Upper Hutt
Encyclopedia
Upper Hutt is a satellite city of Wellington
. It is New Zealand
's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington
.
valley floor, the city extends to the top of the Rimutaka saddle to the north-east and into the Akatarawa Valley
and rough hill-country of the Akatarawa ranges to the north and north-west, almost reaching the Kapiti Coast
close to Paekakariki
. Centred on the upper (northern) valley
of the Hutt River, which flows north-east to south-west on its way to Wellington
harbour, it widens briefly into a 2500-m-wide floodplain between the Rimutaka and Akatarawa Ranges before constricting nine kilometres further downstream at the Taita Gorge, which separates Upper Hutt from its neighbour, Lower Hutt
. The city's main urban area is on this plain. A smaller flood plain lies upstream, above the Kaitoke Gorge, but there is little development on it.
. New Zealand local authorities with a large land area are usually termed districts, but Upper Hutt maintains its status as a city largely because of its high degree of urbanisation.
Upper Hutt was originally administered by the Hutt County Council, which was constituted in 1877. The Town Board was proclaimed on 24 April 1908. Upper Hutt became a Borough on 26 February 1926 and a City on 2 May 1966. On 1 April 1973, the Rimutaka Riding of Hutt County
was added to the city. When the Hutt County Council was abolished on 1 November 1988, the city took over administration of the Heretaunga/Pinehaven ward, which was incorporated into the city on 1 November 1989 when the Heretaunga/Pinehaven Community Council was abolished.
Developments in the area include Mount Marua, Marua Downs, Waitoka Estate, and Riverstone Terraces
. A development called The Lanes was proposed but never completed.
. Various other iwi controlled the area in the years before 1840, and by the time the first colonial settlers arrived the area was part of the Te Atiawa rohe
. Orongomai Marae is to the south of the modern city centre.
Richard Barton
, who settled at Trentham in 1841 in the area now known as Barton's Bush
, was the first European resident. Barton subsequently subdivided his land and set aside a large area that was turned into parkland. James Brown settled in the area that became the Upper Hutt town in 1848.
The railway line from Wellington reached Upper Hutt on 1 February 1876. The line was extended to Kaitoke
at the top end of the valley, reaching there on 1 January 1878. The line continued over the Rimutaka Ranges to Featherston
in the Wairarapa as a Fell railway
, opening on 12 October 1878.
For many years Upper Hutt was a rural service town supporting the surrounding rural farming and forestry community. Serious urbanisation of the upper Hutt Valley only started around the 1920s but from the late 1940s onwards Upper Hutt's population exploded as people moved from the crowded hustle and bustle of inner city Wellington into a more secluded yet sprawling Hutt Valley. In 1950 Trentham Memorial Park was created with an area of almost 50 hectares. Upper Hutt continued to grow in population and became a city within the Wellington metropolitan area on 2 May 1966.
Residential subdivision in areas such as Clouston Park, Maoribank, Totara Park and Kingsley Heights continued into the 1980's.
Towards the end of the 1980s significant travel delays were being experienced with road access to Upper Hutt. With central government reluctant to fund any road improvements in the area, Upper Hutt City Council commissioned the construction of a high-speed bypass that became known as the River Road. The road promptly ran at full capacity and, after several serious accidents that were a legacy of its origins, it was enlarged and re-engineered to cope with the growing traffic volume. As the name implies, River Road runs alongside the river from Taita Gorge in the south to Māoribank in the North.
Upper Hutt is in the bed of an ancient river flood plain and as such was prone to flooding. In the 1970s and 1980s, a stop bank was built alongside the eastern side of the river from northern Upper Hutt to the mouth of the Hutt River
in Lower Hutt
to prevent further flooding.
Upper Hutt is on the Hutt Valley railway line, with half-hourly daytime Metlink electric trains operated by Tranz Metro
, which reach Waterloo
in around 20 minutes and Wellington
in around 45 minutes. Many commuters
, however, still use their cars.
