Hāwea residents have teamed up with Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to transform the Hāwea Domain into a relaxing space which can serve as the “lungs of the community” into the future. 

The 40-hectare site, which is located between Lake Hāwea and Hāwea Flat, has been a public reserve for around a century and a couple of years ago a reserve management plan for the domain was adopted.

“Our vision for it is to be passive recreation - a bit like Hagley Park - with sports fields, a place where you can walk your dog, sit under the trees and enjoy the sunshine, or whatever you want to do,” Hāwea resident Errol Carr said. 

The Hāwea Food Forest community garden is part of the domain. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Errol is the chair of the Hāwea Domain Board Inc, which was formed a few years ago to work in collaboration with QLDC to make the most of the domain. 

Since then, underground electricity has been connected to the domain, a water bore has been installed, as well as a water reticulation system, and the board is now working with QLDC to develop a long-term landscaping plan for the domain.

The domain has been a public reserve for 100 or so years. PHOTO: Wānaka App

“For most of the 100 years it has been a reserve or domain it has been distant from the residential areas of Lake Hāwea township and Hāwea Flat,” Errol said.

“From what we see today, the township is moving closer to the domain every year.”

The domain is home to the Hāwea Picnic Racing Club. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Backyards within new developments round Hāwea are becoming “virtually non-exist” and the parks in new developments like Longview are “pocket handkerchief-sized”, which makes the domain even more important, he said.

The Hāwea Domain is currently underutilised - aside from the Hāwea Food Forest (a community garden) it is used by the Wānaka Hāwea Pony Club, and used once a year for the annual Hāwea Picnic Races.

Errol said there was huge value in activities like the food forest, which is getting “increasingly enthusiastic support from members of the Hāwea community.”

“They see it as a bit like the English-style allotment for growing their fruit and vegetables when they are living on a small block of land which doesn’t have much room for a garden,” he said. 

The township is moving closer to the domain every year. IMAGE: Supplied

Changes to the domain would be made with “breathing space” in mind, Errol said, and there was no intention for “intensive development or paid car parks or anything like that.”

“Believe me, it’s going to be the lungs of this community over the next 50 years.”

The 40ha Hāwea Domain is located at the Gladstone Road end of Domain Road.