Historic Places Wellington

06/10/2026

Stuart Niven of the Architectural Centre comments on the Gordon Wilson Flats...

by Stuart Niven I see that Victoria University are still at it – expunging pesky asbestos from the fabric of the Gorden Wilson Flats, an expensive, time-wasting business, all in the service of t...

05/10/2026

The heritage listed Wellesley hotel in Maginnity St is for sale!
The article is paywalled but you get the gist from the headline.

https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/361092502/grand-old-lady-wellington-goes-sale

Built in 1925 and designed by William Grey Young -
https://wellingtoncityheritage.org.nz/buildings/151-300/193-the-wellesley-club

It has entertained politicians, housed sporting heroes, hosted gentlemen’s club dinners and even appeared on screen. Now the grand old Wellesley building is looking for a new custodian.

05/10/2026

04/10/2026

Some Heritage NZ houses in Auckland and a historic street in Oamaru were used for filming Netflix's East of Eden... We don't know if anything in Wellington featured. 🙂

In December 2024 we had the pleasure of witnessing three of the properties we care for transformed for the Netflix production of East of Eden.

02/10/2026

Remembering Venerable Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert — 100 Years On

Today we mark a century since the death of Meri Hōhepa Suzanne Aubert. Suzanne was both the founder of the Sisters of Compassion and one of Aotearoa’s greatest champions of the poor, the sick, and the forgotten.

On 5 October 1926, Wellington came to a standstill for her funeral — the largest ever held for a woman in New Zealand. Thousands lined the streets to honour a life defined by courage, service, and deep compassion.

Her legacy continues in acts of kindness, every welcome offered, every meal shared at the Compassion Soup Kitchen, and in the ongoing work of the Sisters of Compassion.

Please join us at the National Centennial Mass this Sunday at St Mary of the Angels.

✨E kore e mimiti te aroha — her compassion still flows.

01/10/2026

30/09/2026

Government has decided on the heritage changes to five sites that our council was keen on...
"The changes will remove the heritage listings from the Karori Tunnel, Kelburn Viaduct and the former Miramar Installation Bulk Storage Tank. Height limits applying to non-heritage buildings within the Courtenay Place Heritage Area will also be modified." But kept the heritage listing for the GHQ building near Pukeahu Park. .. The Beehive press release is covered in this Scoop article:
https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=183657
The Herald article is paywalled. You can also read more on Nicola Young's post shared above.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/wellington/heritage-protections-stripped-from-four-key-wellington-sites-chris-bishop-shift-to-allow-building-heights-above-42m/premium/WMUIMZWUW5BIXGW7S4K43ZFMVM/

23/09/2026

21/09/2026

Our chairperson Felicity has written another article arguing for keeping the Wellington Museum at the Bond Store and responding to the mayor's comment about it being a 'hodgepodge' ...
https://wellington.scoop.co.nz/?p=183425 -183425

"...The Mayor’s criticisms of the Museum were a bit rich. It has lacked Council investment for decades. Any “hodge podge” is the Council’s doing and reflects the museum’s unfunded, forced evolution from a targeted Maritime Museum. It was set up by the Harbour Board in the 1970s, securing the future of the historic Bond Store building..."

by Felicity Wong Defending intellectual autonomy, raw history, and the power of material culture is at stake in defending the old style Wellington Museum in the historic Bond Store at Queens Wharf....

19/09/2026

The legislation changing earthquake prone building rules has passed....
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361035576/thousands-buildings-no-longer-deemed-earthquake-prone-after-new-law-passes-unanimously