The railway continues beyond Upper Hutt to Masterton
, becoming the Wairarapa Line
, not electrified. Masterton is about an hour away by morning and afternoon trains. There are services five times a day each way Monday to Thursday, six on Friday, and twice a day each way on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays. A notable feature of this section of railway is the Rimutaka Tunnel
, the second-longest railway tunnel in New Zealand, which replaced the Rimutaka Incline.
To assist with the 1 in 15 grade of the Rimutaka Incline on the Featherston side of the range, Fell engines
that used a raised centre rail to haul trains up the steep grade were employed. The less steep 1 in 40 grades between Upper Hutt and the small settlement and shunting yard at Summit could be managed by ordinary steam locomotives. The only other rolling stock able to traverse the incline unaided were small bus-like Wairarapa railcars, colloquially known as "Tin Hares".
By the 1950s the Fell system had become too expensive to operate and was closed on 29 October 1955. To replace it, the Rimutaka Tunnel
had been constructed, opening on 3 November 1955. In conjunction with the tunnel, the laying of a new route, new bridges and substantial realignment and double-tracking of the rest of the line from Wellington to Trentham
station had occurred by 26 June 1955.
The course of the incline is open to the public as part of the Rimutaka Rail Trail
.
Walking and mountain-biking is popular along the Hutt River
and on the tracks in many parks, including Karapoti (focal point of the annual Karapoti Classic
), Kaitoke
, Cannons Point, Tunnel Gully and the Rimutaka Rail Trail
. Popular team sports include Cricket
, Netball
, Rugby
, Rugby league
, Soccer, and Valley Gridiron American football.
Arts have traditionally struggled in Upper Hutt, with 'Expressions' art centre combating declining interest since opening. Homespun crafts and landscape painting are reliable drawcards however.
Upper Hutt is home to the biggest junior football club in New Zealand. The club was formed when Tararua Sports Club Inc and Upper Hutt City Soccer merged to create one club. The club now carries both of the old clubs names. The club primarily plays its home games at Awakairangi but also plays at Harcourt Park and Trentham Memorial Park
.
Popular recreation sites include:
Wellington City
Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Wellington city extends as far north as Linden, and includes the rural areas of Makara and Ohariu. It is New Zealand's third-largest city, behind Auckland and Christchurch.Wellington attained city status in...
. It is 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...
's smallest city by population, the second largest by land area. It is in Greater Wellington
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...
.
Geography
Upper Hutt is 30 km north-east of Wellington. While the main areas of development lie along the Hutt RiverHutt River, New Zealand
thumb|300px|The Hutt River looking downstream.The Hutt River flows through the southern North Island of New Zealand...
valley floor, the city extends to the top of the Rimutaka saddle to the north-east and into the Akatarawa Valley
Akatarawa Valley
The Akatarawa Valley is a valley in the Tararua Range of New Zealand's North Island. It provides a link from the upper reaches of the Hutt Valley to Waikanae on the Kapiti Coast through rugged hill country. The valley is lowly populated and contains the localities of Reikorangi and Cloustonville...
and rough hill-country of the Akatarawa ranges to the north and north-west, almost reaching 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...
close to 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....
. Centred on the upper (northern) valley
Hutt Valley, New Zealand
The Hutt Valley is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zealand Company in early colonial New Zealand.The river flows roughly along...
of the Hutt River, which flows north-east to south-west on its way to 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...
harbour, it widens briefly into a 2500-m-wide floodplain between the Rimutaka and Akatarawa Ranges before constricting nine kilometres further downstream at the Taita Gorge, which separates Upper Hutt from its neighbour, Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
. The city's main urban area is on this plain. A smaller flood plain lies upstream, above the Kaitoke Gorge, but there is little development on it.
Government
Upper Hutt City Council administers the city with its surrounding rural areas, parks and reserves. Its area is 540 km², the second-largest area of city council in New Zealand, after DunedinDunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
. New Zealand local authorities with a large land area are usually termed districts, but Upper Hutt maintains its status as a city largely because of its high degree of urbanisation.
