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Food in parks

two men plant vegetable seedlings in a garden in a park

Many of Invercargill and Bluff's public spaces feature edible gardens, with produce that is available for the community to harvest throughout the year.

Depending on the season, you may be able to pick pears or apples from fruit trees, collect medlars for jam or harvest some leafy greens from our public vegetable beds.

The first IncrEDIBLES gardens were planted in Invercargill in 2021, and we now have around 5000 edible plants going in the ground each autumn and spring across our parks and reserves.

The vegetables are available to everyone for free at various times throughout the year, with varieties including silver and rainbow beet, kale, parsley, spring onions and sprouting broccoli.

We ask that you only take what you need, only pick the leaves or stems so the plant can continue growing, and leave some for other people to enjoy.

Locations:

  • Queens Park near the Japanese Garden
  • Ōtākaro Park at Yarrow St
  • Elles Rd in front of the Pipe Band Hall
  • Gore St Bluff near the Bluff Skate Park
Map showing edible garden locations in Invercargill and Bluff. Vegetable garden sites are marked in Queens Park, Otakaro Park, Pipe Band Hall and Bluff Skate Park.

IncrEDIBLES garden locations in Invercargill and Bluff.

Young nut tree saplings planted in a mulched area of Queens Park, surrounded by mature trees. Sunlight filters through the woodland setting, highlighting rows of newly established trees with fresh green leaves and protective stakes. Grass and parkland are visible in the background.

Nut tree saplings in Queens Park in July 2025.

There are approximately 224 fruit trees in our parks, notably pear, apple, medlar and mulberry trees, as well as some nut trees, including walnut, hazelnut and chestnut.

The varieties have been selected for their reliability and suitability to our southern climate, but the fruiting success does vary from year to year. You're welcome to harvest fruit and nuts from our trees as they ripen, but please only take what you need and respect the trees so they can continue to provide for our community for years to come.

Read about the apple and pear harvest at Donovan Park and Derwent Crescent in March 2026.

Pruning fruit trees

Many fruit trees need to be pruned once a year to keep them healthy and producing quality fruit. Learn how to prune an apple tree with Keith and Dylan from Parks and Recreation.

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Edible garden locations

Edible garden locations

IncrEDIBLES at Queens Park

Kiosk Rd, Queens Park, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand

IncrEDIBLES at Ōtākaro Park

Yarrow St, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand

IncrEDIBLES at Elles Rd

54 Elles Rd, Turnbull Thomson Park, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand

Donovan Park fruit trees

52 McIvor Rd, Anderson Park, Invercargill 9876, New Zealand

Derwent Park fruit trees

132 Derwent Cres, Glengarry, Invercargill 9810, New Zealand

IncrEDIBLES at Bluff

120 Gore St, Bluff 9814, New Zealand