Whairepo Lagoon

Whairepo Lagoon, from the City-to-Sea bridge, circled by Frank Kitts Park, The Boatshed, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and the New Zealand Exchange before the construction of Te Raukura.

Whairepo Lagoon is an open public area at the centre of Wellington, New Zealand. It is a small man-made lagoon filled with sea water and connected to Wellington Harbour through a narrow channel. A split-level footbridge over the mouth of the lagoon was designed by Eastbridge.[1] The lagoon is surrounded by The Boat Shed, City-to-Sea bridge, and the Wellington Rowing, Star Boating Club, and Te Raukura buildings. Tanya Ashken's Albatross fountain sits on the north side of the lagoon between it and Frank Kitts Park.

On 17 December 2015 the lagoon was officially named Whairepo Lagoon, as it previously had no official name. The lagoon was previously referred to as Frank Kitts Lagoon, Frank Kitts Park Lagoon or simply The Lagoon. 'Whairepo' is the Maori name for the Eagle ray which can sometimes be seen in the lagoon.[2]

From December 2023 to April 2024 a statue of Marvel's Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor, was placed next to the lagoon for a Marvel exhibition.[3]

  1. ^ "Hawke's Bay Base of Kiwi Bridge-builder For Sale". New Zealand Herald. 3 October 2020. p. D2 – via Proquest Australia & New Zealand Newsstream.
  2. ^ "Wellington Lagoon Gets a New Name". 17 December 2015.
  3. ^ "Marvel: Earth's Mightiest Exhibition in Wellington - WellingtonNZ". Marvel: Earth’s Mightiest Exhibition in Wellington - WellingtonNZ. Retrieved 22 February 2024.