For as long as there have been people in the area, Caroline Bay has been a place for gathering.
It is a changing landscape influenced by both the city and the sea and the way our community uses it is continuously evolving too. From kai moana and whaling to shipping, concerts and fairs, it has served many generations in different ways. It is a place to be enjoyed by our community, a place where people can connect not just with each other but also with our local environment and history.
We are excited about the next chapter in the story of Caroline Bay, helping the area to be enjoyed by all of our community for many more generations to come.
View of Caroline Bay looking North across the carnival area, the playground to the left, the skate park to the center and the Pohatu Koko stream flowing to the sea. Photography by Chris Firkin.
A space to connect and play
The CPlay playground upgrade is an opportunity to create a destination play area suitable for all ages and abilities.
The design will weave our local history into the playground and gathering areas, so that the community can also connect with the environment and history of our area.
A kai moana trail will represent the Pohatu-koko stream, that used to flow freely down to meet the ocean and is now piped below the playground. Benches along the trail will be modelled on Mōkihi, small inland boats used for fishing in estuaries, creeks and rivers.
A large shelter sponsored by the Timaru Suburban Lions will form a central gathering place, with a largescale image of local rock art. The rock art could has inspried us to share one of the creation stories of our area, the ancestral waka Ārai-te-uru that capsized near Moeraki and shaped the coastline, foothills and alps.
The playground equipment will also reflect the maritime history of the area: a lighthouse will reflect the prominent landmark that still stands on our shoreline today; and a shipwreck will represent the area’s notorious history as a treacherous stretch of coast with a reputation as a ship graveyard.