Albert Park was laid out in the 1880s and is famous for its stunning views of Auckland and the harbor. The park stands on the site of the former Albert Barracks, which was built in the 1840s and is among Auckland’s early European military forts, which itseld was buolt on the site of Te Horotiu pa. A statue of Queen Victoria was erected in the park following her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The park is also home to a Boer War memorial.
The Auckland Railway Station is the former main railway station of Auckland. Opened in 1930 on Beach Road, it replaced the previous Queen Street railway terminus which is approximately where the current main railway station, Britomart is located. The 1930 station was the third station to serve as the rail terminus for Auckland, and remained the sole station serving the CBD until its closure in July 2003, when Britomart became the new terminus.
Auckland Museum is regarded as one of the finest Museums in the Southern Hemisphere and is renowned for its unique collection of Māori and Pacific treasures. It is also a war memorial for the Auckland province. Housed in one of the country’s finest heritage buildings, the Museum tells the story of New Zealand as a nation; from award-winning natural history exhibits to galleries which investigate New Zealand’s cultural origins. Scars on the Heart, the Museum’s war memorial exhibition, tells the story of New Zealand at war, while He Taonga Māori – the Museum’s Māori treasures gallery, displays over 2,000 priceless Māori artifacts, including rare carvings and the last great Māori war canoe carved from a giant Totara tree. Auckland Museum is the only venue in Auckland where visitors can experience a Māori cultural performance daily.
Bolton Street Memorial Park, formerly known as Bolton Street Cemetery, is the oldest cemetery in Wellington, New Zealand. Dating back to 1840, many notable people are buried here.
The Bridge of Remembrance in Christchurch, New Zealand, is dedicated to as a memorial to those who participated in World War I and World War II as well as conflicts in Borneo, Korea, Malaya and Vietnam. The Cashel Street bridge over the Avon River initially opened in 1873. Mrs. Wyn Irwin is credited with raising the idea for a memorial atop the bridge in a July 24, 1919, letter to The Press on 24 July 1919. Lord Jellicoe unveiled the monument on Armistice Day (Nov. 11) in 1924. It closed to vehicle traffic in 1976. Following the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, New Zealand spent more than NZD 2 million to strengthen the historic bridge.
The Cable Car Museum opened in December 2000 in the former winding house, which operated from 1902 until 1978, at the Kelburn end of the Wellington Cable Car. The museum houses a pair of original grip cars that once ran along the line. No. 1 is in red 1970s livery and features contemporary advertising, while No. 3 was restored in 2005 to a green livery dating to circa 1905; a San Francisco Cable Car bell was also added. If nothing else, the area around the museum offers some of the best views of Wellington.
The Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial opened on Feb. 22, 2017, the sixth anniversary of the 2011 earthquake that claimed the lives of 185 people. The memorial, located in a gentle curve of the Avon River in the heart of Christchurch, pays respect to those who died, were seriously injured and survivors. The memorial’s name, Oi Manawa, means “tremor or quivering of the heart.”
Julius von Haast, a German geologist, founded the Canterbury Museum in 1867. He used his collection as the core of the museum’s exhibits. The Canterbury Museum opened to the public in December 1867 and moved to its current location in October 1870. The museum is part natural history museum and part history museum. Its extensive holdings include the largest collection in the world of Antarctic objects from the age of exploration and discovery.
After the 2011 Christchurch earthquake heavily damaged the Christchurch Cathedral, Japanese architect Shigeru Ban designed the Cardboard Cathedral pro bono to serve as a transitional cathedral. The Cardboard Cathedral, part of the Anglican Diocese of Christchurch, opened in August 2013. The A-frame in style structure rises 79 feet tall and uses 86 cardboard tubes sitting on top of 20-foot-long shipping containers. Despite its controversial design, the transitional cathedral is a popular destination for tourists to the city. The Anglican Diocese built the structure on the site of St John the Baptist Church, the first church built in permanent materials by Anglicans in Christchurch. The 2011 earthquake destroyed the church.
