The Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park opened on 14th October 2012. Fun things to do in the park include walking, family mountain biking, single-track mountain biking, swimming, kayaking, fishing, picnicing and birdwatching.
Park attractions and facilities
Rakahuri Trail
This shared, easy walking and mountain bike track runs from Groyne 1, behind the racecourse, downstream to East belt and some shorter mountain bike tracks in the pine forest downstream from East Belt. Distance: 4 km
Mountain Bike Tracks
Mockets Ave, Flying Tern, Woodses Way, Beans Lane
These shorter mountain-bike-only tracks are accessed from the Rakahuri Trail downstream of the rail bridge car park. They offer single-track mountain biking.
Mike Kean Walkway
This walkway runs from the Ashley Picnic Ground, east of the SH1 road bridge, to the car park at the rail bridge. Distance: 0.9 km
Carparking and entrances
- River Road:
- this entrance is on River Road, slightly west of the intersection with West Belt. Park access roads lead to Groyne 1 and an intermediate point on the Rakahuri Trail. Parking is available at this entrance, and at the ends of these access roads.
- BMX club:
- this entrance is on State Highway 1, on the east side shortly before the bridge over the Ashley Rakahuri River.
- Break Bank:
- this entrance is on State Highway 1, slightly north of and on the opposite side to the BMX club entrance. It leads to two parking areas.
- Rail bridge:
- this entrance is opposite the intersection of East Belt and Coldstream Road. A park access road leads 800 m to car parking near the river bank.
Coming soon
Information on:
- Riverbed birds
- Summer swimming access
Park maps
View larger map (jpg 204 kB)
Download map (pdf 920 kB)
Ashley Estuary
The Ashley Estuary is part of the Regional Park. Over time the environment in the Estuary will be enhanced in association with a range of stake holders but our Rangers' emphasis at the moment is on weed control and restricting vehicle access to this fragile and special place.
Park Partners
Floods and flood control
The Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park occupies the same space as the Ashley Rakahuri riverbed and flood control structures. Please heed all flood warnings and track closures and stay out of floodwaters. Please don’t do anything to interfere with the stopbanks. This includes driving sport vehicles on them.
Vehicle restrictions
No vehicles of any type are permitted in the riverbed on the open shingle from 1 August to 28 February. This is to protect nesting birds.
No vehicles of any type are permitted in the estuary, or on Waikuku Beach.
Sport vehicles, including trailbikes and registered four-wheel-drives, are restricted to tracks on the river berm (among the willows). Unregistered buggy-type vehicles are not permitted anywhere in the Park.
Ashley River/Rakahuri Management Strategy
This management strategy:
- is an outcome of the investigation into the establishment of an Ashley Rakahuri Regional Park.
- has been prepared by community representatives.
- sets goals and clear objectives which are intended to guide Environment Canterbury’s future management of the Ashley River/Rakahuri.
- describes the many actions necessary to achieve these goals with indications of priority and timing.
The strategy covers both sides of the Ashley River/Rakahuri from the Coastal Marine Reserve (approximately one kilometre upstream of the river mouth) to the confluence of the Okuku River. This draft strategy does not include the Ashley River/Rakahuri Estuary.
Read the Ashley River/Rakahuri Management Strategy (pdf 892 kB)