Wellington
Wellington (commonly referred to as “Welli”) is the capital city of New Zealand and home to the seat of parliament. But this vibrant and dynamic city also has many other capital claims including Culture capital, Creative capital and Events capital.
Wellington is home to most national theatre, dance and performance companies, as well as the National Museum, archives and library. As a result there’s something on almost every night in Wellington – from Pacific inspiration to local and international performances. Some of the leading examples are The Royal NZ Ballet, NZ Symphony, NZ Opera and Te Whaea National Dance and Drama Centre.
Wellington is also a center for visual arts with the famous Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa, the National Portrait Gallery and a host of smaller galleries. Noted producer/director Peter Jackson filmed The Lord of the Rings around Wellington.
Early History
The earliest name for Wellington, from Maori legend, is Te Upoko o te Ika a Maui. In Maori it means ‘the head of Maui’s fish’. Legend has it Polynesian navigator Maui hooked a great fish and pulled to the surface by it, the fish became the North Island. Evidence of early Maori settlement and cultivation can be found at sites all around the Wellington peninsula.
The Polynesian explorer Kupe is credited with the initial discovery of Wellington Harbor. From Maori tradition, it is estimated he arrived with his followers around the 10th century. Several places around the Wellington peninsula were named by Kupe – for example Matiu (Somes) Island and Makaro (Ward) Island. People have lived here since Kupe’s discovery.
City Stats
Wellington city’s population accounts for 4.5% of the New Zealand population and is expected to see steady growth over the next decade. The Wellington region (including Kapiti, Porirua, Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa) contains 11.1% of the country’s population.
Welli’s Weather
Typical summer daytime maximum air temperatures range from 19° to 24°C, (66 – 75F) and seldom exceed 30°C. Annual sunshine hours average about 2000 hours, more than many of the other major centres.
Winter is normally the most unsettled time of the year. Typical winter daytime maximum air temperatures range from 10° to 14°C (49 – 57F). Frost occurs inland during clear calm conditions in winter. Due to Wellington’s exposure to weather systems from the Tasman Sea, it can get quite windy.
Around the City
Wellington is an eminently walkable city. While you can walk from one end of town to the other within half an hour, you will no doubt be enthralled by the variety of the stores within this compact space.
You can begin your journey right downtown with the not to be missed Te Papa, Museum of New Zealand
Te Papa is New Zealand’s bold and innovative national museum and a recognized world leader in interactive and visitor-focused museum experiences. Entry is free, though charges apply to some short-term exhibitions and activities. New Zealand’s geology and natural environment and the stories of New Zealand’s indigenous people, the Māori, are celebrated in Te Papa’s permanent exhibitions. Te Papa’s Marae (Maori sacred house) is a vibrant contemporary meeting house and a living communal center, unique in a museum
An exciting range of exhibitions display New Zealand’s diverse art and visual culture and top-rating international exhibitions tour regularly. Te Papa’s event programme features free events and entertainment, performances, floortalks, lectures, and more.
Not far away are the iconic Parliament Buildings. In its hey day, New Zealand’s largest and grandest wooden building housed the country’s entire public service. Marvel at the building that looks like an Italian stone palace, but is in fact made entirely from timber. The complex is made up of three architecturally distinctive buildings: the Edwardian neo-classical Parliament House, the Victorian Gothic Parliamentary Library and the unique 1970’s style Beehive building. Entry is free.
Wellingtonians love their coffee – you can’t leave this city until you have sampled the local café culture. One of the vest ways to get acquainted with inner Wellington and the café and foodie culture is to take a Zest Walking Gourmet Food Tour. Start with a surprise coffee concoction, sample choices delicacies where foodies and chefs shop and end with lunch on trendy Cuba Street.
The Red Cable Car is one of Wellington’s most popular tourist attractions. The cars run from Lambton Quay in the commercial heart of the city, tunnel under the corporate towers of The Terrace and emerges in Kelburn. The ride continues past Kelburn Park and the Victoria University to the top of Upland Road, where the Lookout, Carter Observatory, Planetarium and Cable Car Museum are located. The view from the lookout takes in the city’s CBD and out across the harbour to the Hutt Valley, Eastbourne and Mt. Victoria. Visitors can take a return trip from the city, or walk back down through the Botanic Gardens and historic Bolton Street cemetery, emerging across the road from Parliament.
The Botanic Gardens are over 26 hectares (65 acres) of unsurpassed views, unique landscape, exotic forests, native bush, colourful floral displays and gorgeous specialist gardens. Visit the Duck Pond, Begonia House, award-winning Lady Norwood Rose Garden, Treehouse Visitor Information Centre, Sundial of Human Involvement, Children’s Play Area and the historic Bolton Street Memorial Park, where many of the city’s pioneers are buried. The Gardens open daily sunrise to sunset. Free entry. Garden tours are available by prior booking or prior request.
There are also numerous “walkways” that traverse various parts of the city that range from under a mile to 10 miles long. Highlights are the City to Sea Walkway, Southern Walkway to Oriental Bay, and Northern Walkway to the Botanic Gardens.
Just minutes from downtown Wellington, lies a place unlike any other – ZEALANDIA: The Karori Sanctuary Experience. Home to some of the rarest and most extraordinary wildlife on the planet, ZEALANDIA is New Zealand’s award-winning eco-attraction. Your ZEALANDIA experience includes an exciting new exhibition and walk in our ever-changing sanctuary valley. Consider booking the daily ZEALANDIA by Night Tour. After a tour of the exhibition in the visitor center, step through the predator-proof fence. And as darkness falls, your guide will start looking for our elusive national mascot – the kiwi.
Take a short drive through the toney Oriental Bay area and up to Mt. Victoria. View panoramic sights of the city from the top, watch the Interislander ferry sail into the harbor and the planes land and take off from the airport.
Outside the City
A Seal Coast Safari is an adventure of discovery. Drive for 20 rugged kilometres along the beach, over rocks, around the bays and headlands, with the ocean lapping the 4WD trucks. Visit a colony of New Zealand fur seals and you will be delighted to walk amongst them, or just observe – say ‘hi’ to them, enjoy their native habitat; the crashing waves and the famous Leaning Lighthouse of Wellington.
The Rover Ring Tour visits locations in and around Greater Wellington used during filming of Lord of the Rings movies. This full day tour visits 9 locations, includes an orc sized picnic lunch, souvenir map and a friendly storytelling guide for the day as you explore the scenery of Middle Earth – Wellington..
Adventure Wairarapa
Adventure activities in the Wairarapa wine region. Spend the morning either Horse Trekking, Mountain Biking, on the guided Chasm Walk or experiencing the High Ropes Course. After a homestead lunch we visit some glow-worm caves, taste at a vineyard and explore the historic and quaint Martinborough township.
