Wellington Habour is the large natural habour at the south-eastern tip of the North Island, on which New Zealand's capital stands. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s. The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, the other being the South Island. ... Panorama of Wellington from Mount Victoria at night Alternative meanings at Wellington (disambiguation) Wellington (Te Whanganui-a-Tara or Poneke) is the capital city of New Zealand and the countrys second largest urban area. ...

In the Māori language the harbour is known as Te Whanganui-a-Tara (the great harbour of Tara). A Māori name for Wellington, Pōneke is often said to be a transliteration of Port Nick, although this etymology is disputed. Māori (or Maori) is a language spoken by the native peoples of New Zealand and the Cook Islands. ... Te Whanganui a Tara is a Maori name for Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. ...

Geography

Wellington Harbour is an arm of Cook Strait, covering some 70 km², with a two-km wide entrance at its southern end between Pencarrow Head and the Miramar Peninsula. A view of Cook Strait from the summit of Mount Victoria, Wellington. ... View of Point Dorset and Breaker Bay on the Miramar Peninsula The Miramar Peninsula is at the southeastern end of the city of Wellington, New Zealand. ...

The harbour is of seismic origin, and a major earthquake fault lies along its western shore. At the northern end of the harbour lies the narrow triangular plain of the Hutt River, which largely follows the line of the earthquake fault to the north-east. The city of Lower Hutt is located on this plain. Categories: New Zealand geography stubs | New Zealand rivers | Wellington-Kapiti ... Lower Hutt is a city in the lower North Island of New Zealand. ...

The central city suburbs spread around the hills overlooking the west and south-west of Wellington Harbour and its two large bays: Lambton Harbour and Evans Bay. Lambton Harbour is surrounded by the reclaimed land of Wellington's central business district and contains the majority of the city's port facilities. Evans Bay is an inlet between Mt Victoria and the Miramar Peninsula that serves as a flight path to low-lying Wellington Airport.

To the east of the harbour lie several small bays, most of which are populated by small coastal communities. The largest of these suburban settlements is Eastbourne, directly to the east of the northern tip of the Miramar Peninsula. Eastbourne is a suburb of Lower Hutt city in the southern North Island of New Zealand. ...

Three small islands are located in the harbour. To the south, close to Eastbourne, is Makaro/Ward Island. Further north, close to the centre of the harbour, is the larger Matiu/Somes Island, to the north of which is the tiny Mokopuna Island. Matiu/Somes Island is the largest of several islands in the northern half of Port Nicholson (Wellington Harbour, New Zealand). ...

The entrance to the harbour can be quite dangerous, especially since Cook Strait to the south is notoriously rough. Close to the harbour's entrance lies Barrett Reef, its rocks breaking the water's surface at low tide. It was here in 1968 that the inter-island passenger ferry Wahine grounded during a storm, with the loss of 51 lives. Map of Wellington Harbour entrance showing Barrett Reef The cluster of rocks that is Barrett Reef (often known as Barretts Reef) is one of the most treacherous reefs in New Zealand. ... 1968 was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ... The TEV Wahine was a New Zealand inter-island ferry that foundered on Barrett Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour in a storm on 10 April 1968. ...

Early history

During the early years of European colonisation, Port Nicholson became a focus for settlement. The original site chosen for what is now the city of Wellington was at Petone, close to the foreshore of Lower Hutt. A settlement was established there in early 1840, but the swampy land was unsuitable for development, and the settlement (originally called Britannia but soon changed to Wellington) was moved to the present site of Wellington later the same year. Petone is a suburb of the city of Lower Hutt in New Zealand. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ...