Iconic dinosaur slide could face extinction under redevelopment plans

Wednesday, 10 June 2026

Nothing humbles you more than becoming wedged on a slide.

In my defence, it was in the name of journalism, but it also served as a timely reminder to renew that gym membership.

My humiliation unfolded at Dunedin’s Marlow Park, known to generations as the Dinosaur Park.

I had arrived at the park to test the dinosaur slide, a beloved piece of Kiwiana playground equipment.

But before I could yell out ‘Yabba Dabba Doo’, the slide awarded me a ‘Yabba Dabba Don’t’ as I became wedged near the bottom by my, um, bottom.

I was at the park because there had been talk of the dinosaur slide possibly facing extinction

That was because the park was overdue for a multimillion dollar makeover, as the Dunedin City Council planned to transform the area, near St Kilda Beach, into a destination park.

And it was easy to see why. While the park is normally well utilised, with a recently upgraded bike park and basketball court, the rest of it was looking as tired as a rerun of The Flintstones.

The park featured a grinning whale paddling area which hasn’t held water for years, a faded old shoe slide for toddlers and a creepy serpent which housed a set of swings.

A revamped playground was likely to include parkour equipment, a pump track and skate areas, with the park allocated a $4.6m budget for procurement and construction in the 2026/2027 financial year.

A recent report into the playground noted that feedback from the public indicated that some wanted to retain and refurbish the iconic features of the park, including the dinosaur slide and whale.

That same report noted the potential “rehabilitation or replacement of the historic dinosaur slide”.

But before any Jurassic Park level decision over resuscitation or extinction was made, concrete testing on the dinosaur would have to be conducted.

At a workshop concerning the redevelopment, councillors were presented with two options for the dinosaur slide.

One was to upgrade and incorporate it within a new setting, including a “prehistoric forest” of towers and nature-inspired elements. The other was to replace it with a new dinosaur slide or dinosaur-themed apparatus.

“This could also be integrated with new towers and design elements suggestive of prehistoric Aotearoa fauna such as moa, pouākai (Haast's eagle) and tuatara,” the council said in a statement.

Meanwhile the whale may be replaced by a large bespoke whale and waka play structure, while the serpent and the boot would be removed.

Dr Glen Hazelton, Marlow Park Project lead, said it was “too soon” to say whether it would be cheaper to replace, or rebuild the dinosaur slide or the whale.

“As with any concrete structure of such an age in a coastal environment, remedial work is required.

“Once we know, we will present the costs of both options (retain or replace) to council.”

It was hoped the design would brings together the whakapapa of the area, Māori and Polynesian navigation stories and the “rich coastal ecology that has shaped the site for centuries”.

That included Maui and Pacific navigation, the story of Paikea and the whale, and prehistoric Aotearoa and the southern landscape.

The final plan for Marlow Park was expected to be completed by October, after which construction work would begin.

“We understand people are passionate about Marlow Park,” Hazelton said.

“We want to provide the best play experiences we can for present and future users. This includes ensuring any equipment is fit-for-purpose and can be cost-effectively maintained.”