Karori
Encyclopedia
Karori is a suburb
located at the western edge of the urban area of Wellington
, New Zealand
, some 4 km from the city centre.
Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.
Before the arrival of European settlers, the valley of Karori was considered to be good hunting grounds for various types of birds. The name Karori is believed to derive from a Māori
term related to snare
s.
The first settlers came to Karori in 1840, having bought the land from the New Zealand Company
. Karori was originally established as a separate settlement, not an extension of Wellington proper. As such, it had a separate political existence, and was officially established as a borough
in 1891. Both Wellington and Karori expanded towards each other, the two urban areas becoming gradually connected (aided by the construction of the Karori tunnel in 1901), and the Borough of Karori was amalgamated into the City of Wellington in 1920.
Karori is home to ZEALANDIA (formerly called the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary), an enclosed restoration project focusing on the flora and fauna that inhabited the valley before human settlement. Other conservation activities in Karori are undertaken by FROKS - Friends and Residents of Karori Stream. a volunteer group restoring the banks of Karori Stream. Several other parks and reserves can be found on the hills surrounding Karori, as well as the headwaters of the Kaiwharawhara Stream
. Wrights Hill Fortress
, a network of tunnels and gun emplacements overlooking the valley, is an important historical site.
The centre of Karori contains a shopping mall, new public library and café, and other amenities. Karori is also home to a campus of Victoria University of Wellington
, formerly the Wellington College of Education, and Helen Lowry Hall of Residence. There are three state primary schools in Karori. St Teresa's School, which is an integrated school, serves the Catholic population of the suburb. Karori Normal School in Donald Street serves the eastern and central part of the suburb and Karori West Normal School in Allington Road, serving the western end of the suburb. All three schools are ranked as high decile schools by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. Karori Normal School, founded in 1857, is one of the largest primary schools in New Zealand. The author Katherine Mansfield
attended the school from 1895-98 and there is a memorial to her at the school, located in front of a tree she wrote about in one of her stories. Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
, a private girls' school, is also in Karori.
The full length of Karori Road is served by the Karori Park trolley bus route, which replaced the former tram service in 1954. For many years vehicles ran as route 12 to Courtenay Place, but are now designated route 3 and through-routed to and from Lyall Bay via the city. The weekday service is every 10 minutes, the most-frequent of all Wellington routes.
Karori Cemetery is second largest cemetery in New Zealand. Opened in 1891, it replaced the cemetery at Bolton Street as the main burial ground for the inhabitants of Wellington. It covers 100 acres / 40 hectares. The Small Chapel contains excellent stained glass windows designed by Wilhelmina Geddes
. Karori Cemetery "closed" in 1965 for the establishment of new burial plots but interments in established graves continues.
Futuna Chapel
, located in Karori, is one of New Zealand's most significant pieces of 20th century architecture, having been recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
located at the western edge of the urban area 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...
, some 4 km from the city centre.
Karori is significantly larger than most other Wellington suburbs, having a population of over 14,000 at the time of the 2006 census.
History
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
term related to snare
Trapping (Animal)
Animal trapping, or simply trapping, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, wildlife management, hunting, and pest control...
s.
The first settlers came to Karori in 1840, having bought the land from the New Zealand Company
New Zealand Company
The New Zealand Company originated in London in 1837 as the New Zealand Association with the aim of promoting the "systematic" colonisation of New Zealand. The association, and later the company, intended to follow the colonising principles of Edward Gibbon Wakefield, who envisaged the creation of...
. Karori was originally established as a separate settlement, not an extension of Wellington proper. As such, it had a separate political existence, and was officially established as a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
in 1891. Both Wellington and Karori expanded towards each other, the two urban areas becoming gradually connected (aided by the construction of the Karori tunnel in 1901), and the Borough of Karori was amalgamated into the City of Wellington in 1920.
Features of Karori
Kaiwharawhara Stream
The Kaiwharawhara Stream is a stream located in the North Island of New Zealand on the northwestern side of the national capital, Wellington. Its headwaters are within the suburb of Karori and it passes through other suburbs before reaching the western shore of Wellington Harbour in Kaiwharawhara...
. Wrights Hill Fortress
Wrights Hill Fortress
Wrights Hill Fortress is a counter bombardment coastal artillery battery in the Karori suburb of Wellington, New Zealand. It was built between 1942 and 1947 and is predominantly underground, with numerous tunnels linking the war shelters, gun emplacements, magazines, plotting rooms and engine room...
, a network of tunnels and gun emplacements overlooking the valley, is an important historical site.
The centre of Karori contains a shopping mall, new public library and café, and other amenities. Karori is also home to a campus of Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, formerly the Wellington College of Education, and Helen Lowry Hall of Residence. There are three state primary schools in Karori. St Teresa's School, which is an integrated school, serves the Catholic population of the suburb. Karori Normal School in Donald Street serves the eastern and central part of the suburb and Karori West Normal School in Allington Road, serving the western end of the suburb. All three schools are ranked as high decile schools by the New Zealand Ministry of Education. Karori Normal School, founded in 1857, is one of the largest primary schools in New Zealand. The author Katherine Mansfield
Katherine Mansfield
Kathleen Mansfield Beauchamp Murry was a prominent modernist writer of short fiction who was born and brought up in colonial New Zealand and wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. Mansfield left for Great Britain in 1908 where she encountered Modernist writers such as D.H. Lawrence and...
attended the school from 1895-98 and there is a memorial to her at the school, located in front of a tree she wrote about in one of her stories. Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School
Samuel Marsden Collegiate School is located in the Wellington suburb of Karori in New Zealand. It has a socio-economic decile of 10 and provides private preschool to year 13 education for girls, but with co-educational kindergarten facilities...
, a private girls' school, is also in Karori.
The full length of Karori Road is served by the Karori Park trolley bus route, which replaced the former tram service in 1954. For many years vehicles ran as route 12 to Courtenay Place, but are now designated route 3 and through-routed to and from Lyall Bay via the city. The weekday service is every 10 minutes, the most-frequent of all Wellington routes.
Karori Cemetery is second largest cemetery in New Zealand. Opened in 1891, it replaced the cemetery at Bolton Street as the main burial ground for the inhabitants of Wellington. It covers 100 acres / 40 hectares. The Small Chapel contains excellent stained glass windows designed by Wilhelmina Geddes
Wilhelmina Geddes
Wilhelmina Geddes was an Irish stained glass artist. She had a workshop at the An Túr Gloine and was a member of the Arts and Crafts Movement. Important achievements included windows at St. Bartholomew’s in Ottawa, Canada....
. Karori Cemetery "closed" in 1965 for the establishment of new burial plots but interments in established graves continues.
Futuna Chapel
Futuna Chapel
Futuna Chapel is a building in the suburb of Karori, Wellington designed by the architect John Scott.Built by the brothers of the Society of Mary, the chapel is named after the Pacific Island of Futuna on which the missionary Peter Chanel, to whom the project is dedicated, was martyred in 1841...
, located in Karori, is one of New Zealand's most significant pieces of 20th century architecture, having been recognised by the New Zealand Institute of Architects.