Maupuia

Maupuia on the Miramar Peninsula is an eastern suburb of Wellington to the north-west of Miramar. Developed in the 1970s, it is in the Eastern Ward.

Maupuia
Suburb
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Wellington City
Electoral ward	Eastern
Established	1970s
Population  (2013)
• Total	1,497

	Wellington Harbour
Evans Bay	Maupuia	Wellington Harbour
	Miramar	Seatoun

Maupuia had a usually resident population of 1,584 at the 2018 New Zealand census, similar to census figures from 2013 (1,599) and 2006 (1,557).[1] As of the 2013 census, 60% of residents were European/Pākehā, 23% were Asian, 10% were Māori, and 9% were Pacific peoples.[2]

The northern part of the peninsula, sometimes known as Crawford, includes Maupuia Park, the former Wellington Prison (also known as Mount Crawford Prison) and at the tip of the peninsula on Point Halswell the Massey Memorial, the mausoleum of former prime minister William Massey. Shelly Bay on the west side of the peninsula is a former military (navy and air force) base and is proposed to be developed for housing.[3][4]

Other bays on the west side of the peninsula are Karaka Bay, Scorching Bay, Mahanga Bay and Kau Bay.

History

Originally the area was the site of a Māori pa.[5] Maupuia was part of the Miramar Borough from 1904 to 1921, when the borough was incorporated into the City of Wellington.[6]

In 1949 the Wellington City Council exchanged with the government the Townsend Estate of 145½ acres (59 ha) on Watts (Miramar) Peninsula for 13¼ acres (5.4 ha) of Town Belt land adjacent to the Victoria University of Wellington required for expansion of the university (plus £4,000).[7]

The land was developed from 1970 as a prestige residential subdivision for 2,500 people ultimately; with initially 100 single houses, 170 town houses, 150 two-person flats, 246 three-person flats and 24 pensioner flats. Earthworks over two years involved moving 350,000 cubic yards (268,000 cubic meters) of spoil in 70,000 truckloads. The sections, with views of Evans Bay, the harbour and Wellington Airport were balloted. Eventually shopping and recreational facilities were to be provided.[7]

References

• Struthers, John (1975). Miramar Peninsula: A Historical and Social Study. Wellington: John Struthers; Wright & Carman.

1. Data obtained from http://nzdotstat.stats.govt.nz/wbos/Index.aspx#, 2018 Census
2. 2013 Census QuickStats about a place (Cultural diversity) : Maupuia
3. "$500m revamp for Shelly Bay Wellington". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 8 December 2016.
4. "Development of Shelly Bay re-confirmed after further iwi consultation". Stuff (Fairfax Media). 1 February 2017.
5. Struthers 1975, p. 221.
6. Struthers 1975, p. 60.
7. Struthers 1975, p. 79.