The Cardrona Bra Fence in Central Otago, New Zealand, is a quirky and controversial tourist “attraction.” The “attraction” dates to sometime between Christmas 1998 and New Year 1999. Apparently, passers-by began attaching bras to a rural fence near the Cardrona Distillery. The original reason for doing so remains unknown, but the number of bras quickly grew, reaching hundreds. By early 2006, about 800 bras adorned the fence, drawing attention from far-away media sources. Although popular with visitors, the fence has sparked debate over its value as an attraction.
The Cathedral of Saint Patrick and Saint Joseph, colloquially known as St. Patrick’s Cathedral, is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Auckland and the seat of the Bishop of Auckland. Bishop Jean-Baptiste Pompallier acquired the land in 1841, and a wooden chapel was built in 1843. A stone church replaced the structure in 1848. The church expanded in 1884 and was replaced by the current cathedral in 1907. The church was designated as a cathedral in 1848 and consecrated in 1963. Heritage New Zealand registered the cathedral as a Category I historic place on Sept. 9, 1984.
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu opened in May 2003 and replaced the former Robert McDougall Art Gallery, which opened in 1932. The Christchurch Art Gallery is home to works by both New Zealand and international artists. Following the 2010 Canterbury earthquake and the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake, Civil Defence used the building as a headquarters. The art gallery reopened in December 2015 following extensive refurbishments.
The Christchurch Botanic Gardens traces its origin to 1863. That year, an English oak was planted to commemorate the marriage of Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra of Denmark. The gardens are located next to the loop of the Avon River and Hagley Park. The gardens, which cover 21 hectares, are home to a collection of local and exotic plants. Its collection includes plants from across the globe.
Christchurch Tram’s heritage tramcars offer a unique way to explore Christchurch’s inner city. Operating since 1995, the trams offer live commentary from your friendly driver along the 4-kilometer circuit. Your all-day ticket allows you to discover the delights of the central city at your leisure with stops at Christchurch’s major sights, including Canterbury Museum and Botanic Gardens, Arts Centre, Art Gallery, The Terrace and Riverside Market and New Regent Street. Eco-friendly and Qualmark Gold accredited, the Christchurch Tram is a must-do activity on any visit to the city
The CTV Memorial Site stands on the site of the former Canterbury Television (CTV) headquarters at the corner of Cashel and Madras Streets in Christchurch. The building was destroyed during the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The building collapsed, killing 115 people, representing 60% of the fatalities during the earthquake.
In some ways, Cuba Street is the heart of Wellington. The Bohemian street is home to what is usually described as an eclectic mix of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants. The thoroughfare is named in honor of early New Zealand Company barque, which arrived in Wellington on Jan. 3, 1840. The city closed the middle section of the street to traffic in 1969, making it a pedestrian-only mall, one of the busiest hubs for pedestrians in Wellington. Since 1995 Cuba Street has been registered as a historic area under the Historic Places Act 1993.
Dunedin Railways, formerly known as the Taieri Gorge Railway, is the name of Dunedin Railways Limited, an operator of a railway line and tourist trains based at Dunedin Railway Station in the South Island of New Zealand. The company is a council-controlled trading organization wholly owned by Dunedin City Council through its holding company Dunedin City Holdings Limited.
Dunedin railway station in Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, designed by George Troup, is the city’s fourth station. It is nicknamed “Gingerbread George.”
The Edwin Fox Maritime Museum houses what is said to be the “oldest merchant sailing ship still afloat.” The vessel, built in 1853 in India, transported immigrants to New Zealand and Australia and is the only remaining ship that brought convicts to Australia. After its sailing days, the boat was used in the 1880s as a floating freezer and later as a coal store hulk. In about 1950, the Edwin Fox was left to rot on its moorings, but preserved as a museum piece.
