Last updated November 2026
Sheep and cattle graze in the middle of the city at Cornwall Park, a 172-hectare park and working farm in Epsom that opened in 1903 and is free to visit.
Sir John Logan Campbell, one of Auckland’s first European settlers, gave the land to the people of New Zealand in 1901 through a trust, along with surrounding land to fund its upkeep so the park stays free.
The Cornwall Park Trust Board runs it today. Inside the gates are around 600 sheep and 60 cattle, about 8,000 trees of over 350 species, seasonal flower beds, heritage buildings and free barbecues. The main gate on Green Lane West is open from 7am to 8pm every day.
Practical Information
- Location
- Epsom, Auckland; main gate on Green Lane West, Kenneth Myers gate on Manukau Road; Huia Lodge on Michael Horton Drive
- Distance from the city
- In Epsom, central Auckland
- Size
- 172 hectares
- Managed by
- Cornwall Park Trust Board
- Opening hours
- Gates 7am to 8pm daily, locked outside these hours; Huia Lodge Discovery Hub 10am to 4pm (Wednesday from 12 noon); Acacia Cottage viewable 7am to dusk
- Fees
- Free entry; barbecues free
- Dogs
- On a lead at all times (no off-lead areas); barred from signposted areas from 17 July to 10 September for calving and lambing
- Facilities
- Five toilet blocks (Archery, Creamery, Flagstaff, Playground and Sunken); Cornwall Park Bistro, Cornwall Park Cafe and The Creamery; two gas and one wood-burning barbecue; fitness equipment near the cafe; bike racks near the eateries; accessible car parks
- Status
- Cornwall Park Trust Board: Visitor information page
About Cornwall Park
The story starts in 1853, when Campbell and his business partner William Brown bought Mt Prospect Estate from Thomas Henry and renamed it One Tree Hill Estate. According to the trust, the land had first been cultivated by Māori and was later used for livestock.
When Campbell gifted it in 1901, it was named Cornwall Park in honour of the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, who were visiting New Zealand that year.
The park opened in 1903. Parts of the farm were leased out at first, and in 1920 the Trust Board decided to run the farm itself.
During the Second World War the park housed a war hospital for injured American soldiers, which later became a pioneering women’s health hospital. Campbell Crescent, which the trust describes as a significant historic area, was restored between 2017 and 2020.
Campbell’s legacy reaches beyond the park. His papers were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Aotearoa New Zealand register in 2016 and are held at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, and his Residuary Estate gives grants every year. The trust runs the park with an experienced team, guided by a volunteer board of trustees.
Cornwall Park wraps around Maungakiekie One Tree Hill Domain, the volcanic summit next door, which is a separate park governed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. The trust says the summit is a 20 to 30-minute walk from Cornwall Park.
Farm, Trees and Gardens
The working farm
The trust describes the park as farmland for more than a century. Its flock of about 600 sheep and herd of about 60 cows graze mostly in the eastern and southern areas and the Olive Grove, and numbers roughly double between July and September as lambs and calves arrive.
Calving runs from 17 July to mid-August and lambing from early August to 10 September, and dogs are kept out of some signposted areas then. Don’t approach or touch the animals: it is a working farm. Sheep are shorn in May and December, though shearing is not open to the public.
Trees, birds and flowers
About 8,000 trees from over 350 species grow across the park, and a tree trail links some of them. The gardeners plant more than 25,000 annuals each spring and autumn and 10,000 bulbs each autumn, alongside perennial and native gardens.
Flowering cherries draw visitors in spring, and the trust counts over 30 bird species living in or passing through the park.
Heritage Buildings and Visiting
Two heritage buildings stand out. Huia Lodge, built in the early 1900s, is now the Huia Lodge Discovery Hub, with space to play and learn, a small gift shop and lost property, and visitors can add their own memories of the park.
Acacia Cottage, across the road, was built in 1841 and is described by the trust as the oldest remaining wooden cottage in Auckland; it can be viewed from 7am until dusk every day.
Cars enter through the main gate on Green Lane West, which gives access to the main area and all the eateries; the road through the park is one-way towards Manukau Road. The Kenneth Myers gate on Manukau Road leads only to the archery car park and the southern end.
Picnics are welcome for as long as you like, chess and cricket sets (soft balls only) are fine, and the three barbecues are free on a first come, first served basis: bring matches and kindling, and take hot coals away yourself. Drones, remote-controlled planes, metal detecting and commercial activity are not allowed, and the park closes during orange-level weather warnings.
Where to Learn More
Cornwall Park Trust Board: Visitor information: gate times, entrances, dog rules, barbecues, toilets and eateries.
Cornwall Park Trust Board: About: Sir John Logan Campbell’s gift, the trust and the park’s neighbour, Maungakiekie One Tree Hill Domain.
Cornwall Park Trust Board: FAQ: answers on the farm animals, lambing and calving, barbecues, picnics and accessibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cornwall Park free?
Yes. Entry is free, and so are the barbecues. Campbell left land to fund the park’s upkeep so it could stay free.
What are the gate hours?
The gates are open from 7am to 8pm every day and locked outside those hours.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes, on a lead at all times. There are no off-lead areas, and from 17 July to 10 September dogs are kept out of signposted areas during calving and lambing.
Who runs Cornwall Park?
The Cornwall Park Trust Board. One Tree Hill Domain on the summit next door is a separate park governed by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority.
Why is it called Cornwall Park?
It was named in 1901 to honour the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, who were visiting New Zealand at the time.
How many animals are on the farm?
About 600 sheep and 60 cattle, with numbers roughly doubling from July to September when lambs and calves are born.
Where can I eat?
The park has three eateries: Cornwall Park Bistro, Cornwall Park Cafe and The Creamery. Picnics are welcome too.
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