Last weekend, we visited the Western Springs Park, one of great nature parks in Auckland.
It is a great place to have a picnic throughout the year, but especially in the spring – early summer because you can see baby geese and swans!
Where is the Western Springs Park?
The Western springs park is located next to the famous Auckland Zoo. Address of the park is 731 Great North Road.
It is right next to SH16, Northern-Western Motorway.
It takes approximately 10 minutes by car from Auckland CBD.
There is a bus stop right outside the Western springs park, where several different buses stop at.
It may take around 30 minutes of travel and changing buses, if you travel from Auckland CBD to the western springs park by public transport.
The Western springs park is popular place to visit throughout the year; both local families and oversea visitors come to enjoy the beautiful park and wild life in the park.
Animals you can meet in the Western Springs Park
In the Western springs park, there are many wild life flourishing around the lake.
These include native birds, like Pukeko and black swan.
Children love to see the close, and photographers love taking close-up photographs of them.
Birds like Pukeko are rare overseas and many oversea visitors enjoy meeting them here in the Western springs park.
While the park contains plenty of natural resources and food that birds can eat, it is not forbidden to feed these birds in the park.
You should feed them on land and not in water, as remaining food in water will easily spoil the water.
But otherwise, if you bring a bag of old bread, you will have an awesome time feeding these birds throughout the park.
Birds are everywhere in the Western springs park.
Here are some of birds we encountered this trip.
Pukeko: Porphyrio melanotus
Native to New Zealand, Pukeko are found near water throughout New Zealand.
Characteristic blue feather and red beaks, these birds look really pretty.
In the Western springs, they are found on grass near the water, and love eating bread.
Goose
There are so many families of geese in the Western springs park.
From spring to early summer, you can see many baby geese, or goslings, walking around with their parents.
Babies are soooo cute and fluffy, and quite adventurous.
They will happily eat your bread, but be careful that some of adult geese are large and aggressive.
You might stay away from aggressive geese if you have small children with you, as aggressive birds may try to steal food directly.
Mother geese are often irritable while they are raising babies or hatching their egg, so stay away from them.
Black swan: Cygnus atratus
Also native to New Zealand, black swans have beautiful black body feathers and bright red beak.
Very beautiful and gentle birds.
Often they are swimming in the lake, and may be interested in your bread.
In the spring, there are many fluffy little babies too; the real “ugly duckling”. They are NOT ugly, but super cute!
They are curious and often swim towards you.
Australian Coot: Fulica atra australis
Medium size birds slightly smaller than Mallards, with black body and sharp white beak, with big feet.
These coots are also native to New Zealand.
They are often swimming in the lake. When chased by another birds, you may see them “run” on water at an amazing speed.
Some of them are quite brave and come close to human, asking for some bread.
We spotted a family with baby coot this trip in the spring.
Eel
In the lakes of the Western springs park, there are many eels.
They often swim towards you, asking for some bread.
Some of them seem to be tailing black swans, perhaps they are hoping to steal their bread?
Native to New Zealand, these eels are well looked after by the council.
In nature reserves and parks of New Zealand including the Western springs park, it is forbidden to catch any plant or animal species.
You must not try to catch any birds or eels, or other species in the park.
They are all very friendly and will come close to you if you bring a bag of bread for them, so enjoy watching them up close inside the park.
Play park inside the Western springs park
There is also a playground located inside the Western springs park.
There are many play gyms and outdoor toys that both young and elder kids can play.
Kids get so excited in the play ground!
This playground area is adjacent to the Auckland zoo, and occasionally you can see an elephant walking through a fence.
There is a small shop that operates in the Zoo, that also sells some food and ice creams to the Western springs park visitors.
There is a BBQ area nearby too.
From the Auckland Zoo shop, you can purchase scoops of Tip-top ice cream.
Ice cream after walking around the park and playing in the play ground taste fantastic!
To enjoy the Western Springs Park
The Western springs park is a large park. You can easily spend two hours or even a whole day there.
So when you are visiting the park, make sure to bring proper sunscreen, hats, plenty of drinks and snacks.
Also, you are allowed to feed birds and this is a real exciting event for both children and adults.
So don’t forget to bring a bag of old-bread from home to feed birds. Many visitors bring a bag full.
There are some families with kids teaching them how to ride bicycles in the park.
It is pretty safe inside the park without cars, so you may like to bring kids’ bicycles.
You do need to be extra careful of other visitors though, as there are many animals and small children running around in the park.
When it starts to get dark in the late afternoon, birds will go back to their nests and become less active.
So if you are hoping to meet active birds, you should come earlier during the day.
Summary of the Western Springs Park
One sunny day on the weekend, perfect for a picnic?
The Western springs park is a perfect place to go on such day, if you live in Auckland or visiting Auckland.
Pack your picnic gear, sunscreen and hats, a bag of bread and go to the Western Springs!
It is not far from other shops and amenities, and there are toilets inside the park too, which makes it an easy place to go with children.
Summary of Western springs park
- Beautiful park perfect for walking and picnic
- Many New Zealand native birds can be seen
- Bring a bag of bread to feed birds and eels!
- There are playground for children
- There are toilets and a shop in the park
- Only 10 minutes drive from Auckland downtown
- Free because its a park!
