Queens Wharf is the centre of the shopping and events area, boasting designer stores and restaurants plus concert and sport venues. The city centre has many fine museums, libraries, art galleries, theatres and parks.

Just out of Wellington is the Hutt Valley. Lower Hutt, bounded by sharply rising hills to the east and west, spreads itself across the valley floor. Further up the valley is Upper Hutt, a newly created and smaller city than Lower Hutt. The Kaitoke Reservoir and Regional Park (15km north) along with Tararua Forest Park offer bushwalks and outdoor activities.

Petone retains a village atmosphere in the midst of its urban surroundings.

Only 30km north of Wellington is the Kapiti Coast. This sandy stretch along the Tasman Sea is dotted with small seaside towns which come alive on the weekends. The curving shoreline and Kapiti Island can be viewed from the Paekakariki Hill. Kapiti Island is now largely a bird sanctuary, and permits are required to visit the island.

Explore the wildlife in the region at the North Island's most accessible seal colony at Cape Palliser. See rare and endangered birds at the Mt Bruce National Wildlife Centre just north of Masterton. Masterton is the hub of the prosperous Wairarapa Valley. The Wairarapa is a rich farming district to the east of the rugged Tararua Ranges. The coast is wild, and noted for fishing, surfing and seals. Castlepoint, named for its fortress-like headland, is a seaside resort offering surf beaches and a sheltered lagoon, reef fishing and floundering.

The prosperous farming regions of Rangitikei, Manawatu and Horowhenua are situated in south-western North Island. The coastal beaches offer good fishing, and there are some patrolled beaches. Inland areas are hill country with lush river valleys and plains. Palmerston North is the centre of Manawatu. It is an agricultural research and education centre. Activities in the area include jet boating and trout fishing on the river, horse trekking and walking through the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges. Backed by the Tararua Ranges is Levin, the centre of the Horowhenua region. Like Palmerston North, Levin is a thriving provincial town.

Hawke's Bay is situated between the Eastland region in the north and the Wairarapa region in the south. Hawkes Bay is a premium wine growing region, with its main centres being Napier and Hastings. Despite some intensley fertile alluvial coastal areas, the coastline is mainly roky and preciptous. Inland the hills build into rugged ranges wchih produce a "rain shadow" effect, gicing Hawke's Bay both low rainfall and high sunshine.

Situated in Hawkes Bay, Napier is a beautiful coastal town marked by a sheer bluff, Norfolk pines, Art Deco buildings and heritage trails. Napier is Hawke's Bay's port, rebuilt in the 1930's (hence the art deco style) after a distastrous earthquake.

Hastings is the centre of a large fuit growing and processing industry, including wine making. Like Napier, the city was rebuilt after the 1931 earthquake and has pleasant parks, gardens and picnic areas. In contrast to its twin city, Hastings is a flat city on the Heretaunga Plains.

Cape Kidnappers, to the east of Hastings and Napier, is home to thousands of gannets between July and April each year. This is the largest and most accessible mainland gannet colony in the world (gannets are predatory seabirds). The Cape is best visited on foot from Clifton, an 8km round trip.

Fact Summary

Wellington has been the capital of New Zealand since 1865.

It is New Zealand's second largest city.

Climate. Summer max: 20 deg CC. Winter min: 5 deg CC.

July and August are the months with the highest rainfall.

Weather