Upper Hutt was originally administered by the Hutt County Council, which was constituted in 1877. The Town Board was proclaimed on 24 April 1908. Upper Hutt became a Borough on 26 February 1926 and a City on 2 May 1966. On 1 April 1973, the Rimutaka Riding of Hutt County
Hutt County
Hutt County was one of the former counties of New Zealand. It occupied the south-western corner of the North Island, extending south from the Waikanae River and lying to the west of the summits of the Rimutaka Ranges...
was added to the city. When the Hutt County Council was abolished on 1 November 1988, the city took over administration of the Heretaunga/Pinehaven ward, which was incorporated into the city on 1 November 1989 when the Heretaunga/Pinehaven Community Council was abolished.
People
The main urban area of the city has a population of including people who live in the sparsely-populated regions beyond the upper Hutt Valley plain.Suburbs
The main suburbs of Upper Hutt, from north-east to south-west, include:- Te MaruaTe MaruaTe Marua is the northernmost urban suburb of Upper Hutt. The usual resident population in the 2006 census was 1,068. For reasons of location and distance from the city, the area is often classified as rural. Te Marua is well known for its Plateau Reserve where remnants of the old Rimutaka...
, Akatarawa, Rimutaka, ParkdaleParkdale, New ZealandParkdale is a mainly residential subdivision in the suburb of Birchville in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It is located north of the Upper Hutt city centre on the northern side of Emerald Hill nestled between Birchville, Te Marua, Timberlea and Brown Owl....
, Emerald HillEmerald Hill, New ZealandEmerald Hill is a hill in the suburb of Birchville, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. The name Emerald Hill has been applied to an up-market housing development on the north-eastern slopes of Emerald Hill that consists of around 4 or 5 streets off the end of Gemstone Drive, so as to distinguish it from the...
, BirchvilleBirchvilleBirchville is a suburb of Upper Hutt, New Zealand in the North Island. Its centre lies at the entrance to the Akatarawa Valley, in the north of the city, near confluence of the Akatarawa Stream with the Hutt River. It is about a 5 km drive north from the centre of Upper Hutt...
, TimberleaTimberlea, New ZealandTimberlea is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located in the lower North Island of New Zealand....
, Brown Owl, KaitokeKaitokeKaitoke, part of Upper Hutt City, is a locality in the southern North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Hutt Valley, 45 kilometres northeast of Wellington City and six kilometres from the northern end of the Upper Hutt urban area...
, MaoribankMaoribankMaoribank is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located in the lower North Island of New Zealand.Te Āti Awa iwi had a village in Te Hau-Karetu before European settlement.-Further reading: - - Upper Hutt City Library....
, EbdentownEbdentownEbdentown is a suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand situated about a kilometre from the Upper Hutt city centre....
, Upper Hutt Central, Clouston ParkClouston ParkClouston Park is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located in the lower North Island of New Zealand....
, MangaroaMangaroaMangaroa is a rural suburb of Upper Hutt situated in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is home to Mangaroa School, and previously the Mangaroa Railway Station....
, MaymornMaymornMaymorn is a rural area of Upper Hutt city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. For statistical purposes, Maymorn is counted as part of Te Marua in the New Zealand census. The usual resident 2006 population of this area was 1,068...
, Whitemans ValleyWhitemans ValleyWhitemans Valley founded by the Whiteman family in 1871 is a rural suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. Situated roughly 4 kilometers south of the Upper Hutt city centre, the area has a variety of farms, lifestyle blocks and a cafe....
, Totara ParkTotara ParkTotara Park is a suburb of Upper Hutt, New Zealand, and is situated off State Highway 2, and is accessed via the Totara Park Bridge which crosses the Hutt River...
, Kingsley HeightsKingsley HeightsKingsley Heights is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. The suburb is on a hill overlooking the city centre, but is also expanding into an adjacent valley.This suburb houses drinking water storage tanks for Upper Hutt...
, EldersleaEldersleaElderslea is a suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand, positioned about a kilometre from the Upper Hutt city centre....
