Kapiti Coast
Kapiti Coast (formerly also known as the Golden Coast ) is a stretch of coast on the North Island of New Zealand . It is located in the Wellington region , more precisely in the Kapiti Coast District north of the Wellington metropolitan area .
This region is named after the Kapiti Island off the coast (see picture).
The term " kapiti " means "limit" in Māori . In the early settlement period, the coast and the island formed the border between two Māori tribes.
region
The Kapiti Coast includes the following localities:
history
Maori chief Te Rauparaha kept a base on Kapiti Island from which he was able to launch attacks on other tribes during the Musket Wars in the early 1800s. It was around this time that Europeans began whaling in this area. On October 16, 1839, William Hayward Wakefield of the New Zealand Company came to the Kapiti Coast Region to purchase land for permanent European settlements. Te Rauparaha sold him land in Nelson and Golden Bay.
During the Second World War, Queen Elizabeth Park - a large piece of park between Paekakariki and Raumati - became the home of the US Army and Marines. US troops were stationed in the camps in 1942/44 and were sent from there to the theaters of battle in the Pacific Ocean.
After the Second World War, Wellington Rongotai Airport was closed for security reasons, so in 1947 Paraparaumu Airport became the most important airport for the Wellington region. In 1949, it became the busiest airport in New Zealand and has helped stimulate growth on the Kapiti Coast. Wellington Airport opened in 1959 and since then Paraparaumu Airport has never regained its former status.
As of 2008, the Kapiti Coast has seen a significant increase in population, making it one of the fastest growing areas in New Zealand. This has resulted in significant growth in all cities except Paekakariki, where development is geographically limited.
Local public transport
The Kapiti Coast is connected to Wellington and other localities (such as Porirua ) by the suburban trains of the Metlink public transport network . It takes about 40-60 minutes by train (depending on which station you get on) to get to Wellington Station .
Others
The coast is characterized by the fact that you can see Kapiti Island from the entire width of the coast. This island is a nature reserve and can only be entered with permission, which you have to get in Wellington.
