Lower
Hutt, New Zealand
Sister City since 1981
City Coordinator - Mary Larsen
This lovely city is located at the southern tip of the North Island and is only eight miles away from the capital, Wellington. Lower Hutt is at the southern end of the Hutt River which runs the length of the Hutt Valley and opens into Port Nicholson which is Wellington’s harbour. The valley is flanked on the east and west by steep hills which close in at the north creating a rugged gateway to the Tararua Ranges and the Wairarapa wine region on the other side. The city of Upper Hutt is the second city of the Hutt Valley and nestles into the northern most reaches of the valley.
Lower Hutt became Tempe's third sister city in 1981. The Hutt City Council adopted the name Hutt City in 2005, but this has yet to be recognized by NZ Geographic Board or the Local Government Act. Hutt City is the ninth largest city in New Zealand with a population of 100,000. Hutt City is made up of Eastbourne and Petone which hug the shores of the harbour, Wainuiomata in a neighbouring valley and Lower Hutt which extends north to the Taita Gorge which creates the natural boundary with Upper Hutt.
Prior to the city being established, the Hutt Valley was thickly forested with marshland close to the river's mouth. The Maori inhabited the shoreline until 1839 when the New Zealand Company ship arrived and negotiated a settlement with the local chiefs. The first ship of inhabitants arrived in 1840 and the settlement, Britannia, was established. Hutt City got its name from the river, which was named after the founding member, director and chairman of the New Zealand Company, Sir William Hutt. Within months of settlement, however, the Hutt River flooded, and the settlers decided to move the new colony to Thorndon, in what is now the heart of Wellington, though some settlers remained at the north end of the harbour. In 1846 there was conflict between settlers and Maori which led to skirmishes (see Hutt Valley Campaign). In 1855 a major earthquake raised part of the lower valley, allowing land to be reclaimed from swamp. The arrival of the railway north from Wellington in 1874 and the subsequent location of the railway's engineering works at Petone led to a rapid expansion of the area's population and economy. Other industries were soon attracted to the district.
Hutt City is the gateway to the outdoors around the Wellington Region. Mountain bikers, walkers, runners, and horse trekkers all rave about the scenery and variety of tracks that exist in Belmont Regional Park and East Harbour Regional Park, Rimutaka Forest Park, Wainuiomata Waterworks Recreation Area, along with the Hutt River Trail, and in the cities numerous scenic reserves. There are ample opportunities for water sport enthusiasts as well; fishing, sailing, windsurfing, and sea kayaking are just some of the activities you can do while in Hutt City.
Hutt City has the best shopping mall in the region at Westfield Queensgate and a more unique shopping experience on Jackson Street, Petone. Jackson Street is also a centre for great restaurants and cafes and on the favourites list of most people living in Hutt City and Wellington.
Hutt City is also an axis for New Zealand’s innovation and creativity. Home to science organisations Geological & Nuclear Sciences and Industrial Research Limited, Hutt City is known for some world leading research and at least one Nobel Chemistry Prize winner, Alan MacDiarmid, who took the award in 2000.
For further information on Hutt City and the Hutt Valley please go to www.huttvalleynz.com