From invisible gem to national treasure, Sydenham Park's future was talked up by about 200 people crammed into the Brookfield School hall on Wednesday night.

The future of the three hectare property off Millers Road is in doubt after the Tauranga City Council said it will no longer budget $30,000 a year to manage the park.

An array of Kauri at the park.

Frank Sydenham left the property to the city in perpetuity, as long as it is maintained as a botanical park.

The park is the home of the country's foremost kauri collection.

Ecologist and tree advocate Graeme Platt says the collection is world class, worth about $180,000 and is going to become a tourist attraction in its own right.

The public meeting was called by former botanic gardens trust chairman Richard Hart to educate the community about the trust deed, and encourage people to make submissions to the council's annual plan about the park decision.

'I'm absolutely chuffed that amount of people turned up,” says Richard.

'We really wanted the meeting last night to inform the community.

'It's the submissions that council will read.

'They might or might not take any notice of this public meeting – at the end of the day it's the submissions and the council hearings that determine the budget.”

A range of speakers talked about Frank, the park, the kauri collection and its future.

The meeting was chaired by councillor Larry Baldock who took a bit of flak on the chin about the council decision, says Richard.

'It's part of being a councillor really,” says Larry.

'I think it was pretty good and pretty positive in the main.

'Most people want to see the legacy left by Frank Sydenham kept for the good of the city.

'I think they got the message that it's no good throwing rocks at the council, they need to come up with positive ways forward, and I think there are quite a few good options.”

He was pleased a Guardian Trust representative was there to explain the trust deed, and that whatever the council does, the park is not going to be sold off to the highest bidder.

'Whatever the trust does with it, it has to be in the spirit of the original trust deed and that is important I think.

'It was always set up for the purposes of a facility for the community to benefit from.

'I think what the council wanted to see was just how much community interest there was.

'Think that was pretty clear last night.”

Neighbours of the park have collected 500 signatures on a petition to council to continue managing the park.

Regional councillor Paula Thompson's presence at the meeting is a reminder that people making submissions to Tauranga City Council should also be making them to the regional council, says Larry.

'There could be a broader partnership in how we fund the ongoing costs and the development of it.

'There's no doubt it is a great gift to the community.

'We just need to find a way forward that doesn't make it too much of a burden on Tauranga ratepayers.”