3 - Willow Walk

Time: 40 - 60 minutes

Area: Nelson Central.

Start LocatIon: A suggested starting point for this walk is the Brook Street playground just beside the local dairy, north of the intersection with Seymour Avenue.

Download the Willow Walk map (153KB PDF)

Route directions

Walk down along Brook Street to Bronte Street East and turn left. Go across the footbridge and through to Seymour Avenue, then turn right into Willow Walk.

Following the Brook, the walkway comes out on to Alton Street beside Central School. Follow Alton Street across Nile Street and down to Hardy Street. Turn right into Hardy Street and left into Queens Gardens.

Spend some time in the gardens with the ducks and admire the rose beds, take a look at Sentinel in the pond, purchased by the Council in 1998. This steel sculpture by Grant Scott and Dominique de Borrekens was inspired by the base of the nikau palm frond and the waka and ships which brought waves of people to Aotearoa New Zealand.

The Waterwheel near the Hardy Street entrance to the gardens was chosen as a symbolic reference to the Rotary emblem and installed in 2005 as a centenary project of the Nelson Rotary Club. It is made of 50,000 year old Kauri from Dargaville.

Follow any one of the paths out on to Bridge Street and turn right. Cross Domett Street and follow the path down to the Maitai Walkway.

Turn right up the river to the Hardy Street footbridge. Cross over and carry on along Hardy Street, then right into Tory Street. Turn right into Nile Street, walk along to Tasman Street and turn left. Follow Tasman Street and Brook Street back to the playground.