, WallacevilleWallacevilleWallaceville is a suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is named after John Howard Wallace , an early New Zealand settler, local body politician, businessman and author of one of the first published histories of New Zealand. It is home to the oldest surviving...
, Trentham, HeretaungaHeretaungaThere are two places in New Zealand called Heretaunga. For the region in Hawke's Bay see Heretaunga Plains.Heretaunga is a suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. The suburb takes its name from a Hawkes Bay district that early european settlers in the Hutt Valley used...
, SilverstreamSilverstreamSilverstream is a suburb of Upper Hutt in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is at the southern end of the city close to the Taita Gorge, which separates Upper Hutt from Lower Hutt...
and PinehavenPinehavenPinehaven is a suburb of Upper Hutt City in the lower North Island of New Zealand. It is at the southern end of the city, tucked into the hills east of Silverstream. Pinehaven is a beautiful valley centred around a large reserve and beautiful piece of native bush...
.
Developments in the area include Mount Marua, Marua Downs, Waitoka Estate, and Riverstone Terraces
Riverstone Terraces
Riverstone Terraces is a suburb of Upper Hutt in the Hutt Valley of New Zealand's North Island, perched on a hill previously known as Craig's Flat, above the Hutt River. An exit off State Highway 2 provides the only access to Riverstone....
. A development called The Lanes was proposed but never completed.
History
Upper Hutt is in an area originally known as Orongomai, and that of the river was Heretaunga (today the name of a suburb of Upper Hutt). The first residents of the area were Māori of the Ngai Tara iwiIwi
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,...
. Various other iwi controlled the area in the years before 1840, and by the time the first colonial settlers arrived the area was part of the Te Atiawa rohe
Rohe
Rohe is a word used by the Māori of New Zealand to describe the territory or boundaries of tribal groups. In traditional times, rohe were defined according to prominent geographical features, including mountains, rivers, and lakes. This is generally the case today as well....
. Orongomai Marae is to the south of the modern city centre.
Richard Barton
Richard Barton
Richard Barton was the first European resident of Trentham, Upper Hutt, in New Zealand. He was born on 30 August 1790 in Newport, Isle of Wight. He arrived in Wellington in 1840 on the "Oriental", the second of four early settler ships, and in 1841 purchased 100-acres for a farm in the Upper Hutt...
, who settled at Trentham in 1841 in the area now known as Barton's Bush
Barton's Bush
Barton's Bush, in Trentham Memorial Park, is the largest remaining area of lowland mixed podocarp/broadleaf forest in the Hutt Valley of New Zealand...
, was the first European resident. Barton subsequently subdivided his land and set aside a large area that was turned into parkland. James Brown settled in the area that became the Upper Hutt town in 1848.
The railway line from Wellington reached Upper Hutt on 1 February 1876. The line was extended to Kaitoke
Kaitoke
Kaitoke, part of Upper Hutt City, is a locality in the southern North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Hutt Valley, 45 kilometres northeast of Wellington City and six kilometres from the northern end of the Upper Hutt urban area...
at the top end of the valley, reaching there on 1 January 1878. The line continued over the Rimutaka Ranges to Featherston
Featherston, New Zealand
Featherston is a town in the north of the Wellington Region region of New Zealand. It lies in the Wairarapa, just north of the Rimutaka Tunnel, in the South Wairarapa District. The population was 2,340 in the 2006 Census....
in the Wairarapa as a Fell railway
Fell mountain railway system
The Fell system uses a raised centre rail between the two running rails on steeply-graded railway lines to provide extra traction and braking, or braking alone. Trains are propelled by wheels or braked by shoes pressed horizontally onto the centre rail, as well as by means of the normal running...
, opening on 12 October 1878.
For many years Upper Hutt was a rural service town supporting the surrounding rural farming and forestry community. Serious urbanisation of the upper Hutt Valley only started around the 1920s but from the late 1940s onwards Upper Hutt's population exploded as people moved from the crowded hustle and bustle of inner city Wellington into a more secluded yet sprawling Hutt Valley. In 1950 Trentham Memorial Park was created with an area of almost 50 hectares. Upper Hutt continued to grow in population and became a city within the Wellington metropolitan area on 2 May 1966.
