1 / 2Willowbank Reserve and Play Area
📍 Tawa, Wellington
Willowbank Reserve in Tawa follows the Porirua Stream through native bush with old-growth trees. A playground, toilets, and off-street parking are on site. The stream is known for native eels and the reserve has an off-leash dog area.
🏆 Family Action Verdict
Families with toddlers visit regularly and specifically mention the native eels in the stream as a highlight that captures kids' attention. The combination of the playground, stream walks, and open grassy space gives the reserve a layered appeal for different age groups.
ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go
💬 What Families Are Saying
View all reviews →218 Google reviews
G Reviews from Google
AnAverageKoala
4 months ago
“Great place to relax, listen to the stream, walk your dog, and wait while the rest are shopping at the Outlet City 😄”
Andrea Hudson
5 months ago
“Good place to walk around and through.”
Valentina Rangel
a year ago
“Love this place, we visit often with our toddler. The reserve features a stream with the most eels we've ever seen in one spot, there are trains regularly passing by which my toddler loves to point and wave at, a big playground for kids of all ages, beautiful trees, a big grassy clearing, sometimes there are a few ducks, shade sails with picnic tables underneath, two bridges to cross the stream and a short nature track to enjoy. It is disappointing to see people feeding the eels and allowing their dogs off lead on the tracks though. Some of those eels could be up to 60 years old or even older and I've seen multiple people feed them bread which is terrible for them and the overall health of the stream. Please also do be careful with your children there as people like to let their untrained, out of control dogs roam free despite the obvious signs stating that the dogs should be on lead in the reserve.”
📊 Commonly mentioned in Google reviews
Based on Google review tagsEels
20 reviews
Playground
19 reviews
Stream
18 reviews
River
6 reviews
Eels in the river
5 reviews
Overview
Willowbank Reserve in Tawa sits alongside the Porirua Stream, which runs through an open grassy reserve shaded by large mature trees. The reserve is known for a dense population of native eels visible in the stream. A playground and public toilets are on site, with off-street parking available at the reserve entrance. A bridge leads onto walking tracks that pass through the native bush section of the reserve. Part of the area is designated off-leash for dogs.
