News

We’re delighted to announce our Chief Executive, Sarah Murray, has recieved the C.K. Doig Leadership Award at Sport NZ’s annual New Zealand Sport and Recreation Awards, held in Wellington tonight.

We’re proud to share the next step in our collective journey — Te Whai Oranga 2025–2030.

Last month, we announced changes to our membership structure and renewal process for 2025/26. The new membership structure simplifies membership management, improves billing efficiency, and allows organisational members to include their full teams within a membership tier.

As Aotearoa prepares to mark Matariki on Friday 20 June, recreation professionals across the motu play a vital role in bringing people together through meaningful, inclusive programmes. 

A record crowd gathered in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland tonight for the annual Recreation Aotearoa Parks Awards, a celebration of the people, places, and spaces shaping Aotearoa New Zealand’s recreation sector.

Tauranga is proving itself a leader in parks and recreation, taking home multiple honours at the Recreation Aotearoa Parks Awards held tonight in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Wellington City Council’s River Foster has been crowned the 2025 Young Amenity Horticulturist of the Year. The winner was announced at the Recreation Aotearoa Parks Awards in Tāmaki Makaurau tonight, following the competition at Auckland Botanic Gardens on Monday.

Recreation Aotearoa and Parks and Leisure Australia (PLA) have officially renewed their Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), reaffirming their commitment to Trans-Tasman collaboration in the parks, recreation, and leisure sectors.

Our communities are increasingly diverse. Increasingly aging, NEW New Zealanders, and those experiencing financial hard ship all have unique needs and require different planning and provision.

But how are we changing? And what is the impact on recreation and sport?

We’re proud to announce the Finalists for the Parks Awards 2025 and the Young Amenity Horticulturalist of the Year 2025.