Residential subdivision in areas such as Clouston Park, Maoribank, Totara Park and Kingsley Heights continued into the 1980's.
Towards the end of the 1980s significant travel delays were being experienced with road access to Upper Hutt. With central government reluctant to fund any road improvements in the area, Upper Hutt City Council commissioned the construction of a high-speed bypass that became known as the River Road. The road promptly ran at full capacity and, after several serious accidents that were a legacy of its origins, it was enlarged and re-engineered to cope with the growing traffic volume. As the name implies, River Road runs alongside the river from Taita Gorge in the south to Māoribank in the North.
Upper Hutt is in the bed of an ancient river flood plain and as such was prone to flooding. In the 1970s and 1980s, a stop bank was built alongside the eastern side of the river from northern Upper Hutt to the mouth of the Hutt River
Hutt River, New Zealand
thumb|300px|The Hutt River looking downstream.The Hutt River flows through the southern North Island of New Zealand...
in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...
to prevent further flooding.
Railway
- Main articles: Hutt Valley Line, Wairarapa LineWairarapa LineThe Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
.
Upper Hutt is on the Hutt Valley railway line, with half-hourly daytime Metlink electric trains operated by Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro
Tranz Metro, part of KiwiRail, is the operator of Metlink suburban trains owned by the Greater Wellington Regional Council in the Wellington Region of New Zealand....
, which reach Waterloo
Waterloo Interchange (Hutt Central) Railway Station
Waterloo Interchange railway station is a two-platform urban railway station in Waterloo, a suburb of the city of Lower Hutt in the Wellington region of New Zealand’s North Island. It is on the Wairarapa Line , between Pohutukawa Street and Cambridge Terrace...
in around 20 minutes and 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...
in around 45 minutes. Many commuters
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
, however, still use their cars.
The railway continues beyond Upper Hutt to Masterton
Masterton
Masterton is a large town and local government district in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. It is the largest town in the Wairarapa, a region separated from Wellington by the Rimutaka ranges...
, becoming the Wairarapa Line
Wairarapa Line
The Wairarapa Line is a secondary railway line in the south-east of the North Island of New Zealand, connecting the capital city of Wellington with the Wairarapa region. The line ends at Woodville, where it joins the Palmerston North - Gisborne Line...
, not electrified. Masterton is about an hour away by morning and afternoon trains. There are services five times a day each way Monday to Thursday, six on Friday, and twice a day each way on Saturday, Sunday, and public holidays. A notable feature of this section of railway is the Rimutaka Tunnel
Rimutaka Tunnel
The Rimutaka Tunnel is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Rimutaka Ranges, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is long...
, the second-longest railway tunnel in New Zealand, which replaced the Rimutaka Incline.
Rimutaka Incline
- Main article: Rimutaka Incline
To assist with the 1 in 15 grade of the Rimutaka Incline on the Featherston side of the range, Fell engines
Fell mountain railway system
The Fell system uses a raised centre rail between the two running rails on steeply-graded railway lines to provide extra traction and braking, or braking alone. Trains are propelled by wheels or braked by shoes pressed horizontally onto the centre rail, as well as by means of the normal running...
that used a raised centre rail to haul trains up the steep grade were employed. The less steep 1 in 40 grades between Upper Hutt and the small settlement and shunting yard at Summit could be managed by ordinary steam locomotives. The only other rolling stock able to traverse the incline unaided were small bus-like Wairarapa railcars, colloquially known as "Tin Hares".
By the 1950s the Fell system had become too expensive to operate and was closed on 29 October 1955. To replace it, the Rimutaka Tunnel
Rimutaka Tunnel
The Rimutaka Tunnel is a railway tunnel through New Zealand's Rimutaka Ranges, between Maymorn, near Upper Hutt, and Featherston, on the Wairarapa Line.The tunnel, which was opened to traffic on 3 November 1955, is long...
had been constructed, opening on 3 November 1955. In conjunction with the tunnel, the laying of a new route, new bridges and substantial realignment and double-tracking of the rest of the line from Wellington to Trentham
Trentham
Trentham is the most populous suburb of Upper Hutt, a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. The suburb is located in a widening of the Hutt Valley, five kilometres to the southwest of the Upper Hutt city centre....
station had occurred by 26 June 1955.
