Kapiti Coast facts for kids
The Kapiti Coast is a special part of New Zealand's North Island. It's a beautiful stretch of coastline located just north of Wellington. This area gets its name because it faces Kapiti Island, a famous island nearby. The Kapiti Coast is managed by the Wellington Regional Council. Many of the towns here, especially up to Waikanae, are like suburbs of Wellington.
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Geography
The Kapiti Coast District stretches from Paekākāriki in the south all the way to Ōtaki in the north. It includes towns like Te Horo, Waikanae, Paraparaumu, Raumati Beach, Ōtaki, Paekākāriki, and Raumati South. You'll also find smaller places like Otaihanga and Peka Peka.
This coastal area sits at the bottom of the Tararua Range mountains. When people talk about the Kapiti Coast, they sometimes include areas further south like Plimmerton. In the north, it can even include parts of Horowhenua like Waikawa Beach.
The most famous part of the Kapiti Coast is probably Kapiti Island. This island is a special bird sanctuary. It's kept free of pests to protect the native birds. You need a special permit to visit the island.
News
The Kapiti Coast has its own local news sources. These are owned and run right on the coast.
- Kapiti News: This is a local newspaper. It's part of New Zealand Herald and NZME.
- BeachFM: This is a radio station owned by locals. You can listen to it on 106.3 FM.
- Whats On Kapiti: This is an online news source. It publishes stories about what's happening in Kapiti.
- Kapiti Observer: This is a free newspaper. It's delivered to homes and is run by Stuff.
Climate
The Kapiti Coast has an oceanic climate. This means the temperatures don't change too much between seasons. Summers are warm, and winters are mild. There aren't usually very hot or very cold periods.
| Climate data for Paraparaumu (1981-2010 normals) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 29.0 (84.2) |
29.9 (85.8) |
30.0 (86.0) |
26.3 (79.3) |
22.6 (72.7) |
19.9 (67.8) |
19.0 (66.2) |
20.6 (69.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
22.7 (72.9) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
30.0 (86.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.1 (70.0) |
21.5 (70.7) |
20.1 (68.2) |
17.7 (63.9) |
15.5 (59.9) |
13.3 (55.9) |
12.6 (54.7) |
13.2 (55.8) |
14.6 (58.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
17.5 (63.5) |
19.5 (67.1) |
16.8 (62.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 17.3 (63.1) |
17.4 (63.3) |
15.9 (60.6) |
13.4 (56.1) |
11.6 (52.9) |
9.7 (49.5) |
8.6 (47.5) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.0 (51.8) |
12.5 (54.5) |
13.9 (57.0) |
16.0 (60.8) |
13.0 (55.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.3 (55.9) |
13.2 (55.8) |
11.5 (52.7) |
9.1 (48.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
6.0 (42.8) |
4.5 (40.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
7.4 (45.3) |
9.0 (48.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
12.3 (54.1) |
9.1 (48.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.7 (38.7) |
3.1 (37.6) |
0.8 (33.4) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−4.4 (24.1) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
−3.5 (25.7) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−1.7 (28.9) |
0.0 (32.0) |
2.6 (36.7) |
−4.8 (23.4) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 52.7 (2.07) |
70.6 (2.78) |
59.8 (2.35) |
61.3 (2.41) |
76.1 (3.00) |
92.5 (3.64) |
75.4 (2.97) |
91.9 (3.62) |
75.8 (2.98) |
108.2 (4.26) |
72.7 (2.86) |
81.4 (3.20) |
922.3 (36.31) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 6.5 | 6.7 | 7.4 | 7.7 | 9.6 | 12.1 | 10.6 | 11.2 | 10.8 | 11.5 | 9.1 | 10.1 | 113.3 |
| Source: Météo Climat | |||||||||||||
History
Early History and European Arrival
A long time ago, the Māori chief Te Rauparaha set up a base on Kapiti Island. From there, he led attacks on other tribes. This was during the Musket Wars in the early 1800s. Around the same time, Europeans started whaling in the area. In 1839, William Wakefield from the New Zealand Company came to Kapiti. He wanted to buy land for European settlers. Te Rauparaha sold him land in the Nelson and Golden Bay areas.
The Railway Era
More Europeans started settling on the Kapiti Coast after the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company (WMR) built a railway line. This line went from Wellington to Longburn. It opened in 1886. The very last spike for the line was driven in at Otaihanga on the Kapiti Coast.
Paekākāriki quickly became an important railway stop. This was because trains needed to swap locomotives there. Powerful, heavy engines were needed for the hilly section from Wellington to Paekākāriki. Lighter, faster engines were better for the flat land north of Paekākāriki. In 1908, the New Zealand Railways Department bought the WMR. The line then became part of the main North Island Main Trunk railway.
In 1940, the railway section from Wellington to Paekākāriki was electrified. This meant electric trains could run there. Trains would switch from steam or diesel engines to electric ones at Paekākāriki. It stayed an important train depot. Paekākāriki was also the end of the Wellington commuter train line until 1983. Then, the line was extended to Paraparaumu. In 2011, the electric line reached Waikanae, which became the new end point.
