About

“Kia whakatōmuri te haere ki mua.”
“To walk into the future, our eyes must be fixed on the past.”

What is heritage?

Historic heritage provides us with a connection to those who lived before us, it helps us define who we are and contributes to our sense of place.


Sites of significance to tangata whenua, archaeological sites, built heritage and notable trees are a precious and finite resource. They shape the character of our  city and suburbs. They are part of what makes Wellington unique.

Wellington is a creative and memorable city that celebrates its past through recognising, protecting, conserving and using our heritage to benefit the community and visitors – now and for future generations. Our challenge is to protect heritage places in an evolving environment while meeting our rapidly changing community needs.