Wellington, New Zealand

Feb. 5, 2023

Our next adventure was a six-hour excursion around the charming New Zealand city of Wellington. Known as “Windy Wellington”, Wellington is the capital city, port, and major commercial center of New Zealand, located in the extreme south of North Island.

It lies on the shores and hills surrounding Wellington Harbour, an almost landlocked bay that is ranked among the world’s finest harbors. Mount Victoria rises 643 feet near the center of the city. Wellington is in a fault zone and has survived several earthquakes. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand and is the administrative center of the Wellington Region. It is the world’s southernmost capital of a sovereign state.

We began our journey at the Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa in Māori).

The Museum of New Zealand is a museum of art, science, and natural history of New Zealand created in 1992 when the National Art Gallery and the National Museum merged under a parliamentary act. The name Te Papa Tongarewa translates to “our container of treasured things and people that spring from mother earth here in New Zealand” in Māori.

The Māori are members of the Polynesian people of New Zealand. In 2020, the Māori represented about 16.7% of the population. The country is in the process of adding Māori to all signage in New Zealand.

Here are a couple of exhibits we saw:

Then, we were off for a drive through Wellington. Here are a few highlights.

Most buildings are made from wood which helps them withstand earthquakes.

NZ is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government. This means that the head of state is a sovereign (currently King Charles III). The King is represented in NZ by the Governor-General, Dame Cindy Kiro. Here is a photo of the Royal Parliament Building.

There are many funiculars built on the side of Mt. Victoria. They allow residents to park on city streets and come and go to their homes up on the side of the hills. Here is one:

Built during the second half of the 19th century, Old St. Paul’s church stands tall as one of the oldest churches in Wellington and a symbol of New Zealand’s heritage. The famous Gothic Revival style of architecture makes it one of the most popular wedding venues in Wellington.

Next, we were off to the Wellington Cable Car for a ride up Mt. Victoria. A great way to experience the hidden charm that Wellington has to offer is to take this 5-minute ride from the heart of the city center, up through the hillside terraced houses of Kelburn, to the lookout perched high above the city. At the top, you can enjoy easy access to the Botanic Garden, Cable Car Museum, Space Place (at Carter Observatory) and Zealandia (via free shuttle).

At the top of the Wellington Cable Car, and just minutes from the central business district, lies 64 acres of beauty, peace and tranquility. Established in 1844, the Wellington Botanic Garden is home to some of the oldest exotic trees in New Zealand.

Today, the native and exotic forests are complemented by a duck pond, a begonia house and cafe, colorful floral displays, an herb garden, an Australian garden and the award-winning Lady Norwood Rose Garden.

A brief ride to our ship where we say goodbye to New Zealand (Ka kite) and we’re off to Sydney.