Seatoun
Seatoun’s popularity continues to increase; once through the Seatoun Tunnel, you’re in a different world: a colonial seaside suburb, an artists’ colony, and Wellington's premier seaside suburb – yet only 15 minutes from downtown Wellington and five minutes from the airport.
Seatoun really became established when the Mt Victoria tram tunnel and Seatoun Tunnels opened in 1906-7; until then the area were dependent on ferries – hence the large wharf. Its village atmosphere, tree-lined streets, wonderful beach and cafés add to the ambience and Seatoun Heights has some of the city’s grandest houses and views.
Kupe, the great explorer, landed at Seatoun foreshore before sailing further into Wellington harbour. The whole area was originally called Watt’s Peninsula, until settler James Coutts Crawford bought the land and renamed many of the areas: Seatoun is named after a property his family owned in Scotland. Eventually Crawford owned Miramar, Seatoun, Kilbirnie, Lyall Bay and Rongotai; he dreamt of the peninsula becoming a recreational area for the new city, including ‘Wonderland’, an amusement park (1907-1911). After his death his sons began subdividing the land, with the first settlers (mostly fishermen) arriving in 1890.
Barrett Reef guards the narrow entrance to Wellington Harbour; according to Mâori legend, the reef is debris left by a taniwha (water spirit) when he escaped to the sea. It’s also known for its shipwrecks (17 between 1841 and1967, followed by the Wahine disaster in 1968, which cost another 53 lives); in 1947, the trans-Tasman ship was stuck on Barrett Reef for 18 days before being pulled free by tugboats and towed to safety.
Seatoun is home to many leading figures in New Zealand’s film industry, including Peter Jackson.
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Looking back from Seatoun jetty |