipulate, and investigate, mirroring the challenges they would encounter while searching for food in the forest canopy.
Cotton‑top tamarins enjoy edible flowers such as hibiscus and nasturtium. These colourful blooms provide sensory stimulation through scent, taste, and texture, while also promoting natural foraging behaviours.
Meerkats benefit from enrichment that keeps them active and engaged. Ice blocks containing insects or peas and corn are a favourite, especially during warmer months. As the meerkats dig, scratch, and gnaw at the ice, they cool down while practising the problem‑solving and cooperative behaviours that define their social groups.
Other animals at Brooklands Zoo also receive species‑appropriate enrichment. Birds may be given fresh branches to chew, while reptiles enjoy varied textures, hides, and scents that encourage natural movement and investigation.
Through thoughtful, creative enrichment, Brooklands Zoo ensures its animals experience a dynamic, stimulating environment every day. This commitment not only enhances welfare but also helps visitors appreciate the complexity and individuality of each species.
Friends of Pukekura Park Membership Application Form
To apply for membership, either click on the link to our website page or download a pdf application form
Copyright © 2024 Friends of Pukekura Park, All rights reserved.