Government to decide fate of Watts Peninsula, Peter Jackson wants public reserve

Filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson hopes land on Watts Peninsula becomes a long-promised public reserve. Photo Montage / Getty Images

• Minister for Land Information Chris Penk has received new advice on the future of Watts Peninsula in Wellington.
• The minister says he can land a plan people will be excited about.
• Filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson has previously said he hopes the land becomes a “long-promised public reserve”.

The Government will soon determine the fate of 76ha of prime Wellington real estate, which famous filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson is advocating to be turned into a public reserve.

A reserve on Watts Peninsula was first announced in 2011. The area is a prominent Wellington landmark at the northern tip of Miramar Peninsula.

However, more than a decade later, the long-promised reserve is yet to be realised.

Minister for Land Information Chris Penk told the Herald he has received updated advice from officials to determine the future of the stunning site.

“I am discussing it with my ministerial colleagues and other interested parties including local council and community groups.”

Minister for Land Information Chris Penk says Watts Peninsula is an incredibly special place with significant history locally and nationally. Photo / Mark Mitchell

The level of public interest and the number of stakeholders has made for a complex process, Penk said.

The minister said he remained committed to resolving the matter as soon as possible.

“I know the local community may be frustrated with the rate of progress, but we are working at pace and expect to be able to share more information about the plan early next year.

“It is an incredibly special place, with significant history at a local and a national level, so it is important to get it right. I am confident that we will land a plan that we can all be proud of and excited about.”

The former New Zealand Defence Force land is home to historic military gun emplacements and former ammunition magazines.

There are several historical pā sites on Te Motu Kairangi (Miramar Peninsula) making the land culturally significant to iwi.

The area is already popular for recreation with well-used walking tracks, a community garden, and a small farm that hosts school visits.

Jackson publicly voiced concern about protecting the “green belt” for future generations in 2011.

He said at the time that he did not intend to buy the land but supported it remaining in public ownership.

Land on the northern tip of Miramar Peninsula has a farm, community garden and walking tracks. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Jackson is mentioned by name in a 2017 Cabinet paper about the fate of Watts Peninsula.

“The Filmset area has previously been used for filming, notably by Sir Peter Jackson, and parties like him and other stakeholders are opposed to development on the site as this will likely prevent future filming work,” the paper said.

Tens of millions of dollars worth of commercial property in Miramar has been tied to Jackson’s Weta group of film-making companies.

Jackson also has residential properties on the peninsula and can sometimes be spotted walking along the picturesque coastline.

One house owned by Stanley Properties Ltd, which has two registered directors Jackson and his partner Dame Fran Walsh, has recently been demolished to make way for an outdoor entertaining space.

Consent documents released by Wellington City Council show a sprawling lawn where the house once stood and a feature fireplace with intricate brickwork.

Construction work earlier this year shows the outdoor entertainment area and new fence taking shape at one of Sir Peter Jackson's residential properties on Miramar Peninsula. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Jackson and Walsh also purchased land at Shelly Bay in 2023 to restore its “natural beauty” and stop a controversial $500m housing development planned there.

Jackson once looked at the possibility of creating a movie museum there, but the idea fell flat several years ago.

There’s speculation the museum could finally materialise after interests associated with Jackson spent $105 million buying a large piece of land near the city’s airport in Lyall Bay in what has been announced as this year’s biggest land deal.

Jackson and Walsh have met with Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau about their plans for Shelly Bay.

In March this year, a spokeswoman for Jackson and Walsh said landscaping plans were being worked on.

“Peter and Fran hope the remainder of the peninsula becomes the long-promised public reserve.”

Sir Peter Jackson says he hopes the Watts Peninsula land becomes the long-promised public reserve. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Scenes for many of Jackson’s movies have been filmed at Shelly Bay, and the wider area provided the backdrop for his 2005 version of King Kong.

A large-scale version of Skull Island, including the giant wall that separated Kong from the rest of the island, was built above the Massey Memorial on Miramar Peninsula for the movie.

Land Information New Zealand (Linz) head of crown property Sonya Wikitera said they have worked with the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust (PNBST), the Department of Conservation and Te Arawhiti to develop updated advice on the proposed reserve.

“We know the community has a keen interest in the future of this land. While it has taken longer than originally anticipated to resolve the plan for its future, the land has local and national significance, so it is important we get it right.”

Shelly Bay pictured in November 2023 after a housing development there was scrapped. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Hazard management work is already under way on Watts Peninsula.

Work on access track and stormwater improvements has begun, and work will start shortly to remove some asbestos cement roofs from the military magazine building, Wikitera said.

This is expected to be completed by late January.

Meanwhile, Linz is also involved with adjacent land that used to be the site of Mt Crawford Prison.

It has been deemed surplus to Crown requirements and Linz is now working with PNBST.

PNBST was established to manage Taranaki Whānui’s Tiriti o Waitangi settlement and has the first right of refusal over both the Watts Peninsula and Mt Crawford sites.

PNBST was keen to build houses on Mt Crawford but a 2022 application for fast-tracked consent failed.

The former prison at Mt Crawford on Miramar Peninsula. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Application documents showed the project included up to 700 new homes including multi-storey apartments, townhouses, and detached houses.

Taranaki Whānui chief executive Kara Puketapu-Dentice has previously declined to comment on what the plan is now.

PNBST’s most recent annual report said engagement with the Crown regarding the return of Motu-Kairangi was progressing positively.

“We are hopeful of sharing some good news on this front soon.”

Another part of the report said Mātaimoana, which is the Māori name for Mt Crawford, was a place of cultural significance to uri (descendants).

“The trust is absolutely hands on with this kaupapa. The hui with Land Information New Zealand and the Department of Conservation regarding Mātaimoana have been mostly positive.

“We have formalised the intent, purpose and strategic goal through our values. We hope to share more news soon as we continue these important discussions with the Crown.”

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.