Queens Wharf

I might be waiting to meet someone in the city, just want to hang out in the sunshine after traipsing around the city so I’ll head to the giant loungers down on Queens Wharf. While away an afternoon with a book, some good music or just soak up that vitamin D (hasn’t 2013 just been a great summer)?
There is normally something new to look at on Queens Wharf too, like a new art installation (as in my photo). Or there might just be a really good food truck parked up at lunch time or maybe even some outdoor table tennis tables (thanks to ‘Ping Pong Park’ — for a limited time)!
I think Queens Wharf is a great urban space.

Even when I am on Queen Street, literally one block away from the sea, I find it easy to forget that Auckland is a costal city. Queen’s Wharf is a great reminder.
It can be deceivingly far to walk to Queen’s Wharf from downtown, it seems like it is just across the road, but it might be further than you think — I would not attempt it on a standard lunch break. But if you have some time to kill, it makes for a great walk. The wharf juts out a fair distance into the sea, far enough that even half way down everything becomes very oceanic. The wind picks up, the air smells like salt, and you can hear the sea collide against the wooden column supports which hold the wharf together. The Hilton Hotel occupies a lot of this prime real estate, but there are also many interesting restaurants to poke around in.

Queens Wharf is a prime piece of publicly owned waterfront that should be the city’s flagship public space — a 300m extension of Queen Street linking it to the harbour. Unfortunately it isn’t quite there yet, and the outcome depends on a few things — i.e. what is happening with the Cloud, cruise ship operations, and the continued use of the wharf as a cab rank/​Airbus bus stop. People seem to come decidedly second on the wharf at the moment — behind taxi and bus movements, and the movements of the corporate cabs that can drive up the wharf at will to drive well-​heeled passengers back to their cruise ship berthed by Shed 10.
In spite of that, the wharf is making strides. It is the best situated of our waterfront spaces, poking right out into the inner harbour with fantastic views of passing ferries, the Harbour Bridge, the North Shore and the gulf islands. Furthermore, it’s beginning to pick up its act with little events like outdoor theatre, the twice-​weekly ‘Kai on Queens’ food market, and the art club. They’ve made a nice little urban lounge at the south end of the wharf closest to Quay St, and it works well.
In short, while the Cloud and Shed 10 sitting side-​by-​side are an enduring symbol of Auckland’s inability to make a bloody decision, Queens Wharf has a bright future and is already the best spot to bring your lunch in town.

Ahhhh, there’s nothing like a bit of fresh sea air. And Queens Wharf has a lot of it. When I lived in the city I’d come down here to get my sanity back and to remind myself how awesome this city is. It’s a huge wharf but is usually packed with people going for walks, fishing, running or just enjoying the scenery. It’s crazy how you can be in the middle of the city but have access to the water and the most amazing view over the harbour at the same time.
It’s a brilliant place for our city to have as it really makes the most of the waterfront in a good way. Even on a winter’s day I like going there and getting a bit wind blasted to get rid of all the cobwebs. It’s also fun watching the ferries come and go, and see all the people come off them.
There are lots of places to have lunch, get a coffee, or ice cream so why not pop down and have a look soon!