First Church is a prominent church in Dunedin and the city’s primary Presbyterian church. The current church, considered to be decorated Gothic style, stands on the stump of Bell Hill, a significant promontory that initially divided the heart of Dunedin in half. Dr. Thomas Burns, the brother of Scottish poet Robert Burns, laid the foundation stone in 1868, but the church was not completed until 1873.
The rail line between Riverhead and Helensville opened in 1875. The Helensville Railway Station opened in July 1881. It closed in 1987, though it reopened temporarily in 2008 and 2009.
Howick Historical Village is a living museum in Auckland, New Zealand. It is a re-creation of a New Zealand colonial village using surviving buildings from the surrounding area. Despite its name, the Village is actually located in the suburb of Pakuranga.
John Robert Godley was an Anglo-Irish statesman and bureaucrat. Godley is considered the founder of Canterbury, New Zealand, although he lived there for only two years. A bronze statue bearing his likeness was erected in Cathedral Square by the people of Christchurch in 1867. Artist Thomas Woolner designed the statue, which fell off its pedestal during a February 2011 earthquake.
Surrounded by water and with cliffs dropping to the water, Karaka Point was the perfect location for a fortified pa (fort). The location provided the Māori an ideal location to monitor what is today known as Queen Charlotte Sound — first known as Totaranui — for potential invaders. The area was initially named Te Rae o Te Karaka after the Ngati Chief Te Karaka; he settled there during the early 1700s. Today, it offers a stunning vista of Queen Charlotte Sound, formed an estimated 280 million years ago. The park includes historic earthworks, and whare (house) pits that likely date to the early 1700s.
MOTAT – Museum of Transport and Technology – opened in 1964, and is the largest museum of transport, technology and social history in New Zealand. It houses a number of outstanding collections.
The National Maritime Museum celebrates New Zealand’s seafaring history from the voyaging traditions of the Pacific peoples to early European arrivals and modern ocean racing. In Māori, the museum name is Te Huiteananui-a-Tangaroa, the legendary house belonging to Tangaroa, Māori god of the sea. Galleries tell the story of peoples whose lives were forever linked to the sea. Along the way, try your hand at yacht design, relax in a Kiwi style bach, hear the cannon fire and test your sea legs in the rocking cabin. Don’t miss the opportunity to get out on the water aboard one of the museum’s fully restored heritage fleet.
Based on content courtesy of Tourism New Zealand.
New Zealand Parliament is comprised of a series of buildings, including the recognizable Beehive. The complex also includes the Edwardian neoclassical-style Parliament House, which dates to 1922. For anyone interested in learning more about the New Zealand Parliament, visitors can take a tour of the complex. Tour guides offer a history of the legislative body and bring visitors to committee rooms and the floor of parliament.
Old St Paul’s was built in 1865-66 and constructed from New Zealand native timbers. Rev. Frederick Thatcher designed the Gothic Revival structure, which served as the Diocese of Wellington of the Anglican Church between 1866 and 1964. The building was nearly demolished in the 1960s. However, a civic organization formed to save the structure from demolition.
One Tree Hill is a 597-foot-tall volcanic peak in Auckland, which provides stunning views of the area around the city. The area is an important landmark for the native Māori. Sir John Logan Campbell, a native of Scotland known as “the father of Auckland,” is buried on the summit of One Tree Hill. Presuming the Māori would die out, Campbell gave money for a memorial to the Māori atop One Tree Hill. The Māori name of One Tree Hill is Maungakiekie, which means “mountain of the kiekie vine.”
Oratia Combined Church dates to 1872 and opened initially on land Queen Victoria granted to Waikumete Parish settlers. The current church opened in 1968.
In Wellington, New Zealand, Queens Wharf is home to a monument to a dog who took on a larger-than-life personality. During his life, Paddy the Wanderer, an Airedale Terrier, befriended cabbies, workers and seamen. The Wellington Harbour Board adopted Paddy and bestowed him the title of the assistant night watchman. Paddy was tasked with keeping guard against “pirates, smugglers and rodents.” After he died on July 17, 1939, at Harbour Shed no. 1, the locals honored Paddy with a parade. In 1945, Paddy’s friends built a memorial to the pooch with stones from London’s Waterloo Bridge, bombed during World War II. It includes a bronze likeness, a drinking fountain and drinking bowls below for dogs.
