Horse racing at Avondale Racecourse will end on 15 July after 136 years, with the future of the 35-hectare site uncertain.
Ownership of the land will transfer from Avondale Jockey Club to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing after the final race day. Under the Racing Industry Act 2020, NZTR has the power to designate underused tracks as surplus, allowing it to reallocate revenue from the land to the broader racing sector.
The site currently hosts 10 sports pitches leased to Auckland Council for approximately $400,000 annually, as well as a weekly market. Avondale Jockey Club acting president Andrew Skinner said uncertainty remained about what a future developer might do with the land. "Whilst the club is the caretakers, and as the legal owner, the community will have 10 sports pitches and there'll be enough room for the markets," he said. "But as soon as the dynamic changes, what is a developer going to do to the land?"
Whau Local Board chair Kay Thomas described the sports fields as a regional asset used by teams from across Auckland. "That is a regional asset those sports fields for a number of codes, and sports teams come from over a lot of Auckland, so it's not just for the Whau," she said. Thomas also noted that part of the land functions as stormwater management, preventing flooding in Avondale.
Local residents and groups have created the Avondale Racecourse Alliance to push for community priorities. Alliance co-ordinator Jaclyn Bonnici said the group commissioned consultants to develop a blueprint for the site. The resulting People's Plan proposes retaining multi-use elements including sports fields, native forest, and river access, with approximately 10 hectares allocated for built development.
NZTR has submitted to Auckland Council's Plan Change 120 seeking to rezone the entire site for buildings up to 34.5 metres high. NZTR chief executive Matt Ballesty said no final decisions about future ownership or use had been reached, and that NZTR continues to engage with Auckland Council and stakeholders.
Auckland Council is considering options and consulting with stakeholders, but has made no decisions. Any proposal involving council funding would require approval through the long-term plan process. Skinner said the jockey club is collaborating with NZTR and the NZ TAB advisory committee on future possibilities, including racing on a reduced area. A report on options for the club and the land is due at the end of July 2026.