Tauranga has many beautiful parks, reserves and beaches, ideal for picnics, birthday parties and small gatherings - perfect for the community to come together and celebrate.
We recommend you make a request to hold your activity on public land using our online scheduling system. This allows you to check current availability and advises others of your booking.
While it's helpful to use our scheduling tool, it doesn't provide you exclusive use of a public open space. If we're made aware of another event that may have an impact on your activity, we'll attempt to contact you via our scheduling system to let you know.
Please note that this information is only applicable to general use activities such as picnics, birthday parties and small informal gatherings. If you are hoping to hold a community or public event on public open space, you are likely to need to obtain an event approval from our event facilitation team.
Event approval
Before you request a booking:
- Submit a request for one location only
- Multiple bookings of various locations for the same date won’t be processed.
Request a booking
Please note: when you lodge your application, you are accepting the following terms:
- Council cannot make any specific arrangements to prepare the site for your activity, e.g. mowing the reserve the day before your activity.
- All reserves are on a specific mowing and maintenance regime with our contractors.
Non-exclusive site use
Council isn't responsible if someone else wants to use (or is already using) the site at the same time as you do. While we do encourage people to use our scheduling system, it is a public open space and other people are entitled to use the reserve at the time.
The use of public open spaces for general use activities are at no cost.
Rubbish
You are responsible for the removal of rubbish relating to your activity. Please recycle where possible.
Reinstatement of the site
You are responsible for reinstatement of any damage to the grounds as a result of your activity.
Protection of trees and Council structures
Signs, banners, guy ropes etc. are not permitted to be attached to any tree or structure on our reserves.
Equipment permitted
Minor infrastructure such as a small number of tables and chairs and a 3m by 3m gazebo are allowed to be used. The safety of these structures is your responsibility. Please remove any infrastructure from the site immediately after your activity.
Amplified sound and vehicles
If you are intending to use low level background music and a microphone for your activity, please make sure the speakers are facing away from neighbouring properties and businesses. If you are on the beach, the speakers should point towards the ocean.
Public parking areas must remain available to the public and cannot be reserved exclusively for your guests. Vehicle access is not permitted onto our reserves for general use activities and all access must be on foot.
Inflatables / bouncy castles
Inflatable devices are fun, however there are risks involved. If you would like to have an inflatable device at your gathering, it’s important that the device meets the Australian Standard (the accepted safety standard as per Worksafe NZ guidelines). When submitting an online request for a gathering on public space, please make it clear that you are planning to have an inflatable device so we can provide you with advice and guidance.
Providers who are unable to demonstrate that their devices meet current safety standards are not permitted to operate on public open space.
Worksafe NZ guidance on Land-borne inflatable device operating requirements can be found at Worksafe.
Alcohol in public places
Various locations within Tauranga are designated as being alcohol-free areas. This means that alcohol can not be carried or consumed at these locations and fines may be issued to those not abiding by the rules.
Please note: Between 26 December and 6am on 6 January (inclusive) there are additional locations around the city that are included within the alcohol-free areas.
Alcohol-free areas within Tauranga
Reserves that need special care
Otumoetai Pa, Gate Pa Domain, Mount Drury, Mauao and Moturiki (Leisure Island) are significant cultural and archaeological areas, and ground disturbance can’t occur due to archaeological features, e.g. pegs can't be used for a gazebo.
Please note that this information is only applicable to general use activities such as picnics, birthday parties and small informal gatherings. If you are hoping to hold a community or public event on public open space, you are likely to need to obtain an event approval from our event facilitation team.