SUBTROPICAL GARDEN OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE & SCULPTURE TRAIL
190 Kerikeri Road,
Kerikeri, Bay of Islands, New Zealand
The Garden and Wharepuke Sculpture Trail is open 7 days a week.
Entry is by Koha/Donation.
The sculpture park trail shows works selected from open submission and proposals by local, national and international artists.
Proposals and submissions of works can be made at any time and works are changed on a rolling basis.
Works are installed on a 1 km trail through the award winning Wharepuke Subtropical Garden of National Significance (NZ Garden Trust) making it an ideal walk for both art and garden enthusiasts.
As with any exhibition of contemporary art it is rare that every visitor will ‘like’ every art work. The works at Wharepuke have been selected in the hope that even if visitors don’t like all of them there might be something for everyone to connect with. It might cause debate or questions, it might entertain – or not. It might reflect current and/or historical art practice, it might serve a purely aesthetic function that connects with the forms and textures of the plants.
The works here are by artists at different stages of their careers, some are just beginning while others have work included in major international museums such as the V&A in London, and sculpture parks like the Kroller Muller in the Netherlands, Gibbs Farm and Brick Bay in NZ.
MĀHA, our fantastic restaurant is on site with all day dining – check their web site for opening times and booking details
ENTRY FEES
ENTRY IS BY KOHA/DONATION
There’s a box for cash donations at the start of the walk or donations can be made by direct credit to the Art at Wharepuke account 01 – 0382-0082741-00
Suggested Entry/Pre-Covid fee – Adults $10 – 5-15 years $5 – Under 5 free but you are welcome to pay what you like
GROUP VISITS
Please contact us before your visit so we can make arrangements for you. Parking for buses is available and the area is also suitable for self-contained camper vans.
If you’d like to arrange a morning tea or lunch at MĀHA please contact us for options.
SEASON PASSES
(unlimited entry for 12 months from day of purchase)
Individual $30
Family $70 (2 + 2)
DOGS
Dogs are welcome as long as they stay on their leads and bring their owners with them and don’t leave anything behind.
STAY IN THE SCULPTURE PARK
Our sculpture park and garden is free for guests staying in our onsite tourist accommodation cottages
Mark Graver RE and Tania Booth are the curators of the Wharepuke Sculpture Park and Tania’s father Robin Booth is the knowledgeable man of the plant trail.
Wharepuke (House on the Hill) has been in the Booth family since 1938. The property, on the Stone Store Hill just up from the historic Kerikeri Basin is now divided between 4 brothers. The Wharepuke Subtropical Garden was established by Robin Booth in 1993 as a nursery and has since grown to an established “Garden of National Significance” NZGT boasting many rare plants unique to New Zealand.
The Art Park Sculpture Trail is the newest addition to the already established art businesses at Wharepuke. The Wharepuke Print Studio, founded by Mark Graver in 2005 is New Zealand’s only Non Toxic Printmaking workshop dedicated to Acrylic Resist Etching and Art at Wharepuke Gallery opened in 2009 exhibits established national and international artists with an emphasis on printmaking, international exchange and open submission exhibitions.
Mark Graver is an award winning artist printmaker with work in many international collections including the Victoria & Albert Museum London and in USA, China, Mexico, NZ , SE Asia and Europe. He is an elected fellow (RE) of The Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers, London, one of only 100 in the world.
Wharepuke also offers artist residencies, printmaking courses, workshops and art holidays and has self-contained tourist cottage accommodation and a restaurant, MĀHA, on site.