Hamilton Gardens visitor fee start date confirmed

Saturday, 27 July 2024

Aucklanders with a holiday home in Hamilton will still be able to get into the Hamilton Gardens for free from September, while people living in Cambridge or Te Awamutu will have to pay.

To provide relief for Hamilton ratepayers, from September 18 those who own or live in a property contributing to Hamilton rates will get exclusive free entry to the enclosed gardens.

Under 16-year-olds will also still be free, and free access will be available to everyone visiting Hamilton Gardens’ Rhododendron Lawn, Rose Gardens, Turtle Lake, Camellia Garden, children’s playground, and the cafe.

But for anyone coming from outside Hamilton to visit the enclosed gardens, a $20 entry fee will apply.

Hamilton City Council deputy chief executive Sean Murray explained the changes for entry to the Hamilton Gardens from September 18, including who can still get in for free.

Hamilton City Council’s deputy chief executive Sean Murray said it’s about time Hamilton Gardens is recognised for the value it has to Hamilton.

“Let's face it, the enclosed gardens are pretty amazing. If you compare it to other places around the world like it, you'd absolutely be paying,” Murray said.

Hamiltonians will still be able to enter the enclosed gardens for free, with proof of address.

“So, yes, it's about cost recovery and reducing the cost of the gardens to the ratepayer. But it's also about recognising its value, and it is really quite something.”

The Gardens are becoming increasingly world renowned. Last month, Hamilton Gardens was named in the top 1% of things to do in the world in the TripAdvidor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Visitor numbers at the Hamilton Gardens are soaring, with 500,000 in the last 12 months.

In the council's fact sheet about the new rules, they compared the gardens to similar botanical gardens around the world who charge much higher fees for the experience.

Murray said that while council feels justified in the decision, he knows that breaking the news that Hamilton’s “neighbours” will have to pay to see the enclosed gardens from September will be “tricky”.

The Egyptian Garden is one of Hamilton Garden’s newest additions.

“That will be frustrating for people, especially if you're living just down the road in Tamahere and Waikato District or Waipa, but at the end of the day we have to think about where we draw the line, and how we draw it.

“And I think we need to be true to the ratepayers of Hamilton who have been funding the gardens.”

He said that although he recognised those from neighbouring towns had also contributed to the success of the gardens, council felt they needed to draw the line somewhere.

The new visitor centre will open on September 17, a day before the entry fee will begin. Pictured here is “the cloak”, a pillared wall surrounding the initial courtyard before entering the gardens.

However regular garden visitors can still opt to make the visits a lot cheaper for themselves. Annual passes will be available for purchase, usually at $50 a year, but reduced to $39 for the rest of 2024.

“If you think about it, $50 is really two and half visits, and you can use the pass as many times as you want.”

City councillor Louise Hutt (left) and mayor Paula Southgate are looking forward to the opening of Hamilton's newest gardens. Southgate said the gardens held a special importance for her.

There will also be a 10% discount for all SuperGold, Community Services Card, student ID holders.

Hamiltonians will have to provide proof of address in the first instance, but following this can acquire a “My GardenPass” which will allow easy repeated free access.

The visitor entry fee will coincide with the completion of the new visitor centre for the gardens, which will open on September 17. The building design will represent aspects of te ao Māori with visual storytelling.

Hamilton Gardens saw a massive amount of visitors in the last year - 500,000. Mayor Paula Southgate told the Waikato Times that proper maintenance of the gardens is more vital than ever.

“We need to invest in it to make sure that, when we're getting these astronomical visitor numbers, our infrastructure can accommodate that, and people can still have a really positive experience,” Southgate said.

She said it’s unusual that such an attractive destination has stayed completely free until now.

“I'm fortunate to have been able to travel to parts of Europe, and I grew up in the UK, so I've been to some of the most iconic gardens,” Southgate said.

“And I have to tell you this is just as good as anything I've seen anywhere else. And it's right on the doorstep of Hamilton, and ever changing in the seasons.”

The upcoming Baroque, Pasifika, and Medieval gardens still require additional funding, and do not have a set opening date yet.