Government House, Wellington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Government House |
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Front entrance of Government House, 2017
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Edwardian |
| Town or city | Wellington |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Coordinates | 41°18′22″S 174°46′52″E / 41.306114°S 174.7810835°E |
| Construction started | 1908 |
| Completed | 1910 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor area | 4,200 square metres (45,000 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Claude Paton in the office of John Campbell, Government Architect |
Government House, Wellington, is a very important building in New Zealand. It is the official home and workplace of the Governor-General of New Zealand. The Governor-General acts as the representative of Queen Elizabeth II, who is New Zealand's head of state.
The current Governor-General, Dame Patsy Reddy, has lived and worked here since September 2016. This building is the third Government House in Wellington. It was finished in 1910 and is located in the Newtown area of the city.
Government House is more than just a home. It is also where the Governor-General meets many people. This includes important visitors like leaders from other countries. It is also where awards are given out. New prime ministers and government ministers are officially sworn in here too. This makes it a key place for many important events in New Zealand.
Contents
The Story of Government House
First Homes for the Governor
When Auckland was New Zealand's capital, from 1841 to 1865, there wasn't an official home for the governor right away. The first official home in Wellington was a villa owned by Colonel William Wakefield. He built this house in 1840. It was located where the Beehive building stands today.
After Wakefield died in 1848, the house was used as a hospital for a short time. It was a simple building with porches, overlooking the harbour. The first official ball at Government House was held there in 1849. This was during George Grey's first time as governor.
Later governors, like Robert Wynyard and Thomas Gore Browne, might not have used this house. But George Grey definitely used Wakefield House when he became governor again in 1861.
Wellington's Second Government House
In 1865, Wellington became the capital city. This meant new buildings were needed for the government. The simple first Government House was replaced with a grander one. This new house was started in 1868.
It was built next to the new Parliament Buildings. People thought it might be in a similar Gothic style. However, an Italianate style was chosen instead. This was probably because it was cheaper to build.
Even though it was made of wood, the second Government House looked very impressive. It had a tall tower. It was designed by William Henry Clayton and finished around 1871. This house had amazing views of the city and harbour.
The first governor to live there was Sir George Ferguson Bowen in 1873. Many governors lived in this building over 34 years. They included Sir James Fergusson and Lord Plunkett.
In the late 1800s, governors often spent time in other parts of the country. This included Auckland and sometimes Christchurch. This helped the official homes last longer. The government didn't provide much furniture back then. Each governor had to bring their own. Today, it is very different.
In 1907, the wooden Parliament Buildings caught fire. Lord Plunket, who was Governor-General at the time, offered Government House for Parliament to use. The Plunketts moved to Palmerston North from 1908 to 1910. Lord Plunket had been asking for a bigger, more modern home. He wanted it to be further from Parliament and have more private land.
The Current Government House
The Parliament fire helped convince the government to build a new Government House. The current building was finished in 1910. John Dickson-Poynder, 1st Baron Islington was the first governor-general to live in this new house. He stayed there from 1910 to 1912.
Government House closed in October 2008 for a big renovation. This project cost NZ$44 million. It reopened in March 2011. While the house was being fixed, the Governor-General lived at Vogel House in Lower Hutt.
Exploring the Grounds
The grounds of Government House are very private. They cover about 12 hectares (30 acres). The gardens are next to Alexandra Park and the Mt Victoria Town Belt. This makes them feel even bigger.
The large grounds have many different types of gardens. There are rockeries, flower gardens, and big lawn areas. There are also many old, beautiful trees. These grounds are now considered a very important garden for New Zealand. You won't see many statues or decorations here. The large property also has tennis and squash courts. There is a bomb shelter, four small houses, and a visitor centre.
Inside the Residence
The current Government House in Newtown looks like a large English country house. It has a mix of styles, like a half-timbered Tudor mansion. The rooms inside are designed in different historical styles. These range from Elizabethan to Tudor, and also Georgian and Regency.
Throughout the house, you can see beautiful details. There are marble fireplaces and wooden floors. You'll find oak panels and mahogany doors. The windows have special leadlight glass. There are also bronze light fixtures and fancy plaster ceilings.
The house displays portraits of past governors and other important people. There is also a collection of New Zealand art. Some of this art has been given by previous governors. The house itself covers a huge area of 4,200 m2 (45,000 sq ft).
Many rooms are used for official state events. For example, there are two dining rooms, a ballroom, a conservatory, and drawing rooms. This is where the Governor-General meets with the leader of the New Zealand Government. They also host important visitors from other countries here. The Governor-General performs duties as the representative of New Zealand's monarch.
The residence is also open to the public. You can take free tours of the state rooms throughout the year.
After renovations in the early 2000s, new carpets were added to the public rooms. These carpets are like large artworks themselves. They were designed by several New Zealand artists. These include Gavin Chilcott, Andrew McLeod, Tim Main, and John Bevan Ford. The carpets were woven by a company called Dilana.
The design of the Drawing Room carpet, by Gavin Chilcott, is based on the silver fern. A very special design is the kowhaiwhai pattern. This huge pattern is 4 metres (13 ft) long and doesn't repeat. It was designed by Andrew McLeod. He was inspired by Theo Schoon's drawings of Māori designs. This pattern appears in several reception rooms, in different colours.
