Land owned by a well-known Northland family, next to a central Whangārei park, has been gifted to the people of Whangārei.
Janet Watkins (nee Pickmere) and her brother Dave Pickmere had been in discussions with Whangārei District Council staff over the last two years about protecting land that they owned adjacent to Mair Park.
Arthur Pickmere originally bought a house and fields on Hatea St, as it was known in 1912.
Since then the property to the south of what is now Rurumoki St has been subdivided but a section of land adjoining Mair Park was retained.