Panmure Basin

A haven, away from the concrete, tarmac and buildings. Can catch glimpses of one tree hill, nice view of mt Wellington, and plenty of shady areas around this gem of a spot.

Panmure isn’t known to be a beautiful spot with it’s run down, dilapidated buildings, and terrible crash-​worthy roundabout, but this place redeems it. The basin is a large expanse of water with trees drooping over it. There’s a walkway for your morning jog or dog walk, and a skate park for the xtreme sports fanatics to enjoy. Nearby is a good swimming pool called The Lagoon, as I’m certain the basin isn’t a good place to go for a dive.
Never-​the-​less, t’s a glorious spot at high tide on a summer’s day. Go enjoy a stroll along the waterfront next time such a day occurs.

Panmure doesn’t have a heck of a lot going for it in terms of nice places to hang out, but there is a really nice skate park located in Panmure Basin, right by the water’s edge. There is quite a large concreted area here with a fair number of obstacles and the perfect amount of space in between them. It’s not too cramped and not too difficult either. The concrete is smooth, the layout is good, and the skate park really is well designed and constructed.
The skate park is not the only thing here though; there is a bit of park beside it with some picnic tables right next to the water. Also there’s a swimming pool nearby if you feel like a bit of a swim.

The Basin is an idyllic recreational facility located in Panmure just off the Pakuranga Highway. The track around the basin is a decent 3.6 kilometres, and is perfect for both joggers and walkers — I have lots of memories running around and around lap after lap when I was young and crazy and ran much more than I currently do. There are lots of exercise stations located around the basin, so you can have quite an all-​rounded workout mixing up running and body-​weight resistance training. There are a decent number of seats to stop and sit at if you get a bit tired, and also a few hills in the mix for that extra challenge on your morning jog. Dogs are allowed and there are plenty of toilets located around the track, making for a convenient and attractive exercise location with lots of facilities available.

My best Panmure Basin story involves me coming across at man while I was out on a mid-​week walk around the Basin. He was down at the water’s edge, in a suit and tie and looking very smart, but he was throwing a stick for his dog like it was the weekend. As I got closer I noticed he was talking quite loudly into his cell phone, something along the lines of «Oh nah mate we’re absolutely flat out here, it’s so full-​on, I can’t talk mate, I’ve gotta go, I’m in a meeting».
And I thought «Good on ya mate».
I love walking my dog around Panmure Basin. She’s only little so it takes us the best part of an hour to get around the whole thing. It’s a great spot to walk or run since there’s car parking (not heaps, but enough), and most of the walkway is in good condition, although there are places where the tree roots are busting through.