The small, but packed Picton Heritage & Whaling Museum is home to more than 2,000 artifacts that help tell the area’s history, including its strong roots in the whaling industry. While the museum has been around for 60 years, its current home on London Quay was built in 1990 on the site of Waitohi Pa.
World War I helped define New Zealand as a country. As a result, many towns across New Zealand feature monuments to the Great War, and Picton is no different. The monument in Picton was dedicated in 1925 and includes the names of 31 soldiers from the town who died during the War to End All Wars. Additions were added to the memorial to honor additional 20th century conflicts, including World War II and the Vietnam War.
Pukeahu National War Memorial Park honors New Zealanders who served overseas and commemorates the more than 30,000 New Zealanders who died during a conflict. It was created in 2015 to enhance the National War Memorial. “Pukeahu is a special place for New Zealanders and visitors to reflect on this country’s experience of conflict and our role in peacekeeping and how this has helped shape our national identity,” Deputy Chief Executive Delivery, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage Tamsin Evans said in a December 2018 news release.
The Avon River runs through the heart of Christchurch, and punting along the river in a handcrafted flat-bottomed boat is a peaceful way to take in the city. Boats depart from the historic Antigua Boat Sheds, then pass through Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
Quake City tackles the devastating earthquakes that struck Christchurch, their impact on the city and how the city has worked to rebuild and reinvent itself. The museum first opened as part of the Re:START container mall in February 2013 and moved to its current location in June 2017. Quake City offers a compelling and in-depth look at the earthquakes, both from a scientific standpoint and a cultural one.
Queens Gardens is a roughly triangular garden in central Dunedin, New Zealand, situated on reclaimed land near the original landing site for Māori waka. The area where Queens Gardens is now located was reclaimed in the late 19th century. Originally known as The Triangle, it was officially named Victoria Gardens in 1904, but it soon became known as “The Queen’s Gardens,” from which its current name developed.
Queenstown Gardens contains a mixture of exotic and native trees and plants, which visitors can enjoy from the garden’s variety of trails. In addition to its flora, the gardens offer beautiful views of Lake Wakatipu, the Frankton Arm and Queenstown. The first mayor of Queenstown, James W. Robertson, and the nurseryman at the time, Mr. McConnochie, planted the first two trees, English oaks, in the gardens in 1866 to celebrate the incorporation of the borough. However, the gardens did not officially open until 1867, and significant planting started at that time.
Rangitoto Island is a 3.4-mile-wide volcanic island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland that reaches s height of 850 feet. The 5,710-acre island is the youngest and largest of the roughly 50 volcanoes of the Auckland volcanic field. It last erupted approximately 600 years ago. Rangitoto is named for the Māori word for ‘Bloody Sky. Its name is derived from the full phrase Ngā Rangi-i-totongia-a Tama-te-kapua , which means The days of the bleeding of Tama-te-kapua. Today, the island is a popular destination for visitors to Auckland, and ferries depart regularly from the city.
Captain Robert Falcon Scott was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer who led two expeditions to the Antarctic regions: the Discovery expedition of 1901-1904 and the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition of 1910-1913. His widow, Kathleen Scott, sculpted a statue of Robert Falcon Scott that stands at the intersection of Oxford Terrace and Worcester Street in Christchurch. The statue was completed in Carrara, Italy, in April 1916, but was not shipped until October 1916 because of World War I. The statue was damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake and was reinstated in October 2017.
Shantytown Heritage Park, located roughly six miles south of Greymouth, opened in 1971. The park includes 30 re-created historic buildings making up a 19th-century gold-mining town. In 1968, local enthusiasts formed the West Coast Historical and Mechanical Society. The park opened to the public on Jan. 23, 1971. Shantytown features a re-created narrow-gauge bush tram line using a 19th-century sawmill tram track. It runs 1.5 km from the Shantytown train station to a terminus at the Infants Creek Sawmill.
