Around Windy Wellington
This page contains a photo gallery of our second stop, the capital of New Zealand, Wellington. The city sits at the southern end of the North Island. Its main harbor is Lambton, and its waterfront is partly tourist-oriented and commercial. Scenic hills surround downtown, much smaller than Auckland, with shopping, dining, and a few historical attractions. However, our most interesting attractions were the impressive Museum of New Zealand Te Papa on the waterfront and the Botanic Gardens on a hill north of downtown.
Click on an Image to pop up a larger version.
Waterfront from Mt. Victoria
Mt. Victoria is a park and small hill just west of downtown popular for photos like this one.
Cable Car Arriving at Gardens
The cable car runs from the middle of downtown up a hill to the Wellington Botanical Gardens.
WW1 Exhibit Model at Te Papa
We visited Te Papa Museum twice. The first time, we viewed the WWI exhibit, which Weta told through detailed models of people and scenery.
Te Papa Museum Maori Hut
Overall, the Te Papa museum was impressive and well worth the several hours it took to cover these exhibits.
Lyall Bay
We drove (with a Guide) around Wellington, and had lunch as scenic Lyall Bay.
Old Parliment House
While smaller than Auckland, the downtown, besides stores and restaurants, there are a number of government buildings.
Botanical Gardens Pond
A Japanese-style pond area is located within the botanical gardens.
WW1 Exhibit Model at Te Papa
These highly detailed models were 10+ feet tall, adding more emotion to the story of NZ's participation.
View from Top of Te Papa
There is an area on the roof where guests can take in the views of Wellington. So we did that.
View from Massey Memorial
Then we drove around the peninsula west of downtown.
Beehive Government Building
This building is not historic-looking but rather unusual.
Lady Norwood Rose Garden
Although it was not the right season to see roses in full bloom, the garden still had some beautiful flowers.
Te Papa Maori Catamaran
Another major exhibit, and a very large one is the history and culture of the Maori people. Many artifacts and recreations are on display.
Walking along the Waterfront
Although not as extensive or commercial as Auckland's waterfront, the Wellington waterfront has a pleasant walkway through the docks and shops.
Wētā Cave
Wētā Workshop is a practical movie effects company. This facility has a not overly slick tour of its model building and practical effects work.