Dinosaur Discovery Track
2025-04-02 - 2025-10-31 | Auckland Zoo Te Whare Kararehe o Tāmaki Makaurau, 99 Motions Road, Western Springs, Auckland, 1022, New Zealand
Travel back in time on our Dinosaur Discovery Track to experience some of the awe-inspiring creatures that lived up to 250 million years ago and learn about their connections with animals we care for here at the Zoo today and are helping to conserve in the wild.
This immersive educational experience in the Zoo’s former elephant habitat features 25 large-scale animatronic dinosaurs made by world-leading dinosaur creators, The Dinosaur Company.
These spectacular replicas move and roar (some even spit water!) and represent the rich diversity of life from our planet’s intriguing Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods of the Mesozoic Era between 252 – 66 million years ago!
“Although most dinosaurs went extinct the best part of 65 million years before the first humans evolved, they nevertheless have this incredible ability to intrigue and fascinate us about animals and epic wildlife. For many of us – including me – dinosaurs are a potent gateway drug that lead to a lifelong connection to nature and to conservation,” says Auckland Zoo director, Kevin Buley.
“Over the seven months that our Dinosaur Discovery Track is here, we hope that we inspire new audiences about not just extinct species, but to also get them excited and motivated about all those wildlife species that are still with us, and now desperately need all our help to stop them going the way of the dinosaurs and disappearing forever.”
Among the 19 dinosaur species you’ll encounter are the fabulously feathered Utahraptor (with babies) water loving Baryonyx, Tyrannosaurus (T-Rex) and rhinoceros-like Pachyrhinosaurus.
Interactive activities
As you explore the Track, you can try your hand as a palaeontologist and take part in fossil digs (this includes accessible height digs for wheelchair users) and via your phone, scan QR codes for dinosaur audio guides and augmented reality experiences.
There’ll also be Dinosaur Rangers roaming the Track to chat with, and free daily dinosaur keeper talks at 10.30am, 12.30pm and 2.45pm exploring dinosaur evolution, extinction, and how the dinosaurs’ legacy lives on!
Key info

Open Wednesday 2 April until Sunday 31 October 2025
Open daily from 10am – 5pm
Located in the former elephant habitat on the Africa Safari Track
Entry is free with an Auckland Zoo general admission ticket or an Auckland Zoo membership

Dinosaur membership
A Dinosaur Pass membership gives you unlimited entry to the entire Zoo including the Dinosaur Discovery Track for six months from date of purchase. Be in quick, unlike the tuatara, this pass will go extinct soon!
Available for purchase from 1 April till 30 June 2025.

Rhymetime at New Lynn War Memorial Library
2025-07-14 10:30 - 2025-12-08 11:00 (Pacific/Auckland) | New Lynn War Memorial Library, 3 Memorial Drive, New Lynn, Auckland, 0600, New Zealand
Bring along your tamariki & enjoy a morning of music, rhymes, dance and more.
This is a great event for ages 18 months to 3 years.

Future Potters Club
2025-07-15 - 2025-08-19 | Studio One Toi Tu, 1 Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
Ignite your child’s creativity and let them discover the wonders of clay with Future Potters Club! In our weekly hands-on classes, your child will create imaginative creatures to scenes from a movie.
Designed to spark imagination, our classes offer a chance to make one-of-a-kind pottery while developing artistic skills.
Join us today!
Age : 6-12
Length : 6weeks
Class : 12 Max
Materials Included

4pm-5.30pm

Cost
Paid$185

Winter Lights - Enchanted Evenings
2025-07-19 - 2025-08-16 | Rainbow’s End, 2 Clist Crescent, Manukau City Centre, Auckland, 2104, New Zealand
Rainbow’s End enchanting Winter Lights are back and more magical than ever this winter!
Winter Lights at Rainbow’s End transforms the park into a dazzling winter wonderland. Step into a magical world, with all your favourite rides plus over 40 kilometres of sparkling lights winding through Gold Rush Town, the Log Flume Enchanted Forest, and the majestic Kidz Kingdom Castle.
Be sure to check out the Deep Dive Dodgems, an immersive driving experience on the ocean floor!
How do you experience the magic?
Enjoy all of the magic of Winter Lights with a Twilight Rides or Night Rides Pass!
Night Rides
Our 6PM-11PM Saturday evening session, suited for ages 12+

Kidz Kingdom is closed for our Night Ride sessions.
Saturday 19th July
Saturday 26th July
Saturday 2nd August
Saturday 16th August
Twilight Rides
Our 5PM-9PM family-friendly sessions have now ended for 2025.
You can still enjoy Winter Lights with Night Rides, suitable for ages 12+ on selected Saturday evenings.
ENTERTAINMENT
As well as thousands of fairy lights, check out some special Winter Lights entertainment during our sessions!
Night Rides
dj fr3quency – 6PM – 11PM
Our resident DJ will be spinning some tunes on Centre Stage during Night Rides!
WINTER FAIRIES – 5:45PM – 8:45PM
Say hello to our magical Winter Fairies who will be glowing throughout the park on Night Rides! Take some pics for the ultimate Winter Lights selfie!

Train Day at Kiwi North
2025-07-20 - 2025-08-17 | Kiwi North Museum, Kiwi House & Heritage Park, 500 State Highway 14, Maunu, Whangārei, 0179, New Zealand
For easy family fun look no further than Heritage Park, at Kiwi North. Located on 25 hectares of rolling farmland, forest and bush in Maunu, with views overlooking Whangārei, Heritage Park is always free for the public to enjoy. On the third Sunday of the month the park also comes alive for ‘Train Day’, a much-loved community event.
Catch a ride on a steam train, rumble through the bush on a tram, jump on a jigger, whizz around the miniature train track, or enjoy a nostalgic hayride across the open paddocks. At only $2.50 per ride, locals know that ‘old school fun’ is a recipe for success, and for those further afield, Heritage Park is the ultimate ‘Sunday drive’ destination.
Trains run 10am -2pm and tickets for the rides are purchased directly from the train stations at Heritage Park. Free parking is available at the Kiwi North Gate 1 and Gate 2 entrances, 500 State Highway 14, Maunu, Whangārei. Kiwi North is open 7 Days from 10am to 4pm. www.kiwinorth.co.nz