The Skyline Queenstown gondola that takes visitors to Bob’s Peak, the prominent hill above Queenstown, part of the Ben Lomond mountain. Bus company owner Ian Hamilton had a road cut in 1961 to drive tourists to the viewpoint. Two years after Hamilton died, Jon Dumble purchased his shares and took on two business partners for Skyline Tours. The company built a chalet on Bob’s Peak that opened in January 1964. The following year, they received planning permission to build a gondola. Skyline Enterprises launched as a public company and purchased Skyline Tours. Dumble became the company’s first managing director. The gondola system opened officially on Nov. 17, 1967.
Sky Tower, located at the corner of Victoria and Federal Streets in the heart of Auckland, is telecommunications and observation tower offering some of the best views in New Zealand. The 1,076-foot-tall tower, the 25th tallest tower in the world, is the tallest freestanding structure in the Southern Hemisphere. The tower, built between 1994 and 1997, is today an iconic structure in Auckland’s skyline and is home to the only revolving restaurant in New Zealand.
The original Speight’s brewery is located in the heart of Dunedin. The brewery, best-known for its Gold Medal Ale, one of the best-selling beers in New Zealand, is owned by the Japanese-controlled holding company Lion. The brewery also led to a chain of Speight’s Ale House gastropubs across the country.
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St Paul’s Cathedral is the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Dunedin. While the first parish church of St Paul was built on the site from 1862 to 1863, work on the modern incarnation of the church began in 1913. Bishop Samuel Tarratt Nevill consecrated the cathedral on Feb. 12, 1919. Construction on a new chancel, which features a more modernist design, started in December 1969 and finished in July 1971.
Stirling Point feels like the end of the Earth. In reality, it is the southern end of State Highway 1 that runs the length of New Zealand.
St. Mary of the Angels sits on the site of Wellington’s first Catholic Church, established in 1843, and is the third church to occupy the site. The church opened on March 26, 1922, replacing a building that burned in May 1918. Construction started in April 1919, and the church’s contractor, H.E. Manning, went bankrupt during construction. Father Stanislaw Mahoney, the parish priest, and a close friend, Martin Maloney, worked with a group of largely unskilled workers to complete the church.
St. Peter’s was designed by an architect from Dunedin using Gothic details, but built along the lines of an English parish church. Anglican roots in Queenstown, however, date to at least 1861. An earlier church was built in 1863 and modified over the years. The oft-photographed stone church, which almost seems out of place in adreneline-driven modern Queenstown, seats 130 people.
New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa Tongarewa, opened in 1998 on Wellington’s waterfront. The museum, a celebration of New Zealand’s identity – the people, culture and environment, features hi-tech and traditional displays. As well as significant collections of New Zealand art, the 16,000-plus taonga / treasures looked after by Te Papa are the largest Māori collection in any museum and cover a broad spectrum of Māori art and culture, from revered and significant cultural heirlooms through to humble everyday items dating from early pre-European times to today. In 2017, the museum was named as one of the top 25 museums in the world by TripAdvisor – the only museum in Australasia to be included.
The Southern Provinces Romney Breeders Club erected The Romney Statue in Gore, New Zealand, in recognition of the importance of the sheep bred to the country’s meat and wool industry. K.A. Bain, president of the New Zealand Romney Sheep Breeders Association, unveiled the statue on July 2, 1991. Messrs. Bennett and Young first imported the Romney sheep to New Zealand, reaching Wellington in 1843. New Zealand Romney sheep comprise more than half of New Zealand’s 40 million sheep.
The Toitū Otago Settlers Museum, New Zealand’s oldest history museum, focuses on the early settlers to the Dunedin region. The Otago Early Settlers’ Association first founded in 1898, and the earliest iteration of the museum opened in 1908. The current iteration of the museum opened in 2012. It features 14 themed galleries with interactive displays telling the stories from the earliest settlers to more recent arrivals.
