Last Updated on July 26, 2024

Cornwall Park is a beautiful and expansive parkland located in Epsom near the heart of Auckland, New Zealand. It’s an urban oasis that is rich with history, nature, farm-life, and numerous places to explore. The park covers an area of 670 acres (270 hectares) and surrounds the park containing Maungakiekie or the hill of One Tree Hill.

History of the park

Cornwall Park’s history is deeply intertwined with the cultural and natural heritage of Auckland. The land that would become Cornwall Park was originally part of the One Tree Hill Estate, which was bought by Sir John Logan Campbell and his business partner William Brown from Irish merchant Thomas Henry in 1853. Known as the “father of Auckland,” Campbell was one of the early pioneer settlers of New Zealand. He arrived in Auckland at the age of 23 and later became a prominent Auckland merchant.

On June 10, 1901, Campbell gave the park’s 230 acres to a private trust, which he had established for the purpose. The following day, he presented the deeds to the visiting heir to the throne, the Duke of Cornwall and York, later King George V, asking his consent for it to be named Cornwall Park in honor of the Duke.

During World War II, the park housed a war hospital serving American soldiers. Later, it was transformed into a pioneering hospital for women’s health. From 2017 to 2020, restoration work was carried out on Campbell Crescent, a significant historical area of Cornwall Park, to continue Sir John Logan Campbell’s legacy and vision.

Activities and features at Cornwall Park

Cornwall Park in Auckland is a place of natural beauty and leisure, offering a wide range of features and activities for visitors to enjoy. Some of them are:

• Lush Greenery: The park is home to grand specimen trees, flower beds, and sweeping vistas that create a peaceful and picturesque environment.
• Recreational Facilities: There are tennis courts, a children’s playground, and a barbecue area for family and friends to gather and enjoy outdoor activities.
• Farm Experience: As a working farm, the park allows city children to learn about farm life, with sheep and cattle grazing in the fields.
• Events and Activities: Cornwall Park hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including art exhibitions, outdoor concerts, and guided walks, ensuring there’s always something new to discover.
• Dining Options: For those looking to relax and dine, the park features a charming cafe and a cool bistro, perfect for a meal or a quick snack.
• Stardome Observatory & Planetarium: For the curious and adventurous, the park offers an exciting experience at the Stardome Observatory & Planetarium, where visitors can explore the stars and beyond.
• Seasonal Beauty: Don’t miss the cherry blossom trees in bloom around mid-September, which offer a stunning display of color.

Cornwall Parkrun

The parkrun is a free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event that takes place in various locations around the world, including Cornwall Park in Auckland. Here’s what you need to know about the Cornwall Park parkrun:

• What: It’s a 5k run – you can walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate.
• When: Every Saturday at 08:00 am.
• Where: The event is held at Cornwall Park, Auckland, New Zealand.
• Cost: It’s free to join, but you need to register before your first run. Don’t forget to bring a scannable copy of your barcode to get a time recorded.
• Pace: Everyone is welcome, regardless of your pace.
• Volunteering: The event is entirely organized by volunteers, and you can email cornwallpark@parkrun.com to help out.
• Post-run Coffee: Participants often grab a post-parkrun coffee at the Cornwall Park Café, right where the run starts and finishes.

The parkrun is a great way to start the weekend, offering a chance to get some exercise in a friendly and inclusive environment. Remember to register and bring your barcode to get your time recorded! 

Dining options in and around Cornwall

Discovering a place to dine in and around Cornwall Park is a delightful and effortless experience. Whether you’re looking for a quick bite or a leisurely meal, the options are plentiful and cater to a variety of tastes. Inside the park, you can find the Cornwall Park Cafe and Cornwall Park Bistro, both offering a warm atmosphere and delicious menus that highlight local produce. Just a stone’s throw away, establishments like One Tree Grill and Lone Star Alexandra Park provide diverse culinary experiences, from fine dining to casual comfort food. The accessibility of these dining venues, combined with their inviting ambiance and the park’s serene setting, makes for a perfect day out where good food and nature go hand in hand.

Cornwall Park Bistro

• Address: One Tree Hill, Auckland 1051, New Zealand
• Phone: 09 630 2888
• Opening Hours:
  • Monday: Closed
  • Tuesday – Friday: 9am – 3pm (Kitchen closes at 3pm)
  • Weekends: 9am – 4.30pm (Kitchen closes at 3:30pm). Bar menu from 3:30pm – 5:00pm.

