Gribblehirst Park
225 Sandringham Road, Sandringham

Gribblehirst Park is a 5.9-hectare suburban park in the heart of Sandringham.

Most of the paths through the park are flat and suitable for walking or jogging. An unpaved section will take you through the lava rock forest.

A large playground split over several levels has a range of play experiences for all ages. There is also a flying fox, basketball half-court, and a sports field.

Several grassed open spaces are perfect to find a spot for a picnic. A barbecue, picnic tables, drinking fountains, and accessible toilets are near the playground. This makes it a perfect spot to stay all day.

You will find more picnic tables and seating throughout the park. Some are alongside the paths and more accessible than others.

Three rose garden beds near the Aroha Avenue entrance are a pretty, floral feature in the park. Mature trees provide shade throughout the day. A book exchange box is near the playground.

Access the car parks from Sandringham Road and Aroha Avenue and drive along Cabbage Tree Swamp Drive. There is plenty of parking available.

Pedestrians can also access from Begbie Place, and Kenneth and Thanet avenues. The Sandringham Road entrance is relatively flat. However, the other entrances are narrow and steep.

The central footpath along Cabbage Tree Swamp Drive is well lit at night.

Buses stop outside the entrance to the park at 225 Sandringham Road.

Accessible features at this park

Parking: Two accessible car park spaces are located near the Community Hub. The car parks along Cabbage Tree Swamp Drive may not be accessible as they are cobbled.

Paths: Pedestrian access from Sandringham Road is relatively flat. A footpath along Cabbage Tree Swamp Drive provides access to most of the park features. There aren't any kerb cut between the accessible car parks near the Community Hub and the accessible toilets.

Community Hub: You can access the ground floor of the Community Hall from the nearby car park. The upstairs rooms can be reached via stairs or a ramp from Begbie Place. The ramp from Begbie Place only provides access to the Community Hall. Access to the wider Gibblehirst Park from Begbie Place is via stairs only.

History of the park

The Gribble and Hirst families donated the park to the Mt Albert Borough in 1928.

Rocks were cleared, the swamp was drained, and the land levelled by depression era construction gangs. The park opened on 28 March 1931. A small seating enclosure west of the rugby clubrooms has a plaque with historical park information.

Iwi knew the site as Ngā Anawai, the watery caves. Lava flow from Maungawhau / Mt Eden formed the land the park sits on 20,000 years ago. The lava flowed over earlier deposits and formed a series of low-lying ponds.

Some of the ponds contained diatomite, a fine white silt used in the manufacture of polishing powders. It took several years to extract the silt from a pit.

A corner of the park contains a remnant lava rock forest. This piece of land is scheduled as a Significant Ecological Area, as it is an important habitat for insects and birds. Visitors can follow a walking track through the site feature.

The name Cabbage Tree Swamp came from the large number of cabbage trees (ti kouka/Cordyline australis) growing in the swamp conditions.

Historically the area was used for dairy farming and swamp areas included stone bridges for access.

Groups at this park

The park is home to the Gribblehirst Community Hub and the Eden Rugby Club.

Eden Rugby Club have a clubroom building alongside the sports field. There is a ramp to the upper level of the building.

The Gribble Hirst Community Hub ues the former bowling club building and greens.

Several other community organisations also call the park home:

• Auckland Central Community Shed (men's shed)
• Tumeke Cycle Space
• Mount Albert Viking's Petanque Club.