Kelburn, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kelburn
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Suburb
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View of Wellington Cable Car, Kelburn Park sports field and central business district, from the Botanic Garden
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 Kelburn
Location in New Zealand
Kelburn
Location in New Zealand Wellington
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| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Wellington City |
| Electoral ward |
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| Established | 1896 |
| Area | |
| • Land | 143 ha (353 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
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| • Total | 5,200 |
| Postcode(s) |
6012
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| Train station(s) | Kelburn terminus, Wellington Cable Car |
  Kelburn, New Zealand  |
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Kelburn is a cool suburb located right in the heart of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. It's super close to the city centre, less than a kilometer away!
Kelburn sits on the hills just west of Wellington's main business area. It's surrounded by interesting places like the Wellington Botanic Garden and other suburbs such as Thorndon, Northland, Karori, Highbury, and Aro Valley.
Contents
Awesome Places to Explore in Kelburn
The Famous Wellington Cable Car
The Wellington Cable Car is a must-see! It's a fun way to get around and a popular spot for tourists. This special railway has been running since 1902. It climbs up from Lambton Quay in the city centre right up to Kelburn. You can even visit the Wellington Cable Car Museum right next to its top station in Kelburn.
Wellington Botanic Garden: Nature's Playground
The Wellington Botanic Garden is a huge park, covering 25 hectares. It's filled with native forests, beautiful gardens, and cool displays. You can enter the garden near the Cable Car station in Kelburn or from Glen Road.
Victoria University of Wellington
Kelburn is home to the main campus of Victoria University of Wellington. This university has some amazing buildings, like the Hunter Building, which is a very important historic site. You can also find the Adam Art Gallery and the Adam Concert Room here. The university also has Te Tumu Herenga Waka Marae, a special meeting place for the Ngāti Awa people.
Carter Observatory: Look Up at the Stars!
The Carter Observatory is located inside the Wellington Botanic Garden, close to the Cable Car. It has a planetarium where you can learn about space and an exhibition with cool displays. The Cable Car even has a "university stop" near Kelburn Park, which is a sports field used by students and the community.
Kelburn Village and More
Kelburn Village, on Upland Road, is a lively spot. You'll find cafes, restaurants, a pub, and local shops there. Many countries have their embassies and consulates in Kelburn, like the Embassy of Indonesia on Glen Road. Also, Metservice, which is New Zealand's national weather service, has its main office in the Botanic Garden in Kelburn.
The Kelburn Viaduct is one of New Zealand's oldest bridges made from reinforced concrete. It helps cars and people get to Karori and other western suburbs.
A Glimpse into Kelburn's Past
The suburb of Kelburn started in 1896. A company bought farmland and named the area after Viscount Kelburne. He was the son of the Governor of New Zealand at that time. The "e" at the end of "Kelburne" was later dropped to avoid confusion with another suburb called Kilbirnie.
In 1898, the people who invested in Kelburn decided to build the Wellington Cable Car. This made Kelburn stand out from other new housing areas. Once the Cable Car opened in 1902, Kelburn grew quickly. Victoria University's Hunter Building opened in 1904, and other important places like the Dominion Observatory (1907) and Kelburn Normal School (1914) were built soon after.
Who Lives in Kelburn?
Kelburn is a popular place to live. As of June 2023, about 5200 people live here.
In 2018, the population was 4,770. Many young people aged 15 to 29 live here, often because they are students at Victoria University. Most residents are of European background, but there are also people from Māori, Pasifika, and Asian backgrounds.
Many people in Kelburn have a university degree. Homes in Kelburn are among the most valuable in Wellington.
Learning in Kelburn
Kelburn has great schools for younger students:
- Kelburn Normal School is a state primary school for students in Years 1 to 8. It was started in 1914 to help train primary school teachers. It also has a special music program.
- Clifton Terrace Model School is another state primary school for Years 1 to 8.
For older students, Kelburn is in the zone for some well-known high schools:
- Wellington College
- Wellington Girls' College
- Wellington High School
Kelburn's Weather
Kelburn has a mild climate. Here's a quick look at the average weather:
| Climate data for Kelburn (1928–2017, Humidity 1962–2017) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.1 (86.2) |
30.1 (86.2) |
28.3 (82.9) |
27.3 (81.1) |
22.0 (71.6) |
18.3 (64.9) |
17.6 (63.7) |
19.3 (66.7) |
21.9 (71.4) |
25.1 (77.2) |
26.9 (80.4) |
29.1 (84.4) |
30.1 (86.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 20.1 (68.2) |
20.3 (68.5) |
19.0 (66.2) |
16.6 (61.9) |
14.0 (57.2) |
11.9 (53.4) |
11.1 (52.0) |
11.9 (53.4) |
13.4 (56.1) |
15.0 (59.0) |
16.7 (62.1) |
18.7 (65.7) |
15.7 (60.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 16.6 (61.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
15.7 (60.3) |
13.7 (56.7) |
11.3 (52.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
8.5 (47.3) |
9.1 (48.4) |
10.5 (50.9) |
11.9 (53.4) |
13.4 (56.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.1 (55.6) |
13.3 (55.9) |
12.4 (54.3) |
10.7 (51.3) |
8.6 (47.5) |
6.7 (44.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
6.4 (43.5) |
7.5 (45.5) |
8.8 (47.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
12.0 (53.6) |
9.6 (49.3) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 4.1 (39.4) |
5.2 (41.4) |
4.6 (40.3) |
2.6 (36.7) |
1.0 (33.8) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
0.0 (32.0) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
0.2 (32.4) |
1.2 (34.2) |
1.7 (35.1) |
3.4 (38.1) |
−0.1 (31.8) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 78.0 (3.07) |
76.8 (3.02) |
85.2 (3.35) |
100.3 (3.95) |
120.9 (4.76) |
132.9 (5.23) |
136.6 (5.38) |
126.5 (4.98) |
100.0 (3.94) |
110.2 (4.34) |
89.2 (3.51) |
91.9 (3.62) |
1,248.5 (49.15) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 7.3 | 6.9 | 8.2 | 9.4 | 11.6 | 13.4 | 13.4 | 13.1 | 11.2 | 11.4 | 9.5 | 9.0 | 124.4 |
| Average relative humidity (%) (at 9am) | 79.4 | 81.6 | 82.1 | 82.8 | 84.4 | 86.0 | 85.9 | 84.5 | 80.8 | 80.3 | 78.8 | 79.7 | 82.2 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 239.0 | 205.3 | 194.0 | 153.8 | 125.9 | 102.6 | 112.0 | 136.8 | 162.1 | 191.5 | 210.7 | 223.4 | 2,057.1 |
| Source: CliFlo | |||||||||||||
Kelburn's Borders
Kelburn's shape on a map is roughly a triangle. The Terrace Motorway Tunnel and New Zealand State Highway 1 form its eastern edge. Bowen Street and Glenmore Street make up the northwestern border. The hills above Aro Valley create the southern boundary.
Famous People from Kelburn
Many well-known people have lived in Kelburn. The Todd family, one of New Zealand's wealthiest families, lived in the northern part of Kelburn. Important business leaders like Sir Ron Trotter and Lloyd Morrison also called Kelburn home. Famous lawyers, including Sir Kenneth Keith and Sir John McGrath, lived here too. Even politicians and public figures like Sir Keith Holyoake (a former Prime Minister) and Sir Guy Powles (a former Ombudsman) have been residents of Kelburn.
