Starting with the South Island

Christchurch, 'Cathedral Square':

http://www.newzealandatoz.com/otherimages/cathedral_square_christchurch_2_400.jpg

http://www.davidwallphoto.com/images/%7B5F566A6F-4DC2-4FEC-BDE1-02606E0DC25D%7D.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/375670625_5ce5025e76.jpg

http://www.calacademy.org/medialibrary/blogs/thelongview/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/20081227-cathedralsquare-500x3751.jpg

Dunedin, 'The Octagon'

http://www.davidwallphoto.com/images/%7BE9DD33B9-2F50-4D35-99AB-7CA2556FB74D%7D.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/21/98478066_400c0812bd.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2158/2248093153_bb998224a4_z.jpg

http://www.allcountries.org/photos/new_zealand/the_octagon_dunedin_new_zealand_photo_kieran_scott.jpg

Invercargill, 'Wachner Place'

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/37/112153541_6066c88384.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2007/2107786805_b55ec137d7_z.jpg

ChCh definitely has the nicest. I really didn't like the Octagon in Dunedin when I was there. Though I liked the city overall, the Octagon I thought was a disappointment and annoying as a pedestrian.

Possibly agreed, although the Octagon is I think more visually appealing, the Square has no road traffic running through it making it more usable IMO, if a bit blander for lack of 'park-like' qualities.

Does anywhere else in the SI have a square of any sort?

Palmerston North has a decent one

North Island (exc Auck and Wel)

Hastings, ?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3398372582_79809f5cfd.jpg

http://images.travelpod.com/users/skcoll/worldtour2005.1114414260.imgp1320.jpg

Napier, Clive Square:

http://www.napier.govt.nz/photos/clive_3.jpg

Hamilton, Garden Place

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4345754076_b91c6e166a.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2032/2119331599_77e8156c81_z.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/VictoriaStGardenPlace.tif/lossless-page1-300px-VictoriaStGardenPlace.tif.png

Rotorua, ?

http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/10969763.jpg

Palmerston North

http://www.vetcricket.com/files/u1/800px-PalmerstonNorthSquare1.jpg

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/4e/81/2c/the-square-in-palmerston.jpg

http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~jenny/photos/kiwipics/slides/Palmerston%20North%20Square.JPG

http://wonderstock.co.nz/content/11136/thumb2.jpg

^^ Palmerston North does look quite nice!

^^ Yep Palmy does look good. Love the glass.

Seymour Square, Blenheim

http://www.davidwallphoto.co.nz/images/%7B7A43B43B-5A86-443A-8840-E662510BC82A%7D.jpg

www.davidwallphoto.co.nz/

Victoria Square, Christchurch

http://i.pbase.com/g6/07/641907/2/70817683.jX3TPlNX.jpg

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/xc/71180346.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=77BFBA49EF878921F7C3FC3F69D929FD3D6E8E24F8AD364C37267B61702D410711B4E1D6EF7EE3910B6AE4F903F69820

http://image50.webshots.com/50/7/37/1/514673701mHUMZQ_ph.jpg

Dont forget Christchurch's other city centre squares; Latimer and Cranmer.

Okay you should make a separate post for Christchurch, as it does have several doesn't it.

Gonna have to debate Blenheim there, a lot of towns have a 'symmetrical park with fountain' on the edge of their CBDs. Almost tempted to remove Napier's Clive Square for the same reasons. Otherwise I have to add Gore and probably god knows where else

I'd say the Palmerston North one's just behind Cathedral Square as my fav. Never actually been to it though.

^^ Yep Palmy does look good. Love the glass

I do wish they'd left the parking out of the square though. It ruins the continuity of the square. Especially when you consider how nicely landscaped the square is!

You'll have to excuse all my posts in this thread, I really like good town squares.

I definately prefer ones that are clearly defined and bounded by taller buildings. It makes you feel like you're actually in the 'centre of everything' rather than an empty park. Even Hamilton and Invercargill's somewhat 'dodgy' looking ones.

Hastings' gives a kinda small towny impression to me (has a 5 story building on one side but that's it), and Rotorua's gives the impression of a suburban shopping precinct.

1903 Square is really truly unremarkable. I don't even think it qualifies as a square.

Nelson has a waterside promenade though I believe? Ditto Napier, Tauranga, New Plymouth etc

Don't know how you would define a "waterfront promenade" in Nelson though. There is hardly anything here that would qualify as such. Nelson is basically devoid of anything that could be deemed a "square". Lot's of parks though.

Palmerston North

http://www.vetcricket.com/files/u1/800px-PalmerstonNorthSquare1.jpg

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/4e/81/2c/the-square-in-palmerston.jpg

http://www-staff.it.uts.edu.au/~jenny/photos/kiwipics/slides/Palmerston%20North%20Square.JPG

http://wonderstock.co.nz/content/11136/thumb2.jpg

The parking you see in the 2nd shot is the only place it exists, so its actually a small area in comparison to the entire Square. Also, it actually provides an "entrance" from one of the main 4 roads leading to each side of the Square.

Many say the square looked better before its recent redevelopment. There were much more trees. But it wasn't the safest at night and so its been opened up, had some of the trees go, and got increased lighting and pedestrian areas. Its a great spot on a fine day.

Great photos!!!

Does Palmy's one serve as sort of the main park too?

Does Palmy's one serve as sort of the main park too?

I wouldn't really call it a park - though as its right in the centre of the city, and with the CBD circling it, it is the "main" part of the City.

But in terms of parks - of which Palmy has heaps - I would have thought Victoria Esplanade would be the best.