Hamilton Gardens admission fees will be charged from September to coincide with the opening hours of the entrance area

Hamilton City Council deputy chief executive and council’s destination group general manager Sean Murray said the themed enclosed gardens only made up 10 per cent of the 50 hectares of gardens, so a large portion would still be free to visit.

“No matter where you live, everyone will continue to have free access to the Hamilton Gardens cafe, rose garden, azalea lawn, camellia garden, children’s playground, turtle lake and carpark.”

Admission fees have been a controversial topic in recent years.

Elected members There was extensive debatethere are other options, This includes reducing charges for residents in the Waipa and Waikato regions.has been considered.

Following public consultation, councillors confirmed a $20 fee for non-Hamilton residents in the 2023-24 plan.

The city council says it costs about $6 million a year to run and maintain the gardens, and so far those costs have been largely borne by Hamilton taxpayers, even though about 60 per cent of visitors come from out of town.

By comparison, standard adult admission to Kew Gardens in London is $40 and to Hunter Valley Gardens in Australia is $41.

Murray said he understands not everyone will like the accusation.

“But the council is facing huge budget pressures and so are ratepayers. The council has decided it cannot continue to pass the entire financial burden of the gardens onto ratepayers. That would be unfair,” he said.

“The garden is one of the best in the world and the fees reflect its value.”

It is expected that approximately $10 million in admission fees will be recovered within 10 years, with all funds going specifically to the operation of the gardens.

Annual passes are $39 if purchased before December 31 and $50 if purchased starting January 1.

SuperGold, Student ID and Community Services Card holders receive a 10% discount on admission.

A record 537,584 people visited the Enclosed Gardens between July 2023 and July 2024. Over the years, the Enclosed Gardens has received numerous accolades, including being named to Tripadvisor’s list of the best attractions.

The Visitor Entrance Area project is part of the Hamilton Gardens development plan.

The plan also includes four new gardens: the Ancient Egyptian Garden, which will open in May 2022, and the Medieval, Pacific and Baroque gardens, which are currently under development.

The Medieval Gardens are currently in the final stages of fundraising through Momentum Waikato and are expected to open in spring next year.

For more information, visit hamilton.govt.nz/mygardens.