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Discover some of New Zealand’s most impressive sports and leisure facilities on the IAKS Facility Tour!

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Hiwa

See Auckland and Christchurch highlights

Highlights in Auckland and Christchurch include eight stunning facilities from community centres to stadiums and arenas. Explore best practice in the planning, design, and operation of facilities that serve both elite and community sport.
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Temporary Stadium

Network and get inspired

This carefully curated tour combines inspiring technical site visits with valuable networking opportunities among industry peers. It also includes tickets to the international rugby match between New Zealand’s All Blacks and France on 4 July — adding a memorable sporting highlight to an exceptional professional experience.
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2024 IAKS study trip Melbourne 16

Just travel. We care

Enjoy the worry-free travel package including the guided tour by coach. Participants will gain exclusive first-hand insights from the designers and operators behind these outstanding venues.
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Key facts at a glance

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  • A unique opportunity to visit some of New Zealand's most iconic facilities with local experts
  • Learn, network, get inspired
  • Worry-free travel, arranged by IAKS (accomodation and international flights not included)
  • Discounts for IAKS members apply
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  • July 4–6, 2026
  • Booking deadline: 15 May 2026
  • Limited number of seats
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What you will see

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A look behind the scenes of Hiwa Recreation Centre

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Hiwa is a world-class recreation and wellbeing hub at the University of Auckland, spanning 26,000m² across eight levels.

Named after Hiwa-i-te-Rangi, the star of aspiration, the facility supports student success through evidence-based links between physical activity and academic outcomes. From an underground aquatic hall to rooftop turf, its diverse spaces foster fitness, relaxation, social interaction, and research. A gamified fitness circuit promotes visible movement and campus engagement. Responding to its dense urban context, Hiwa activates the public realm and strengthens campus connectivity. 

Embedding sustainability, cultural identity, and cutting-edge design, it sets a new benchmark for tertiary infrastructure in New Zealand.

Visit Saturday 4 July

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Hiwa

© Scott Norsworthy | Warren and Mahoney

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Iconic moments in Eden Park National Stadium

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Eden Park is New Zealand's largest stadium, located in the heart of Auckland.

With a capacity of 50,000, it primarily hosts rugby union and cricket and has been a sporting landmark since its origins in the early 1900s. The venue has hosted many iconic moments, including the 1987 and 2011 Rugby World Cup finals, cementing its place in New Zealand sporting history.

Known as 'the Fortress', the All Blacks have remained undefeated there in over 30 years establishing itself in folklore as one of the most indomitable home venues for any sport anywhere in the world.

Beyond sport, Eden Park welcomes concerts, community events, and functions, drawing nearly a million visitors annually and standing as a proud symbol of Auckland's vibrant cultural identity.

Visit Saturday 4 July

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Eden Park Trust

© Eden Park Trust

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Mainpower

© Warren and Mahoney

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Mainpower Stadium – the future-focused facility

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The Waimakariri Multi-Use Sports Facility is a community hub built to serve the district's rapid population growth following the 2010/11 Christchurch earthquakes.

The facility features four indoor courts configured for multiple sporting codes, seating for approximately 500 spectators, a central fitness facility, change rooms, and coaching and meeting spaces. Designed to consolidate multiple North Canterbury sports groups into one future-focused location, the building follows a loose-fit philosophy being flexible enough to evolve over decades, with capacity for two additional courts.

An innovative community plaza, activated by operable walls, supports outdoor events and broader community gatherings. The facility has been an incredibly successful opportunity for a growing community to connect through sport, leisure and recreation.

Visit Sunday 5 July

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Parakiore

© Warren and Mahoney

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High Performance Sport and public use in balance at Parakiore Recreation and Sport Facility

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One of Australasia's largest sports facilities, this 30,000m² Centre of Excellence serves elite, educational, and recreational communities alike.

Its aquatic hall features a 50-metre, 10-lane competition pool with 1,000+ spectator seats, a diving pool, hot pools, and hydroslides, while nine indoor courts accommodate 2,500 spectators. Dedicated High Performance Sport New Zealand zones including an assessment track, physio suites, and analyst spaces are seamlessly integrated yet carefully separated from public areas, balancing athlete privacy with community access.

Shaped through engagement with over a dozen stakeholder groups, the facility delivers a truly integrated, high-performance community asset of national significance.

Visit Sunday 5 July

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Cultural and spiritual legacy at He Puna Taimoana Hot Pools

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He Puna Taimoana is a saltwater hot pools complex on the shorefront of New Brighton, Christchurch. The site holds strong cultural and spiritual significance to Ngāi Tūāhuriri/Ngāi Tahu, who gifted the name meaning "seaside pools."

With a proud local history of saltwater pools dating back to the early 1900s, visitors have long credited the waters with relieving sciatica, rheumatism and other ailments. Today the pools are heated using ground-sourced heat pump technology, reducing their environmental footprint, and stand as a beloved community landmark reviving a cherished local tradition.

Five pools at varying temperatures each offer their own unique experience, complemented by a separate plunge pool, on-site café and other amenities. He Puna Taimoana is the perfect place to relax, unwind, and explore the New Brighton neighbourhood.

