November 12, Wellington NZ

November 12, Wellington NZ

In 1865, Wellington became the capital of New Zealand, replacing Auckland, where William Hobson had established his capital in 1841. Parliament first sat on July 7, 1862, but the city did not become the official capital for some time. In November 1863 the Premier Alfred Domett moved a resolution before Parliament that “it has become necessary that the seat of government should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Striat.” Commissioners from Australia (chosen for their neutral status) pronounced the opinion that Wellington was suitable because of its harbor and central location. Wellington is the southernmost national capital city in the world.

We were on our own today and decided that we would take in the Botanic Gardens and the Karori Sanctuary (now called Zealandia) with another couple that we knew from the Voyage of the Vikings. After riding the ships shuttle bus into the center of Wellington, we it was a short walk to the Wellington Cable Car that would take us to the top of the hillside.

In the late 1800’s the hills around the city were mostly scrubland and farms. The Upland Estate Co. was formed in 1898 to turn the hills directly above the city into a new suburb. A tramway was chosen for a quick and direct link between the suburb and the city. Construction of the James Fulton designed cable car started in 1901. It opened in 1902 and by 1912 a million rides were taken a year. From the top, it was about a 20-25 minute walk downhill to the sanctuary.

Zealandia is New Zealands award-winning conservation attraction. Home to some of the rarest and extraordinary wildlife, it is protected by a predator-proof fence that encloses over 225 square miles or regenerating forest. Before the fence, only 12 species of native bird were resident in this valley. Planned releases, plus some welcome arrivals who found their way on their own, have so far boosted native bird and reptile species to over 30 with more releases planned for the future.

We had booked a one hour guided tour online and we very fortunate to have as our guide a local birder named Ron. And what a wonderful tour it was. We saw many of the rare birds that inhabit the sanctuary thanks to his knowledge of bird songs and habits. We spent a little over 4 hours there and didn’t come close to seeing what the sanctuary offered. We highly recommend spending some time here if you ever get to Wellington.

After leaving the sanctuary, we hopped on a bus that dropped us at the main gate of the Botanic Gardens. The garden was established in 1868 and managed by the New Zealand Institute, which planted the major conifer species that can be seen today. Wellington City Council has managed the garden since 1891, developing the Lady Norwood Rose Garden (1950), the Begonia House (1960), and the Tree house Visitor Center (1991). The garden today covers over 23 acres and displays native forest, exotic trees, plant collections, and stunning seasonal floral displays. It is the first public garden in the country to be classified as an historic area by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

After walking through the gardens (uphill, ACK!!), we finally found ourselves at the cable car which we took back down the hill to the center of town. A quick search around the area an Irish Pub was spotted where a pint of Guiness was drank with great gusto!

A fantastic day it was and it was with some regret we boarded the ship and departed on our way to Napier.