The TSS Earnslaw, a 1912 Edwardian vintage twin-screw steamer, plies the waters of Lake Wakatipu in and around Queenstown. The vessel launched on Feb. 24, 1912, and formerly served New Zealand Railways (NZR), earning the nickname the “Lady of the Lake.” The steamer is said to be the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere. Today, the Earnslaw carries tourist passengers across Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown to Walter Peak High Country Farm. During the 1.5-hour cruise, travelers can view the steam engine and watch stokers feed coal.
Waiheke Island is a short and scenic 40-minute ferry ride from Auckland’s central business district. Upon arrival, the picturesque wine-lovers’ paradise feels like a world away. Surrounded by the waters of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, Waiheke Island has been a long-time haven for free spirits, artists and Auckland families on beach holidays. In more recent times Waiheke’s relaxed joys have also earned international appreciation. Waiheke is the favorite island get-away for Aucklanders attracted by beautiful white sandy beaches and historic sites, a thriving food scene, an eclectic mix of artists, an extensive list of boutique and luxury accommodation, brazen architectural delights and some of New Zealand’s most coveted vineyards and wineries. Waiheke Island is New Zealand’s third-most populated island with a permanent population of around 9,000.
Based on content courtesy of Tourism New Zealand.
The 25-hectare Wellington Botanic Garden in Wellington on the side of the hill between Thorndon and Kelburn. The garden, established in 1868 and classified as a Garden of National Significance by the Royal New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, features a range of protected native forests, plants and seasonal displays. It also features a variety of non-native species, including the extensive Lady Norwood Rose Garden.
Since it opened in 1902, the Wellington Cable Car has been a symbol of the city. The roughly 2,000-foot-long cable car rises 394 feet above Windy Wellington, taking riders from the heart of New Zealand’s capital city to the Kelburn neighborhood. The cable car, which moves at a constant rate of nearly 18 percent, opened to encourage new residents to move into Kelburn, which was a new neighborhood at the time. By the 1960s and 1970s, there were concerns about the safety of the funicular. But, the cable car was rehabilitated and returned to its former glory. At the top, be sure to visit the Cable Car Museum to learn more about its history.
For anyone interested in learning more about the history of Wellington, the Wellington Museum is an absolute must. The centerpiece of the museum is the building itself. The museum is located in the Bond Store, which sits in the heart of Wellington’s waterfront district. Leading architect Frederick de Jersey Clere designed the 1892 heritage building. The museum features a mix of stories about the community of Wellington and maritime history, including information about the 1968 Wahine disaster, a deadly ferry disaster that claimed the lives of 53 passengers.
Wellington railway station is the main railway station serving Wellington, New Zealand, and is the southern terminus of the North Island Main Trunk, Wairarapa Line and Johnsonville Line. The station opened in June 1937, replacing the previous Wellington termini, Lambton and Thorndon.
Weta Workshop was founded in 1987 and develops special effects for movies and television shows. It formed a digital division, Weta Digital, in 1993. The studio is perhaps best known for its work with Kiwi director Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings films. The company is named for the weta, one of the world’s largest insects. Today, visitors can tour the studio to learn more about the process and see sets in use for various productions.
William Gilbert Rees was an explorer, surveyor and early settler in Central Otago, New Zealand, and is regarded as the founder of Queenstown. He and fellow explorer Nicholas von Tunzelmann were the first Europeans to settle the Wakatipu basin. A statue of Rees stands on Rees Street in Queenstown.
The Rolleston Statue is a white marble statue situated outside Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Avenue in Christchurch, New Zealand. It commemorates William Rolleston, the superintendent of the Canterbury Province from 1868 until 1877. The statue was unveiled on May 26, 1906, by Mayor of Christchurch Sir John Hall KCMG, a personal friend, who wrote, “City Council arrived in carriages to Statue.” The Rolleston Statue fell off its plinth in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake but was repaired in 2016.