World War II and Airport Growth
During World War II, Queen Elizabeth Park was home to two large camps. These camps were for the United States Army and Marines. US troops stayed there from 1942 to 1944 before going to fight in the Pacific Ocean theatre.
After World War II, Wellington's main airport closed in 1947. Kapiti Coast Airport then became the main airport for the Wellington Region. In 1949, it was New Zealand's busiest airport! This helped the Kapiti Coast grow a lot. However, when Wellington International Airport opened in 1959, Paraparaumu Airport lost its busy status. Some of its land was sold for houses. Today, it's used for smaller flights, like those by Air Chathams, helicopter training, and private planes.
Recently, many people have moved to the Kapiti Coast. It's now one of New Zealand's fastest-growing areas. This has led to a lot of growth in most towns, except Paekākāriki. Its growth is limited by the sea and steep hills.
Economy and Transport
The Kapiti Coast is known for its delicious cheeses and other products from Lindale. Smaller industries are mainly found in Paraparaumu and Ōtaki. There are also some in Waikanae and Raumati.
Many people who live on the Kapiti Coast work in Wellington. They travel there for their jobs. Transdev runs electric commuter trains on the Kapiti Line. This is part of the North Island Main Trunk Railway. These trains are for Metlink, Wellington's public transport system. The KiwiRail Capital Connection train also runs from Palmerston North to Wellington. This helps people who live north of Waikanae. Metlink also provides local bus services throughout the Kapiti Coast. These are run by Uzabus.
Kapiti Coast Airport is in Paraparaumu. In 2018, Air New Zealand stopped flying from there. But then Air Chathams started flights to Auckland. Other small airlines also use the airport.
In 2017, a new 18-kilometre (11-mile) expressway opened. This road helps State Highway 1 bypass busy urban areas. It goes from Mackays Crossing to north of Peka Peka. An extension to Ōtaki is also planned.
Film and Television
The Kapiti Coast has appeared in movies and TV shows. Peter Jackson, famous for Lord of the Rings and King Kong, grew up nearby. He went to high school at Kapiti College in Raumati Beach. Some scenes from his movies were filmed on the Kapiti Coast. For The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, some battle scenes were shot at Queen Elizabeth Park. For King Kong, the scenes approaching the lost island were filmed in the waters near Kapiti Island.
Andrew Niccol, a screenwriter and film producer, was born in Paraparaumu. He has written and produced movies like Gattaca and The Truman Show. Young actor James Ashcroft, who has been in TV shows like Battlestar Galactica, is also from Paraparaumu.
Sport
The Kapiti Coast has several rugby union clubs. These include Paraparaumu RFC, Waikanae RFC, Rahui RFC, and Toa RFC. The Horowhenua Kapiti team represents the district in the Heartland Championship.
In rugby league, the Kapiti Bears represent the area. The Kapiti Bears – Kapiti Coast Rugby League Club Inc. started in the 1970s. It was the home club of Kiwi and Melbourne Storm player Stephen Kearney. The Kapiti Bears play at Matthews Park.
For association football, Kapiti Coast United represents Kapiti. They play at Weka Park in Raumati Beach. This club was formed in 2003 when Raumati Hearts and Paraparaumu United joined together.
The Paraparaumu Track and Field Club is the athletics club in Paraparaumu. They have facilities at the Paraparaumu Domain.
Attractions
- Kapiti Island is a famous landmark. It's a symbol for many local businesses. The island has walking tracks and is home to protected native birds. You need to join an approved tour group to visit this nature reserve.
- The Kapiti Coast Museum is in Waikanae. It has many old items, including clothes, archives, and hands-on exhibits. You can see a recreated old Kapiti Coast home. There are also displays about military history and old communication equipment.
- Ōtaki-Māori Racing Club is New Zealand's only Māori racing club. It started in 1886 and holds eight horse race meetings each year.
- New Zealand artist Shona Moller has her studio and gallery at Paraparaumu Beach.
- Queen Elizabeth Park has the Wellington Tramway Museum. It also has many coastal walking tracks. The park often hosts orienteering events.
- Paekakariki Station Museum is managed by the Paekakariki Station Precinct Trust. The museum shows local Māori and heritage items. It also has sections about railways and the US Marines who were in the area during World War II. Entry is free, but donations are welcome. It has toilets and wheelchair access. You can arrange morning and afternoon teas for groups. It's located in the historic Paekakariki Railway Station Building.
- Steam Incorporated is a group that preserves old trains. They are based at the Paekakariki Railway Yard. Their depot, called "The Engine Shed," is where they restore and display locomotives and rolling stock. They are one of the few groups that run steam-hauled trips on New Zealand's national railway network.
- One of the Southern Hemisphere's largest car collections is at the Southward Car Museum in Otaihanga. A popular ridable miniature railway operates in Raumati Marine Gardens.
- The Paekakariki Escarpment Walkway is a walking track. It goes between Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay Station. This track is part of Te Araroa walkway, which crosses all of New Zealand.