Visit Sunday 5 July

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He Puna Taimoana

© Beca Jason Mann Photography

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True multi-use at Wolfbrook Arena

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A true multi-use facility, Wolfbrook Arena opened in September 1998 as Christchurch's major indoor multi-purpose arena.

As a key venue for concerts, expos and events the arena is also home to the Canterbury Rams, New Zealand Breakers (both basketball), and Mainland Tactix (netball) as well as showcasing its adaptability with touring events such as ice hockey.

With a capacity of almost 9,000 for concerts and 7,000 for sport, Wolfbrook is a venue that exemplifies high utilisation and is a model for the modern commercial facility.

Visit Monday 6 July

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Wolfbrook Arena

© Venues Ōtautahi | Angelo Damian

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Temporary Stadium

© Venues Ōtautahi | Angelo Damian

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Christchurch's sporting heart in Temporary Stadium

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Built in just 100 days following the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes, the temporary stadium replaced the irreparably damaged Lancaster Park and was originally intended to last only five years. However, the stadium emerged as a vital interim home for Christchurch's sports teams and events, keeping the city's sporting heartbeat alive for over a decade. 

Constructed using largely recycled infrastructure from other venues, lights from Dunedin's Carisbrook, turf and goalposts salvaged from Lancaster Park, seating used at Eden Park during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. The remarkable creation of this stadium echoes the resilience of a devastated community.

Incredibly, the stadium is notable for having the highest top-flight championship win percentage of any rectangular sporting stadium in the world, with the Crusaders winning eight Super Rugby titles in 14 years with a championship win rate of 57.1%

Visit Monday 6 July

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One NZ Stadium

© Warren and Mahoney

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A look past history in One New Zealand Stadium at Te Kaha

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One NZ Stadium is a symbol of a community’s resilience and optimism. For the people of Christchurch, it is the final piece in the rebuilding of a city devastated by the 2011 earthquakes.

As New Zealand's first fully enclosed stadium, this versatile venue is designed to flex and transform and hosts everything from sports to major concerts. With a capacity of 30,000 for sport events and 36,000 for concerts, the venues versatility is exceptionally showcased.

A sciences-based performance approach in the design studied natural light for turf health, fluid dynamics to assess air movement, acoustic modelling for reverberation and attenuation, patron movement modelling to reduce queue times. Every layer was carefully balanced to deliver an exceptional and seamless patron experience.

Ultimately, Te Kaha is for the people, a place to gather, to connect and to celebrate. To look past the history of loss and to embrace the future.

Visit Monday 6 July

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Travel package

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The travel package includes

  • A tour by coach with tour guides as indicated in the programme **
  • Flight from Auckland to Christchurch in the afternoon of 4 July, including transport to/from airport by coach
  • Ticket for the international rugby match between New Zealand’s All Blacks vs France on 4th July 2026 (One NZ Stadium, Christchurch)
  • 3 x Lunch on 4/5/6 July
  • 3 x Dinner on 3/5/6 July

** Detailed scheduling of facility visits may be subject to change

Hotel accommodation

on own account (not included in travel package)

Delegates are kindly requested to make their own hotel arrangements to suit their requirements.

IAKS have arranged a contingent with the following hotels. Please contact us and we are more than happy to provide the registration link.

Auckland

  • Mövenpick Hotel Auckland
  • Tribe Auckland Fort Street
  • Rendezvous Heritage Hotel Auckland

Christchurch

  • The Muse Christchurch Art Hotel
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Travel package
 attendance fee
IAKS member  750 EUR (1500 NZD)
Non-member1000 EUR (2000 NZD)

All prices in EUR incl. VAT

Booking deadline: 15 May 2026

Cancellation free of charge is possible by 15 May 2026, after which the full price is payable.

Travel to and from New Zealand

to be organised individually and on own account (not included in facility trip package). We recommend taking out travel cancellation insurance as well as health and accident insurance.

 

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Itinerary of facility visits

itinerary
Place and datetimevenue
Saturday 4 July  
Auckland 9 amHiwa Recreation Centre
 11 amEden Park National Stadium
  1:30 pmTransfer to airport
  3 pmFlight to Christchurch
  4:30 pmTransfer to city centre
Christchurch 6 pmRugby Match NZ vs France
   
Sunday 5 July  
Christchurch10 amMainpower Stadium
  1 pmParakiore Recreation and Sport Facility
  3 pmHe Puna Taimoana Hot Pools
   
Monday 6 July  
Christchurch  9 amWolfbrook Arena
 10.30 amTemporary Stadium
  1.30 pmOne NZ Stadium at Te Kaha
Geolocation

-36.8542458, 174.7678478

04.07.2026 – 06.07.2026
Venue
Hiwa Recreation Centre

Address
17 Symonds Street

ZIP Code
1010
City
Auckland

Country
New Zealand
Event language:
Event language
English
Organizer: IAKS international

Contact

Company Logo
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IAKS Team, Silke Baltzer

Firstname
Silke
Lastname
Baltzer

Function
Event and membership management
+49 (0) 221 168023-11
baltzer@iaks.sport