| Located in the center of New Zealand
at the southern end of the North
Island, Wellington is New
Zealand's 'Can Do' capital and the country's second largest
city.
Wellington's downtown is only two kilometers in length and it's
easy to walk from one side to the other in 20 minutes. The city's
sobriquet is 'Windy Wellington' though 'the Riviera of the South
Pacific' is also a contender.
NATURAL WORLD
Wellington stands at the southwestern tip of North
Island on Cook Strait, the passage that separates the North
and South Islands.
PARKS
Wellington has more than 100 city parks.
CULTURAL WORLD
Wellington is the arts capital of the country. Cultural attractions
include the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
and the National Opera. There are a number of museums, including
the New
Zealand Cricket Museum at the Old Grandstand.
The Museum of New Zealand, Te
Papa Tongarewa, features exhibits on national history and culture.
UNIVERSITIES
Massey University
POLITICAL WORLD
The New Zealand Parliament Buildings house the New Zealand Parliament
and are on a 45,000 square metre site at the northern end of Lambton
Quay, Wellington. They consist of Parliament House, the Executive
Wing, the Parliamentary Library and Bowen House. The Beehive
is the common name for the Executive Wing of the New Zealand Parliament
Buildings, located at the corner of Molesworth Street and Lambton
Quay.
SPORTS
Windy Wellington is home to the Hurricanes
and Wellington
Lions rugby teams. West
Pac Stadium is a multi-purpose facility, used mainly for rugby
union and one-day cricket.
Wellington's Rugby
Sevens has become a sellout event. It is one leg of the International
Rugby Board's global series stretching from Hong Kong to Dubai and
Edinburgh. The Sevens has become the city's busiest weekend of the
year, with visitors pumping an estimated NZ$10 million ($8 million)
into hotels, bars and restaurants.
HISTORY
Wellington was named in honor of Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke
of Wellington and victor at the Battle of Waterloo. The Duke's title
comes from the town of Wellington in England.
NEARBY
Kapiti
Island is just 40 minutes and a short ferry ride away from central
Wellington. Kapiti is one of New Zealand’s most valuable nature
reserves, and it is the only large island sanctuary for birds between
Hauraki Gulf in the north and New Zealand's southern outlying islands.
The Kapiti Island Nature Reserve is far enough from the mainland
that rats can not swim to it and eat the eggs or the young chicks.
PAUATHANUI
Pauatahanui Inlet is the only large estuarine wetland left in the
lower half of the North Island of New Zealand and is at risk mainly
from human activities in its catchment. The Guardians
of Pauatahanui Inlet was established in 1991 to promote the
recognition of the ecological, recreational and cultural values
of the inlet. More about Porirua_Harbour.
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