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Under the Taranaki Regional Council Empowering Act 2001 the Council may be involved with services, works or facilities that that are for the recreational or cultural well-being of Taranaki; or that preserve or encourage enjoyment of the physical and cultural heritage of the region. The two main projects are Regional Gardens and Yarrow Stadium.
Regional gardens
The Council aims to ensure that the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust gardens, Hollard Gardens and Tupare are maintained and enhanced as regionally significant recreational and heritage amenities. The Council adopted asset management plans for Hollard and Tupare gardens in 2006 and provides funding support for the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust.
The Council has carried out comprehensive research and discussion about the development and management of the gardens at both regional and national levels. Interested general community members and gardening, environmental planning and tourism specialists have all had their say on the gardens’ future.
Hollard Gardens - First established in 1927, this diverse and beautiful plant collection covers 4.5 hectares. Situated 3 km north of Kaponga on the Upper Waimate West ring plain, the garden is the lifetime work of Bernie and Rose Hollard. It was gifted to the QEII National Trust in 1982 and ownership was transferred to the Taranaki Regional Council in 2002.
Tupare - This uniquely landscaped heritage garden was established in 1932. It was the home of Sir Russell and Lady Mathews and their family. The 3.6 hectare property features a Chapman-Taylor designed homestead, a magnificent collection of trees, water features and luxuriant garden borders.
Pukeiti - This expansive garden, covering 360 hectares on the slopes of Egmont National Park, is owned and managed by the Pukeiti Rhododendron Trust. Established in the 1950s, Pukeiti has the largest collection of rhododendrons in New Zealand.
Yarrow Stadium
In 2001/2002 a one-off grant of $9.6m was provided to the Taranaki Events Centre Trust to redevelop Rugby Park into Yarrow Stadium. $6.4m of that funding will be repaid by 2011/2012 from targeted rates across the whole region.
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