Queen Elizabeth Park, New Zealand
Encyclopedia
Queen Elizabeth Park is a Wellington Regional Park
located on the Kapiti Coast
in New Zealand
. The park contains the last area of natural dunes on the Kapiti Coast
. The park is steeped in history including pa sites
at Whareroa Beach and Wainui Beach.
During World War II
, the park was the location of two United States Army
and Marines
bases, Camp MacKay and Camp Russell. U.S. troops were stationed at the camps in 1942-1944 prior to being sent into combat in the Pacific Ocean theatre
. Today, little evidence of the 20,000 strong US military camps remains.
The park was named for Queen Elizabeth II before her coronation and was opened during the 1953 Royal Visit. Many recreation facilities were developed in the 1950s-1960s, including the campground and Wellington Tramway Museum
.
The park is bordered by Paekakariki
, Raumati South
, State Highway One, and the North Island Main Trunk Railway. Entrances are near the bridge of State Highway One over the railway (MacKay's crossing, main entrance) and in Raumati South and Paekakariki. The tangata whenua
of the park are Ngati Haumia, a hapu
of the Ngāti Toa
iwi
and Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai
.
Several expansive lawn areas near Whareroa Beach and the southern entrance at Paekakariki provide plenty of space for picnics and recreational activities. Public toilets are located at the car parks at the end of the road to Whareroa Beach, and near the playground and car parks at the Paekakariki entrance. A costal walkway and an inland walkway run the length of Queen Elizabeth Park from Raumati South to Paekakariki. Near the main entrance, a loop walkway leads through a wetland area and bush remnant with mature kahikatea
.
Wellington Region
The Wellington region of New Zealand occupies the southern end of the North Island.-Governance:The official Wellington Region, as administered by the Wellington Regional Council covers the conurbation around the capital city, Wellington, and the cities of Lower Hutt, Porirua, and Upper Hutt, each...
located on the Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council...
in 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...
. The park contains the last area of natural dunes on the Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast
The Kapiti Coast is the name of the section of the coast of the south-western North Island of New Zealand that is north of Wellington and opposite Kapiti Island. It falls under the jurisdiction of the Wellington Regional Council...
. The park is steeped in history including pa sites
Pa (Maori)
The word pā can refer to any Māori village or settlement, but in traditional use it referred to hillforts fortified with palisades and defensive terraces and also to fortified villages. They first came into being about 1450. They are located mainly in the North Island north of lake Taupo...
at Whareroa Beach and Wainui Beach.
During World War II
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...
, the park was the location of two United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
bases, Camp MacKay and Camp Russell. U.S. troops were stationed at the camps in 1942-1944 prior to being sent into combat in the Pacific Ocean theatre
Pacific Ocean theater of World War II
The Pacific Ocean theatre was one of four major naval theatres of war of World War II, which pitted the forces of Japan against those of the United States, the British Commonwealth, the Netherlands and France....
. Today, little evidence of the 20,000 strong US military camps remains.
The park was named for Queen Elizabeth II before her coronation and was opened during the 1953 Royal Visit. Many recreation facilities were developed in the 1950s-1960s, including the campground and Wellington Tramway Museum
Wellington Tramway Museum
The Wellington Tramway Museum is at Queen Elizabeth Park in New Zealand, near the overbridge at MacKays Crossing between Paekakariki and Paraparaumu, and has been operating trams there since 1965...
.
The park is bordered by Paekakariki
Paekakariki
Paekakariki is a town in the Kapiti Coast District in the south-western North Island of New Zealand. It is 22 km north of Porirua and 45 km north-east of Wellington, the nation's capital city....
, Raumati South
Raumati
Raumati collectively refers to two neighbouring places on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand's North Island. They are located 50-60 km north-east of Wellington, and immediately to the south-west of the larger town of Paraparaumu. The Maungakotukutuku area is located immediately behind Raumati...
, State Highway One, and the North Island Main Trunk Railway. Entrances are near the bridge of State Highway One over the railway (MacKay's crossing, main entrance) and in Raumati South and Paekakariki. The tangata whenua
Tangata Whenua
Tāngata whenua is a Māori term of the indigenous peoples of New Zealand and literally means "people of the land", from tāngata, 'people' and whenua land.-Meanings:...
of the park are Ngati Haumia, a hapu
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
of the Ngāti Toa
Ngati Toa
Ngāti Toa , an iwi , traces its descent from the eponymous ancestor Toarangatira. The Ngāti Toa region extends from Miria-te-kakara at Rangitikei to Wellington, and across Cook Strait to Wairau and Nelson....
iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
and Te Atiawa ki Whakarongotai
Te Ati Awa
Te Āti Awa is a Māori iwi with traditional bases in the Taranaki and Wellington regions of New Zealand. Approximately 17,000 people registered their affiliation to Te Āti Awa in 2001, with around 10,000 in Taranaki, 2,000 in Wellington and around 5,000 of unspecified regional location.-Geographical...
.
Several expansive lawn areas near Whareroa Beach and the southern entrance at Paekakariki provide plenty of space for picnics and recreational activities. Public toilets are located at the car parks at the end of the road to Whareroa Beach, and near the playground and car parks at the Paekakariki entrance. A costal walkway and an inland walkway run the length of Queen Elizabeth Park from Raumati South to Paekakariki. Near the main entrance, a loop walkway leads through a wetland area and bush remnant with mature kahikatea
Dacrycarpus dacrydioides
Dacrycarpus dacrydioides or kahikatea is a coniferous tree endemic to New Zealand.The tree grows to a height of with a trunk exceeding in diameter, and is buttressed at the base. It is dominant in lowland forest and wetlands throughout the North and South Islands...
.