Cornwall Park Cafe

• Address: Cornwall Park Pohutakawa Drive, Epsom, Auckland 1051, New Zealand
• Phone: 09 630 8485
• Opening Hours: Daily 07:30am – 9:00pm

One Tree Grill

• Address: 9 Pah Road, Auckland 1023
• Phone: 09 909 7215
• Opening Hours:
  • Monday to Saturday 05:30pm – 11:00pm
  • Sunday Closed

Lone Star Alexandra Park

• Address: 223D Green Lane W, Auckland 1023
• Phone: 09 869 6999
• Opening Hours:
  • Monday 11:30 am – 8:30pm
  • Tuesday 11:30am – 9pm
  • Wednesday 11:30 am – 9pm
  • Thursday 11:30am – 9pm
  • Friday 11:30 am – 10pm
  • Saturday 11:30 am – 10 pm
  • Sunday 11:30 am – 9 pm

Stardome Observatory & Planetarium

Stardome Observatory & Planetarium is a unique and educational attraction located in Cornwall Park, offering a variety of astronomical experiences. It features a 360-degree indoor dome planetarium with comfortable, reclined seats. Visitors can enjoy hyper-realistic, fully immersive, presenter-led shows that explore the celestial sights above Auckland.

The planetarium presents real-time displays of the night sky, planets, the solar system, and beyond. Shows like ‘Our Night Sky’ are led by friendly star experts, and visitors are encouraged to ask questions about space. After each evening show, there’s an opportunity for telescope viewing in the courtyard, weather permitting. The magnificent Zeiss telescope, which is now fully automated, offers an unforgettable experience for individuals and groups, allowing them to see deep-space objects on a clear night.

Stardome also provides educational resources for school visits and is a great place for learning about astronomy, Māori astronomy, the night sky, and how to see Matariki and the sky above Aotearoa New Zealand.

Location and opening hours

The observatory is located at 670 Manukau Rd, Auckland 1023, within the One Tree Hill Domain. It is wheelchair accessible, with space for three wheelchairs in the planetarium. Please note that the Zeiss telescope is not wheelchair accessible and has four steps leading up to it.

Stardome is open seven days a week, with specific hours for daytime and evening activities.

• Monday: 09:30 to 17:00
• Tuesday to Sunday: 09:30 to 17:00 and 18:00 to 22:30

Maungakiekie – One Tree Hill

Maungakiekie, also known as One Tree Hill, is a significant landmark in Auckland, New Zealand, with a rich cultural and historical background. It is a 182-meter volcanic peak that holds great importance for both Māori and Pākehā (New Zealanders of European descent). The name Maungakiekie means “mountain of the kiekie vine,” which once grew abundantly on the slopes of the hill.

Historically, Maungakiekie was the site of the largest pā, or fortified village, in the Tāmaki Makaurau region, making it one of the most extensive pre-European archaeological sites in New Zealand. The terraces on the slopes of Maungakiekie were constructed by the Ngāti Awa chief Tītahi in the 17th century and were known as Ngā Whakairo a Tītahi, or “the carvings of Tītahi.” The summit of the hill, or tihi, was a sacred place where the umbilical cord of Ngāti Awa rangatira Korokino was buried, and a tōtara tree was planted, giving rise to another name for the hill, Te Tōtara-i-āhua, meaning “The Tōtara That Stands Alone.”

The hill is also associated with the Waiohua confederation of tribes, who were active in the area during the 17th and 18th centuries. The volcanic cone itself was formed approximately 67,000 years ago and is part of the Auckland volcanic field. The summit provides panoramic views across the Auckland area, including both of Auckland’s harbors.

In more recent history, Maungakiekie has been known for its notable trees on the summit. A sacred lone tōtara tree stood there until it was felled by vandals in 1852, which led to the name One Tree Hill. Later, a grove of Monterey Pine trees was planted by John Logan Campbell in the 1860s, eventually becoming a single pine tree that became an iconic symbol of the hill until it was removed in 2000 due to safety concerns. In 2016, a dawn planting ceremony saw the return of native trees to the summit, with a grove of three tōtara and six pohutukawa trees planted in the same spot as the previous Monterey Pine.