Ngatea Water Gardens — Attraction in North Island

The place is really lovely and serene, really good value for money. You could spend a good 2 hours there and still not see all the really neat little quirky things they have located all over the place. You'll find a couple of examples in the photos I posted. How about a typical rural delivery letterbox high up on a post with an "Airmail" sign on it, how else would the mail be delivered? Maybe you'd like to hire a dinghy, oops, they're a little water-logged. The place is full of these random things and it starts outside the venue, in the off street parking area and you might just find a last one as you exit if you're observant. They have a function centre, we can't comment in that.

I gave it 4 stars because it's beautiful, but needs a little tidy up after the winter. Springtime generates phenomenal plant growth, so the condition is appropriate for the season. After the quiet winter, they could probably do with the income.

I am not affiliated with the water gardens. I have visited them 3-4 times over the last 18 years. Adults love the colours and the gardens, kids love it too. Lots of photos...

We visited Ngatea Water Gardens over the labour weekend, and I must say, it's a hidden gem worth every moment. The garden is impeccably clean and beautifully maintained. The combination of beautiful flowers, greeneries and fantastic water features is a visual delight. You can by a feeding bag for $1 each and feed fish/bird and sheep. There are swans and even a peacock roaming around.

What truly sets this place apart for me is the owner's unique sense of humor, which adds a delightful touch to the experience. Funny signs and setups sprinkled throughout the garden, the big kids quiz also encouraged us to explore more into the finer details.

To top it off, there's a big collection of cans from around the world. Highly recommended for a day of fun and relaxation. You will enjoy it the most if you go on a warm sunny day ;)

I hope one day the owner will add an on-site cafe, doesn’t need to be modern and flashy, even an old-fashion-styled stall...

The gardens were a pleasant walk but the planting was unremarkable, and there were dead lotus plants on the fringes of the lake. For me, the conditions in which the captive animals were kept were unacceptable . There was a small, squalid aviary with budgies and a few other species, for sale. This could have been so much better, with grass and small trees: more attractive and offering a much better quality of life for the inhabitants. Saddest of all were 3 large rams kept in a small, smelly enclosure, only partly grassed and not providing enough food so that they depended on the small pellets sold at the entrance for feed. Sad to see animals exploited for an extra dollar! How much more attractive to see these lovely beasts grazing freely and ignoring the human visitors and simply being sheep rather than being forced to be on display. Not sure why shep need to be part of a water...