The course of the incline is open to the public as part of the Rimutaka Rail Trail
Rimutaka Rail Trail
The Rimutaka Rail Trail is a walking and cycling track in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs between Maymorn and Cross Creek, and follows of the original route of the Wairarapa Line over the Rimutaka Ranges between the Mangaroa Valley and the Wairarapa, including the world-famous Rimutaka...
.
2011 Winter Blast
14 August 2011 - A cold front from the Antarctic swept way up into New Zealand and affected most areas of the country including Upper Hutt. In Upper Hutt, snow started to fall at 5:15 pm on Sunday 14 August 2011, depositing a thin layer. On 15 August 2011 the snow turned for the worse and delivered four short blizzards in one day. Schools remained open but most high school, college and primary students took the day off to play in the snow in Upper Hutt. The winter blast was the second one that saw snow 3 cm thick in the Upper Hutt CBD. In Totara Park, the snow was 15 cm deep at 8 pm on 15 August 2011. All the roads became deserted by 7:45 pm. Another more severe blizzard began in the early afternoon of the next day, 16 August 2011. By 5.20pm that day, usually the height of evening rush hour, an eery silence descended over the city. Some residents said that they could yell and hear their own voices echo at that time because of the eery silence created by the blizzard. The winter blast of 14-16 August was the longest and worst blizzard Upper Hutt has seen in living memory.Sports and recreation
]Walking and mountain-biking is popular along the Hutt River
Hutt River, New Zealand
thumb|300px|The Hutt River looking downstream.The Hutt River flows through the southern North Island of New Zealand...
and on the tracks in many parks, including Karapoti (focal point of the annual Karapoti Classic
Karapoti Classic
The Karapoti Classic is New Zealand's longest-running annual mountain bike event, started in 1986 by Paul Kennett. It starts at Karapoti Park off Akatarawa Road between Upper Hutt and Waikanae, and heads up the 8 km Karapoti Gorge...
), Kaitoke
Kaitoke
Kaitoke, part of Upper Hutt City, is a locality in the southern North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Hutt Valley, 45 kilometres northeast of Wellington City and six kilometres from the northern end of the Upper Hutt urban area...
, Cannons Point, Tunnel Gully and the Rimutaka Rail Trail
Rimutaka Rail Trail
The Rimutaka Rail Trail is a walking and cycling track in the North Island of New Zealand. It runs between Maymorn and Cross Creek, and follows of the original route of the Wairarapa Line over the Rimutaka Ranges between the Mangaroa Valley and the Wairarapa, including the world-famous Rimutaka...
. Popular team sports include Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, Netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
, Rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
, Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
, Soccer, and Valley Gridiron American football.
Arts have traditionally struggled in Upper Hutt, with 'Expressions' art centre combating declining interest since opening. Homespun crafts and landscape painting are reliable drawcards however.
Upper Hutt is home to the biggest junior football club in New Zealand. The club was formed when Tararua Sports Club Inc and Upper Hutt City Soccer merged to create one club. The club now carries both of the old clubs names. The club primarily plays its home games at Awakairangi but also plays at Harcourt Park and Trentham Memorial Park
Trentham Memorial Park
Trentham Memorial Park is a large park and a major sport and recreation ground in Trentham, a suburb of Upper Hutt, in the Wellington region of New Zealand....
.
Popular recreation sites include:
- Royal Wellington Golf ClubRoyal Wellington Golf ClubThe Royal Wellington Golf Club, founded in 1895, has one of New Zealand's most beautiful and historic golf courses....
at HeretaungaHeretaungaThere are two places in New Zealand called Heretaunga. For the region in Hawke's Bay see Heretaunga Plains.Heretaunga is a suburb of Upper Hutt located in the lower North Island of New Zealand. The suburb takes its name from a Hawkes Bay district that early european settlers in the Hutt Valley used... - Te Marua Golf Club at Te MaruaTe MaruaTe Marua is the northernmost urban suburb of Upper Hutt. The usual resident population in the 2006 census was 1,068. For reasons of location and distance from the city, the area is often classified as rural. Te Marua is well known for its Plateau Reserve where remnants of the old Rimutaka...
