Massey Memorial — Attraction in Wellington

The Memorial is accessible at all times with a short walk to the Memorial from bottom of Shelly Bay Road. It is Located at Point Halswell on the Miramar Peninsula, the Massey Memorial is the mausoleum of William Massey, Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1912-1925, and his wife. This striking Memorial is made of pale Takaka marble and granite, and is tucked away among native bush on top of the peninsula. Offering panoramic views of Wellington Harbour, the Massey Memorial is a picturesque spot for a walk or picnic. The site is accessible at all times via a short walk from Shelly Bay Road. The Massey Memorial commemorates William Ferguson Massey, prime minister of New Zealand from 1912 until his death in 1925. The exterior is pale Tākaka marble, resting on a base of dark grey Coromandel granite. The memorial was unveiled in September 1930. Originally known by its Māori name, Kaitawharo (‘to eat jellyfish’), the point in Wellington Harbour was renamed after the Commissioner of Native Reserves, Edmond Halswell, who arrived in New Zealand in 1841. In 1886, following fears about Russia’s presence in the Pacific that had grown since the Crimean War, an 8-inch gun emplacement was constructed on the site. The gun pit was later repurposed to form part of the tomb of Massey and his wife Christina. The consumption of alcohol is prohibited at all...

Great little known spot. The memorial is quite large and very well maintained. The memorial and crypt are built from pearly white marble which makes it stand out from other buildings in Wellington. It's a quite and peaceful place with great views of the harbor as well as a great spot for plane spotting, especially on the hill behind the memorial. Up the hill is the remains of some WWII bunkers. The concrete structures are still standing and accessible. It's a short bush walk up a well maintained track from the road to get to the memorial. The car park is quite small and not very well sign posted. We had a bit of trouble parking as there were a few visitors...

It's always worth adventuring around Point Halswell on the Miramar Peninsula - formerly known by the much more interesting Māori name Kaitawharo ("to eat jellyfish"). The Massey Memorial is in fact the mausoleum of William Massey, NZ Prime Minister from 1912-1925, when he died in office. An old World War I fort was converted into a crypt & an old gun-pit lined with marble to serve as a vault. And, if the history doesn't interest you, this is right on the tip of Point Halswell, making it a fantastic spot to watch sunset over the city, or sunrise...