Percy Scenic Reserve is a botanic garden and bush reserve located in Maungaraki in Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
Overview Percy Scenic Reserve is a public botanic garden with an ex-situ native plant collection dedicated to New Zealand native plants from coastal areas, alpine habitats, wetlands and offshore islands. The reserve comprises of parks, ponds, and forest. It also connects onto adjacent Frank Cameron Park.
Percy Scenic Reserve is owned by the Department of Conservation and managed by the Hutt City Council.
Location and access The gardens are located at 5 Dowse Drive, Maungaraki. There is parking at the Dowse Drive entrance for cars, campervans and coaches. It is a short walk north of the Petone train station. Part of the reserve also falls within the boundaries of the suburb of Korokoro.
There is a path suitable for wheelchairs from Dowse drive to the main lawns and duck pond.
The park open daily between sunrise and sunset, and entry is free.
History Joseph Hewlett Percy arrived in Petone with his family in 1841 and soon after began construction of their home and mills in the area.
Visitor attractions
Waterfall The waterfall on the Percy Stream that flows into the Duck Pond and was used to drive the Percy Family Flour Mill.
Duck Pond The original pond created to drive the Percy family flour mill.
Wētā Cave
Waterwheel Memorial Waterwheel of the Percy Family Flour Mill.
Lookout and "Ratanui" The Empty Site of Sir James Hector's Home.
Bush walks and tracks There are walks and trails within the forest and gardens to suit a range of ages and abilities. Good walking footwear and is recommended for the Waterfall track. Dowse Track – 3 minutes, Jasmine Track – 10 minutes, Puriri Track – 8 minutes, Rātā Track – 9 minutes, Rīmu Track – 6 minutes, Stanhope Track – 9 minutes, Tawa Track - 6 minutes, Waterfall Track – 15 minutes,
Forest reserve The forest at Percy Scenic Reserve covers around of the catchment area of the Percy Stream, and includes some original podocarp broadleaf forest, large non-native trees, and regenerating forest and scrub.
Fauna Native birds seen (and/or heard) at Percy Scenic Reserve include kererū, tūī, and New Zealand fantail (piwakawaka). There are also yellowhammer and mallards
Cave wētā and common skinks are also present.List of organisms noted by iNaturalist users
Ex-Situ Plant conservation The ex-situ conservation collection is housed in a series of purpose-built houses which are designed to match their native habitats as closely as possible.
See also Sir James Hector Hōniana Te Puni-kōkopu New Zealand Plant Conservation Network Ōtari-Wilton's Bush
References
External links
Explore Wellington An excellent description of the park, its facilities and features. Percy Scenic Reserve nature observations on iNaturalist Neat Places Further Information and Photos of Percy Scenic Reserve Percy Scenic Reserve Official Hutt City Council website Scottish Dancing at Percy Scenic Reserve An interesting exploration of the history of traditional dancing events at Percy Scenic Reserve Trail maps for Percy Scenic Reserve and surrounds