The Wellington Town Belt is a significant part of Wellington’s sense of place and has played a critical role in shaping the city.
Together, the reserves make up a large area of open space that provides a scenic backdrop to the inner city, and offers recreational opportunities to residents and visitors.
Today the Town Belt includes 520 hectares, stretching in a horseshoe shape from Mount Victoria (Matairangi) in the north-east, to Berhampore at its southern end, then north-west to Te Ahumairangi Hill between Wadestown and Thorndon.
Map of the Wellington Town Belt (1106KB PDF)
The Town Belt has been a reserve for the public to enjoy for over 170 years.
Key features of the Town Belt include:
- parks, reserves and vegetated slopes visible from the central city
- the continuous horse-shoe shape of undeveloped hills between the central city and surrounding suburbs
- a wide range of sporting and recreational activities.
Management of the Town Belt
The Town Belt is held in Trust by Wellington City Council, under the Town Belt Deed 1873 and subject to the Wellington Town Belt Act 2016.
In 2013, the Council adopted the current Wellington Town Belt Management Plan.
The Wellington Town Belt Management Plan 2013 replaces the Town Belt Management Plan of 1995, and the Town Belt Reinstatement Policy of 1998.