- Wellington Family Speedway at Te MaruaTe MaruaTe Marua is the northernmost urban suburb of Upper Hutt. The usual resident population in the 2006 census was 1,068. For reasons of location and distance from the city, the area is often classified as rural. Te Marua is well known for its Plateau Reserve where remnants of the old Rimutaka...
- Kartsport Wellington Raceway at KaitokeKaitokeKaitoke, part of Upper Hutt City, is a locality in the southern North Island of New Zealand. It is located at the northern end of the Hutt Valley, 45 kilometres northeast of Wellington City and six kilometres from the northern end of the Upper Hutt urban area...
- Wellington Racing ClubWellington Racing ClubThe Wellington Racing Club is a racing horse racing club based in Trentham, Wellington, New Zealand.Founded as the Wellington Jockey Club in 1854, the first race meetings held by the club were at Hutt Park in 1854 and at Burnham Water on the Miramar Peninsula.The Club first ran its signature...
at TrenthamTrenthamTrentham is the most populous suburb of Upper Hutt, a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. The suburb is located in a widening of the Hutt Valley, five kilometres to the southwest of the Upper Hutt city centre.... - Trentham Memorial ParkTrentham Memorial ParkTrentham Memorial Park is a large park and a major sport and recreation ground in Trentham, a suburb of Upper Hutt, in the Wellington region of New Zealand....
at TrenthamTrenthamTrentham is the most populous suburb of Upper Hutt, a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. The suburb is located in a widening of the Hutt Valley, five kilometres to the southwest of the Upper Hutt city centre.... - Upper Hutt Rugby Football Club at Maidstone ParkMaidstone ParkMaidstone Park is a cricket ground in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand.A single List A match was held there during the 1978/79 Gillette Cup when Wellington played Canterbury, which resulted in a 4 wicket victory by Canterbury...
, Upper Hutt - Rimutaka Rugby Football Club at MaoribankMaoribankMaoribank is a suburb of Upper Hutt, located in the lower North Island of New Zealand.Te Āti Awa iwi had a village in Te Hau-Karetu before European settlement.-Further reading: - - Upper Hutt City Library....
, Upper Hutt - Upper Hutt City Soccer Club at Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt
- Harcourt Park diskgolf couse at Harcourt Park, Upper Hutt
- Upper Hutt Roller Skating Club at Upper Hutt
- Wellington Model Aeroplane Club Inc at TrenthamTrenthamTrentham is the most populous suburb of Upper Hutt, a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. The suburb is located in a widening of the Hutt Valley, five kilometres to the southwest of the Upper Hutt city centre....
, Upper Hutt
Secondary schools
- Heretaunga CollegeHeretaunga CollegeHeretaunga College is a secondary school located in Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It is co-educational and has approximately 800 students from Year 9 through to Year 13 ....
- Hutt International Boys' SchoolHutt International Boys' SchoolHutt International Boys' School is a state integrated boys' secondary school in Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. the Principal is Grahame Duffy, who was appointed to the role in 2001.-Foundation:...
, Trentham - St. Patrick's College, SilverstreamSt. Patrick's College, SilverstreamSt Patrick's College is an Integrated Catholic boys' day and boarding Secondary School located in Silverstream, Upper Hutt, New Zealand. It was established by the Society of Mary in 1931 when the original St Patrick's College, Wellington was intended to be moved to a larger site more suited to a...
- Upper Hutt CollegeUpper Hutt CollegeUpper Hutt College is a state co-educational secondary school in the city of Upper Hutt, in the Wellington region of New Zealand.The school day runs from 8:40 am to 3:15 pm, and students attend five one-hour classes per day...