The Victoria Road entrance gates are located at the end of a small no-exit section of lower Victoria Road and are adjacent to Pukekura Park's main children's playground.
The wrought iron parts of the gates were originally erected at the main Lairdet Street entrance to Pukekura Park, and were relocated to their present position in 1938 to enable the construction of the present entranceway.
In December 1884 it was reported that "Mr J. Revell, blacksmith, has just completed a handsome pair of gates which are to be fixed at the Liardet Street entrance to the Recreation Grounds". The gates were a gift from Mr George Rhind, who had arrived in New Plymouth in 1881 following his appointment as Superintendent of Works at the New Plymouth Harbour Works.
In 1890, the entrance had to be modified as ground subsidence required the temporary removal of the gates, new concrete foundations and pillars, along with the addition of new iron wings. Plans for the work were prepared by New Plymouth builder and architect, Arthur Mofflin, who was also responsible for Pukekura Park's band rotunda.
In 1938, the old 1885 main gates and a small section of the 1890 fence were removed and re-erected at the Victoria Road entrance to the park, where they remain to this day.
Related item:
Pukekura Park Victoria Road Entrance Gates, Victoria Road New Plymouth, Draft Heritage Assessment (Hamish Crimp, 2019).
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