Rongotai
Encyclopedia
This article discusses the Wellington city suburb of Rongotai. For the article about the New Zealand parliamentary electorate of the same name see Rongotai (New Zealand electorate)
Rongotai is a suburb of Wellington
, New Zealand
, located southeast of the city centre. It is on the Rongotai isthmus, between the Miramar Peninsula
and the suburbs of Kilbirnie
and Lyall Bay
. It is known mostly for being the location of the Wellington International Airport
. It is roughly in the centre of the Rongotai electorate
, which is much bigger than the suburb.
Until about the 15th century, the Rongotai isthmus
was probably a shallow channel known as Te Awa a Tia. The only part of the current isthmus above water was the small hill which now has the airport control tower on it; the Miramar Peninsula was an island known as Te Motu Kairangi at the entrance to Wellington Harbour
. Māori oral history
describes a massive earthquake known as Haowhenua ("land swallower" or "land destroyer") which raised the seabed so that it became possible to wade across to Miramar. Studies of sediment suggest that it was once below sea level. Following the earthquake, the seabed seems to have silted up, creating a sandflat which linked Miramar to the mainland, at least at low tide. When James Cook
entered Wellington Harbour in 1773 he found the former channel impassible by boat.
In 1855, another earthquake further lifted the isthmus so that it became permanently dry land. The southern half remained mostly sand dunes, but houses were built on the northern end, as was a coal fired power station and Rongotai College
. In 1940 Rongotai became the site of the 1940 New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
, which attracted more than 2.5 million people. The coal fired power station was later closed and the site is now occupied by a fire station.
Since the early twentieth century, the dunes had been used as a runway for light aircraft. By World War II
a more permanent airfield had been built, and was used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force
, who also took over the centennial buildings after the close of the exhibition. On 24 October 1959 Wellington's international airport was opened, the runway and associated buildings taking over the entire eastern half of the suburb. In the process of building the airport, 135 acre (0.5463261 km²) of land was reclaimed and 180 houses were moved.http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/history/1939.html Light industry and a Rongotai College playing field occupied most of the south-west quarter of the suburb. The north-west quarter continued to be residential apart from the college and a few corner shops. In the early 2000s the industrial section of Rongotai was transformed when an old warehouse was turned into a retail park centring on a large branch of The Warehouse (a discount store). Traffic in the area has increased dramatically.
Rongotai (New Zealand electorate)
Rongotai is a New Zealand electorate, returning a single member to the New Zealand House of Representatitves. The current MP for Rongotai is Annette King, of the Labour Party. She has held this position since 1996.-Description:...
Rongotai is a suburb of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, located southeast of the city centre. It is on the Rongotai isthmus, between the Miramar Peninsula
Miramar Peninsula
The Miramar Peninsula is a peninsula at the southeastern end of the city of Wellington, New Zealand.The peninsula is 800 hectares and contains the suburbs of Miramar, Maupuia, Strathmore and Seatoun...
and the suburbs of Kilbirnie
Kilbirnie
Kilbirnie is a small town of 7280 inhabitants situated in North Ayrshire on the west coast of Scotland...
and Lyall Bay
Lyall Bay
Lyall Bay is a bay and a suburb on the south side of the Rongotai isthmus in Wellington, New Zealand.The bay is a popular surf beach, featuring a breakwater at the eastern end. It has also been the site of surf lifesaving championships, and is home to two surf lifesaving clubs. Lyall Bay is a very...
. It is known mostly for being the location of the Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport
Wellington International Airport is an international airport located in the suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It is a secondary hub and focus city for Air New Zealand and its subsidiaries...
. It is roughly in the centre of the Rongotai electorate
Rongotai (New Zealand electorate)
Rongotai is a New Zealand electorate, returning a single member to the New Zealand House of Representatitves. The current MP for Rongotai is Annette King, of the Labour Party. She has held this position since 1996.-Description:...
, which is much bigger than the suburb.
Until about the 15th century, the Rongotai isthmus
Isthmus
An isthmus is a narrow strip of land connecting two larger land areas usually with waterforms on either side.Canals are often built through isthmuses where they may be particularly advantageous to create a shortcut for marine transportation...
was probably a shallow channel known as Te Awa a Tia. The only part of the current isthmus above water was the small hill which now has the airport control tower on it; the Miramar Peninsula was an island known as Te Motu Kairangi at the entrance to Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour
Wellington Harbour is the large natural harbour at the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island. New Zealand's capital, Wellington, is on the western side of Wellington Harbour. The harbour was officially named Port Nicholson until it assumed its current name in the 1980s.In Māori the harbour is...
. Māori oral history
Oral history
Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews...
describes a massive earthquake known as Haowhenua ("land swallower" or "land destroyer") which raised the seabed so that it became possible to wade across to Miramar. Studies of sediment suggest that it was once below sea level. Following the earthquake, the seabed seems to have silted up, creating a sandflat which linked Miramar to the mainland, at least at low tide. When James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
entered Wellington Harbour in 1773 he found the former channel impassible by boat.
In 1855, another earthquake further lifted the isthmus so that it became permanently dry land. The southern half remained mostly sand dunes, but houses were built on the northern end, as was a coal fired power station and Rongotai College
Rongotai College
Rongotai College is an all-boys state secondary school in the south-eastern suburb of Rongotai in Wellington, New Zealand. The students are aged 12 to 19.The decile 6 school has a roll of over 650 students...
. In 1940 Rongotai became the site of the 1940 New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
New Zealand Centennial Exhibition
The New Zealand Centennial Exhibition took place over six months from Wednesday 8 November 1939 until 4 May 1940. It celebrated one hundred years since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and the subsequent mass European settlement of New Zealand...
, which attracted more than 2.5 million people. The coal fired power station was later closed and the site is now occupied by a fire station.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
a more permanent airfield had been built, and was used by the Royal New Zealand Air Force
Royal New Zealand Air Force
The Royal New Zealand Air Force is the air arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...
, who also took over the centennial buildings after the close of the exhibition. On 24 October 1959 Wellington's international airport was opened, the runway and associated buildings taking over the entire eastern half of the suburb. In the process of building the airport, 135 acre (0.5463261 km²) of land was reclaimed and 180 houses were moved.http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/history/1939.html Light industry and a Rongotai College playing field occupied most of the south-west quarter of the suburb. The north-west quarter continued to be residential apart from the college and a few corner shops. In the early 2000s the industrial section of Rongotai was transformed when an old warehouse was turned into a retail park centring on a large branch of The Warehouse (a discount store). Traffic in the area has increased dramatically.