Previously owned and operated by Hardie Brothers Ltd, the Russell Rd Quarry was worked from the 1940s for over 30 years, producing aggregate for local roading projects.� After a severe flood in 1974, operations moved to Otaika Rd and Winstone Aggregates Ltd, which took over the quarry, donated the 25ha Russell Rd site to Whangarei City as reserve.� For nearly 20 years though it was used as a dumping ground until Laughton King approached the council to negotiate development of a public garden in 1990.� Seven years later the council bought 2.5ha of adjoining land to form a� link to the top north-west border and a group of enthusiasts (Friends of the Quarry Garden) began to clear the overgrown area.
A trust was formed in 2000 and thousands of volunteer hours have been spent since the very first efforts to clear rusting car bodies, weeds, hunks of concrete and other trash.
Today there is an ongoing dramatic transformation to a sub-tropical garden featuring a 40m waterfall, many smaller falls and streams and of course rock formations.
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