A Day in and Around Wellington

A Kaka Parrot Eating at a Feeder

Old St Paul’s

The Outside of Old St. Paul's

The wooden inside of Old St. Paul's We wake up to bright sunshine so we head out to explore the city.

Our first stop is Old St Paul’s Anglican Church. Built in 1866 in Gothic Revival style. It is a beautiful church with wooden arches and a warm, woody smell inside.

National Parliament Buildings

The National Parliament Buildings

The National War Memorial Our next stop is the Parliament Buildings. Wellington is the capital of New Zealand. All the Parliament tours are booked up because a cruise ship is in port. The building known as The Beehive has offices for the Members of Parliament.

Nearby is the War Memorial.

Victoria College

The yellow timber Victoria College We go into an old government building, now Victoria College, which is one of the largest buildings in the world built totally of timber. The exterior looks like stone but is all wood. Inside is a gorgeous hanging staircase.

Waterfront Walk and the Train Station

A boathouse with a woman's picture painted on it and a sailing boat in front of it

The front of the Wellington Train Station Next on the agenda is the train station, another waterfront walk (which in the sun is a world of difference from yesterday) and of course a stop for coffee at Mojo Coffee which is Wellington’s version of Tim Hortons as there are 16 outlets in the city. John advises that they have very good coffee.

Monument to the discovery of New Zealand John with his Mojo Coffee

Civic Square to Cuba Street

The hanging ball sculpture over Civic Square We walk across a very cool bridge with all kinds of sculptures into Civic Square.

We make our way to Cuba Street (considered a cultural area) where we stop in at Sal’s Pizza. I have been reading rave reviews about this pizza so we give it a try. It’s delicious. I want to go back for supper. Yum!

Cable Car

Wellington Cable Car going up the hill
We walk down Willis Street and Lambton Quay to the Cable Car…always a favourite with John.

Zealandia

Kimberly on the Suspension Bridge
We take the cable car up the mountain where we catch the free shuttle to Zealandia (an ecosanctuary). Zealandia is a wildlife reserve completely surrounded by a predator proof Forested Trail fence to keep our rats, possums, stouts, cats, dogs and any other non-native mammals. Once the fence was completed all non-native mammals inside were removed by hunting and traps. Only then were native birds reintroduced.

A Takahe Bird eating grass Many of the flightless ground birds as well as others are endangered. Many are already extinct.

People are can walk the trails inside the fence. The trails are lovely and we see Takahe (click here for a video of this Takahe Bird), Kaka parrots (not to be confused with yesterday’s Kakapo Parrot- click here for a video) and many other birds and some Tuatara (reptiles). A great way to spend an afternoon.

Botanical Gardens and Bolton Cemetery

Sparrows and butterflies in pink flowers The Zealandia shuttle drops us back off at the top of the cable car where the Botanical Gardens are also located. We walk down the mountain through the Botanical Gardens, stopping to check out the herb gardens and rose gardens.

We continue to the historical Grave stones in the Bolton Cemetery Bolton Street Cemetery. Most of the graves are from the 1850s to early 1900s.

By the time we finish, it is time for supper but John and I are not having a meeting of minds on what to eat so I go to Sal’s Pizza again (which I was craving since I had pizza at lunch) and John opts for fast food at McDonalds.