Chelsea Estate Heritage Park is between Birkenhead and Chatswood on the north side of the Waitematā Harbour on the North Shore, Auckland. The most noticeable feature is the large historic Chelsea Sugar Refinery on the edge of Chelsea Bay. The refinery is surrounded by regenerating native forests, large grassed areas with exotic trees, and walkways. There are also ponds and small lakes that were historically developed by damming Duck Creek, which runs northwest of the park into Chatswood Reserve. The ponds and lakes were created to supply water to the refinery, but today provide habitat for black shags, pied shags, kōtare, and kōtuku-ngutupapa (royal spoonbills).
The park has significant European history, as the sugar refinery is one of NZ’s oldest continuing enterprises. The original building, developed in 1884, is part of the facility.
There are several walking tracks in the park. One connects to Chatswood Reserve, running around the ponds of Duck Creek, and another to Kauri Point Centennial Park to the southwest. A third walk takes you around the coast to the east on the George Gates Walkway. There is also a cafe at the refinery.
The park can be accessed on Colonial Road, with roadside parking before the refinery.
