To get an idea of the origins of the city and its present social and cultural scene, the Museum of Wellington City and Sea on Queens Wharf is a good place to visit. Three levels, holding eight galleries, give a comprehensive overview of historic and contemporary Wellington through artifacts, writings, paintings and photographs.
Another is to drive up Mt Victoria, where, from the top lookout on a clear day, there is a complete perspective of the city – the whole 360 degree panorama. Look south to the raw, rocky coastline and the communities that battle the ocean and the elements. Turn north and see a city – strong, tall and tightly packed, sandwiched between the hills and the harbour.
Go to Parliament grounds to see the distinctly different architectural styles of the Beehive Parliament House and the wooden Government building. If you can sit in on a house in session, you could be amused, interested, irritated or bored to tears, but there is no other way to see the workings of the country’s government up close and personal.
There are, of course, other sorts of theatre, and few people will argue that Wellington is New Zealand’s cultural capital. The Embassy Theatre where Lord of the Rings had its world premier has the biggest screen in the southern hemisphere. The historic and ornate St James Theatre is a great live performance venue, and local drama can be seen in Wellington’s oldest professional theatre, the Downstage.
On many Fridays or Saturdays, there’s drama of a different nature at the Westpac Stadium (affectionately dubbed the Cake Tin). For a quintessential Wellington experience, grab a can and a pie and join the chorus of fans that are bawling their support for the yellow and blacks.
The Karori Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the wonders of Wellington. In a hidden valley, seven minutes drive from the city, is an area of native forest contained by eight-and-a-half kilometres of predator proof fencing. With a lake, a dam and several walking trails, the area is a sanctuary to many species of native and introduced birds – some of them, like kiwi, very rare and it has a large collection of native flora. I saw three tuatara sunning themselves on a clay bank which is the first time I have ever seen them in the “wild.”
Otari-Wilton Bush is a 95-hectare area, and the only botanic garden entirely dedicated to native species of plant. In fact it has the country’s foremost native plant collection. There are 10kms of excellent walking tracks, a 90-metre treetop canopy walkway, a large alpine garden and a visitor centre; the entry is free.
Matui/Somes Island that lies like a great whale in Wellington’s Harbour, is a protected and historic reserve. It was a quarantine station for early settlers and then for animals. Since 1990 it has been predator free, and native plants and animals have been introduced. It has been off limits for 150 years but is now open to the public. Access is by ferry from Days Bay, Eastbourne, or Queens Wharf in downtown Wellington. There are walks through the regenerating forest, past WW II gun emplacements, gravesites, quarantine facilities and a 100-year-old lighthouse that is still in use today. Bird life is recovering and as this is a scientific reserve for tuatara and giant weta, you could well come across either.
The meticulously restored Katherine Mansfield House on Tinakori Road, which is the Victorian birthplace of New Zealand’s most distinguished author and short story writer. It is furnished with antique furniture and replicas of original wallpapers, creating an authentic atmosphere in keeping with the family’s status and era.
Waitangi Park, opened in 2006, is a recreation space on the corner of Cable Street and Oriental Parade, and is also sometimes used as an open-air exhibition space. It features detailed design and sculptural elements that reflect Wellington’s culture, heritage, environment and personality.
Drive up the steep, narrow Ahston-Vitchett Drive in Brookland (not suitable for caravans or large motorhomes) to the wind turbine on top of Bookland Hill. This is the first viable commercial wind turbine generator to be installed in New Zealand, and information gained from its operation proved invaluable in assessing the benefits of wind power generation. Because it is set in a spot where the wind speeds are higher than average (even for Wellington), the one turbine produces enough electricity for 80 average sized homes, which is an international production record.
Old St Pauls Church in Mulgrave Street was built in 1866 as firstly a church and then the pro-cathedral for the Wellington Diocese. Built entirely from native timbers, it is one of the most beautiful examples of colonial gothic architecture in the country. Stained glass windows, brass memorials and photos record early Wellington. The church is still consecrated and popular for concerts, weddings and funerals.
Ride the cable car from Lampton Quay to Kelburn, and next to the terminus is the Cable Car Museum at the upper entrance of the Botanic Gardens. Dubbed ‘relentless rattlers’, cable cars have taken people from harbour to the hills for over 100 years. The museum records the journey of what is now New Zealand’s only working cable car.
From Wellington, drive through to Petone and Wainuiomata, and from there follow the winding coast road for about 20 minutes to the end of the public road. Signs point the way to a Seal Haul Out about an hour’s walk across farmland and coast. Of course it is best in the season when the colony is full. To get a good view without binoculars you will need to clamber over some rugged rocks, which can be a challenge for the unfit.
Shop spots
Of course there are many. There is the Old Bank Shopping Arcade, a prominent landmark on Lambton Quay. It is a good example of how a historical building has been put to modern use. Once housing the Bank of New Zealand, the 106 year old stone building has been reorganised into a stylish retail centre with 25 stores and cafes, including the deli Smith the Grocer.
Beneath the old bank and able to be seen through a glass floor in the basement, are the remains of the old ship Inconstant, which was wrecked in Wellington Harbour in 1850. Try the little shopping centre on Tinakori Road where there are art galleries, antique shops and funky little boutiques. And of course, the venerable Kirkaldi and Staines on Lambton Quay – the stately department store (some say staid) which was founded by two city fathers in 1863, and since then has been an icon of Wellington’s retail industry, known for its consistent standards of excellence and loved for its classic presentation.
For picnic supplies or to stock up on gourmet treats, Moor Wilson on the corner of Tory and College Streets is a fascinating place with a huge range of cold meats, including venison, goat, rabbit and thar, and smoked salmon, mussels and cheese from all over New Zealand. The Dixon Street Deli is also well known for its range of appealing foodstuffs.
Walks
Drive along the sea edge at Eastbourne and at the end of the road is Burdan’s Gate. It is right on the sea and a pleasant place for a picnic. Overnighting is not advised as then it is a gathering place for hoons. It is also the start of the Pencarrow Coast Walk along the coast to the lighthouse. The length of time varies of course, on how far you want to go; to Camp Bay is only 50 minutes but to the Wainuiomata Coast Road and the Pencarrow lighthouse it is more than seven hours. Several ships have been wrecked on the rocks along here, including the Inconstant.
A good place to get a feel of the power of the elements is at Wellington Heads, where you can watch the ferries go by and walk along the wild seashore, or between Breaker Bay and Seatoun through the cut in the hill. From the heads, it’s easy to see the whole entrance to the harbour and that fateful spot where the Wahine went down. You may well spot one of the luckier ferries that travel to and from the South Island today. In a small parking area along this coast is a memorial to Wahine – her manoeuvring propeller, without which she was doomed.
The Writer’s Walk is a visual record of many of the capital’s celebrated writers and poets. Texts from their works, presented as sculptures, appear at various points along the waterfront walk.
There are excellent guided walking tours around the city, run by people who know it well. They last about two hours and leave from the visitor centre in Civic Square daily at 10am.
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