Site seeing: Virtually Wellington

By MONIKA FRY

New Zealand's capital city is doing a fine job of making sure the rest of the country is aware of its attractions. And there are attractions aplenty.

While a weekend break in Wellington will be enough time for a brisk trot around Te Papa, the compact centre city and a ride on the cable car, a week allows enough time to explore the shops, the history and the arts.

Wellington's official tourism website is easily navigated and hosts a wide range of accommodation listings, which can be booked online, as well as details of local walks, family activities and a series of suggested itineraries.

The Te Papa website not only helps you to keep up to date with current and potential exhibitions, it even includes the restaurant's menu.

The museum of Wellington City and Sea, known as the Bond Store, is on Queens Wharf. This museum features a memorial to the 1968 Wahine tragedy as well as multimedia presentations and holographic special effects presentations explaining local Maori history.

The City Gallery displays contemporary visual arts, including painting, photography, sculpture, moving image, architecture, industrial and graphic design. It is in Civic Sq near the public library, an artwork in its own right.

A pleasant walk up the hill, and a past winner of the New Zealand Tourism Award, is Katherine Mansfield's birthplace (kmbirthplace@xtra.co.nz) at 25 Tinakori Rd, Thorndon. The restored house is surrounded by a superb heritage garden.

Links

Wellington Tourism

City Gallery

Te Papa

Bond Store