Pencarrow Head

Pencarrow Head
Pencarrow
Rural area
Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 at Pencarrow Head
Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 at Pencarrow Head
Map
Coordinates: 41°21′34″S 174°50′54″E / 41.3594°S 174.8482°E / -41.3594; 174.8482
CountryNew Zealand
RegionWellington Region
Territorial authorityLower Hutt
WardWainuiomata
Electorates
Government
 • Territorial AuthorityHutt City Council
 • Regional councilGreater Wellington Regional Council
 • Hutt South MPChris Bishop
 • Te Tai Tonga MPTākuta Ferris
Area
[1]
 • Total268.40 km2 (103.63 sq mi)
Population
 (June 2023)[2]
 • Total700
 • Density2.6/km2 (6.8/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+12 (NZST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+13 (NZDT)
Postcode(s)
5013
Area code04

Pencarrow Head, also known as Pencarrow, is a headland in the Wellington Region of New Zealand and the name of the surrounding area, which was derived from Pencarrow, the family home of New Zealand Company director, Sir William Molesworth.[3] The name is Cornish and formed from Pen which translates to English as head and Carrow which is a valley.[4]

It is the eastern headland that marks the entrance to Wellington Harbour. The area is located south of Eastbourne and is part of Lower Hutt. The area is hilly and has no road access; a walking and mountain biking track follows the coast line.[5] The head marks the northern end of Fitzroy Bay.

The main attraction of Pencarrow Head is the Pencarrow Head Lighthouse, the first permanent lighthouse in New Zealand constructed in 1859. It is one of Wellington's most notable heritage locations and New Zealand's only female lighthouse keeper, Mary Bennett, worked here. The return walk from Eastbourne takes four hours.[5][6]

The Pencarrow lakes, Lake Kohangapiripiri and Lake Kohangatera, are freshwater wetlands that were blocked from the sea by earthquake activity. Stock grazing was discontinued in 2004 and the wetlands are recovering from stock and farming impacts. The area is under joint management by the Department of Conservation and the Greater Wellington Regional Council.[7]

Treated effluent from Seaview sewage works is discharged at Pencarrow Head, at the end of a 18 km (11 mi) pipeline built in 1962.[8]

Many ships have been wrecked on the rocks between the Head and Point Hinds to the north, including Henrietta in 1852,[9] Hunter in 1876,[10] Carlotta in 1878,[11] Magic in 1921,[12] Admiral in 1960[13] and Maria Luisa in 1996, in a collision with Sydney Express.[14]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Area was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Population estimate tables - NZ.Stat". Statistics New Zealand. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Pencarrow Head". gazetteer.linz.govt.nz. 15 April 2013. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Pencarrow, Historic Houses in Cornwall, Independent & Unique". www.pencarrow.co.uk. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  5. ^ a b "Pencarrow Heads Light House Walk". FreeWalks NZ. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Pencarrow Coast". Hutt City Council. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Pencarrow Lakes". Department of Conservation. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  8. ^ "The Post". www.thepost.co.nz. 23 September 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Wellington Independent". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 30 October 1852. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Wreck of the Ketch Hunter at the Heads. Evening Post". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 8 April 1876. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  11. ^ "Evening Post". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 12 November 1878. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  12. ^ "On the rocks. Evening Post". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 March 1921. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  13. ^ "Trawler on reef. Press". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 November 1960. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  14. ^ "Report 96-214 Collision between the container vessel Sydney Express and the fishing trawler Maria Luisa" (PDF). TAIC. 29 December 1996.