Pukerua Bay is a small sea-side community at the southern end of the Kapiti Coast, New Zealand. In local government terms it is the northernmost suburb of Porirua City. It is 12 km north of the Porirua City Centre on State Highway 1 (SH1), and 30 km north of central Wellington. Pukerua Bay has two train stops along the main trunk railway line. Kapiti Island seen from Waikanae Beach, Kapiti Coast. ... Porirua is a city in New Zealand, 20 km north of Wellington. ... This article is about the idea of state highways State Highway, and is more formally known as Route 139 State highway, and state route are terms that usually apply to numbered highways that are primarily administered and financed by a state government in countries that are divided into states. ... Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke) is the capital of New Zealand, the countrys second-largest urban area and the most populous national capital in Oceania. ...

In Māori, the words puke rua literally mean two hills but it is not clear which hills the name refers to. Māori (or Maori) is a language spoken by the native peoples of New Zealand and the Cook Islands. ...

According to Statistics New Zealand, the community's population was 1,692 people in 2001, and there were 89 businesses. Pukerua Bay has a kindergarten, a pre-school, and the Pukerua Bay School, which caters for ages 5-12.

Pukerua Bay is perhaps internationally best known as the childhood home of film director Peter Jackson. Jackson's first feature film, Bad Taste, was filmed there. Peter Jackson Peter Jackson CNZM (born October 31, 1961, Pukerua Bay) is a New Zealand-born filmmaker best-known as the director of the epic film trilogy The Lord of the Rings, which he, along with his long time partner, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens adapted from the novel by... Bad Taste is a low-budget 1987 cult film, one of the first directed by Peter Jackson, in which aliens invade the fictional New Zealand village of Kaihoro (population 78) in order to harvest human beings for their intergalactic fast food franchise but are repelled by a four-man paramilitary...

New Zealand Rugby "legend" christian Cullen who is nicknamed "Paekakariki Express," was also raised in the bay and the now demolished Pukerua Bay Hotel contained a museum full of memorabilia relating to him. Christian Mathias Cullen (born February 12, 1976 in Paraparaumu) is a New Zealand rugby player. ...

Prominent current residents are poets Alistair Campbell and his wife Meg Campbell, and composer Jenny McLeod. Former residents include poets Louis Johnston, Sam Hunt, James K. Baxter and Denis Glover, and actress Davina Whitehouse. Alistair Campbell is a poet, born on the Cook Islands, but resident for most of his life in New Zealand. ... Jenny McLeod is a composer and former Professor of Music at Victoria University of Wellington. ... Sam Hunt (b. ... James Keir Baxter (29 June 1926 - October 22, 1972) is recognised as one of New Zealands foremost poets. ... Denis Glover (1912-1980) was a New Zealand poet and publisher. ...

History

Pukerua Bay's development history is curious because the railway went through it (1886) for years before there was good road access (1940), so it grew at first on the waterfront as a weekend destination. Most of the clifftop development dates from after World War II. The original railway station was "Pukerua" until changed because of confusion with "Pukerau" in the South Island. 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... Combatants Allies: Poland, British Commonwealth, France/Free France, Soviet Union, United States, China, and others Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, Japan, and others Casualties Military dead: 17 million Civilian dead: 33 million Total dead: 50 million Military dead: 8 million Civilian dead: 4 million Total dead: 12 million World War II... The South Island The South Island is one of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the North Island. ...

Localities

The majority of Pukerua Bay is situated in a saddle between hills, about 60-80m above sea level, offering sea views (and views of Kapiti Island in the north) from most houses. The coast around Pukerua Bay is fairly steep, with only a few houses nestled in a row behind the two sandy beach areas. Kapiti Island seen from Waikanae Beach, Kapiti Coast. ...

Pukerua Bay's main residential areas are along Rawhiti Road, west of SH1, and Seavista Drive east of SH1. There is a pedestrian bridge over SH1 near Wairaka Road's Kindergarten and pre-school and the school's back entrance (the main entrance is on Rawhiti Road).

There are two walks between Pukerua Bay and Plimmerton (5 km south), one around the rocky coast, and one inland (part of a longer cycleway) along the railway. The inland route is pre-European - it was traditionally known as te taua tapu (the sacred war-party). The township of Plimmerton surrounds one of the more congenial beaches in the northwest part of the Wellington urban area in New Zealand. ...