Kelson, New Zealand facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kelson
Suburb
View of the Hutt Valley from Kelson
Kelson Location in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Hutt City
Electoral ward	Western
Established	1960s
Area
• Land	536 ha (1,324 acre)
Population  (June 2023)
• Total	3,080

	Kelson, New Zealand

Kelson is a suburb located in Lower Hutt, which is part of the Wellington region in New Zealand. It sits on the western hills of the Hutt Valley. To the west, you'll find the large Belmont Regional Park. To the east, the Hutt River flows, and State Highway 2 runs alongside it.

Kelson's History

Kelson got its name from George Kells, who originally owned the land. His son, Bill, helped plan how the land would be divided into sections for homes. That's why it's called "Kelson." In 1961, it was advertised as "the gateway to a new suburb."

Building started in the lower parts of Kelson during the 1960s. However, most of the homes weren't built until around 1973–1974. This was after the area was allowed to expand further into the western hills. Between 1971 and 1976, the number of people living in Kelson tripled. This made it the fastest-growing suburb in Lower Hutt at that time.

Exploring Kelson's Geography

Kelson is part of the western hills that overlook the Hutt Valley. The Hutt River is on its eastern side.

The suburb is right next to Speedys Reserve/Pareraho Forest. This area is also part of the bigger Belmont Regional Park. Volunteers from the Pareraho Forest Trust help look after the picnic spots, walking paths, and biking trails here.

Native Plants and Animals

Pareraho Forest has a special type of forest found on hills. It's home to many different kinds of trees. You can find large Pukatea, Tawa, Rewarewa, and Kohekohe trees. This area is also a great place for native birds. Keep an eye out for tūī, pīwakawaka (fantails), grey warblers, whiteheads, ruru (moreporks), silvereyes, and kererū (New Zealand pigeons).

Important Kelson Landmarks

Kelson has several important places that serve the community.

Pareraho Playground

The Kelson Playground is located on Taieri Crescent. It's right behind Kelson Kindergarten and next to Kelson School. The playground first opened in May 1976. John Kennedy-Good, who was the mayor of Lower Hutt back then, officially opened it. The Western Hills Lions Club and the Belmont Women's Organisation designed and built the first playground. In February 2021, the playground got a big upgrade. This was thanks to a partnership between the Kelson School Fundraising Committee and the Hutt City Council. After the upgrade, it was renamed Pareraho Playground.

Kelson Community Centre

The Kelson Community Centre is on Timaru Grove. The Kelson Community Association runs it. A local family generously gave the land for the center to the community. It was built using money raised by the community and help from the council. The center opened in March 1986. It's a busy place where people hold public meetings, fairs, quiz nights, bingo games, and children's birthday parties. It's also used for fundraisers, company events, engagement parties, church groups, and theatre groups. A regular playgroup also meets there.

Discovery Elim Christian Centre

Discovery Elim Christian Centre is a church located on Major Drive. It started as Kelson Christian Centre in November 1996, with its first service held at the Kelson Community Centre. As more people joined, the church moved its services to Kelson School. Later, a special building was constructed just for the church. This new building opened on February 11, 2007. The church changed its name to Discovery Christian Centre. An Early Learning Centre for young children also opened next to it in April 2007. A few years later, the church joined the Elim movement. It held its first service as Discovery Elim Christian Centre on May 1, 2011.

Kelson's Community and People

Kelson covers an area of about 5.36 square kilometers. As of 2023, it has an estimated population of 3,080 people.

The population of Kelson has grown steadily over the years. In 2018, there were 2,835 people living here. This was an increase from 2,697 people in 2013 and 2,619 people in 2006. About 21.4% of the people in Kelson are under 15 years old.

Kelson is a diverse community. Most people identify as European/Pākehā. There are also people who identify as Māori, Pasifika, Asian, and other ethnicities. About 27.3% of Kelson's residents were born outside of New Zealand.

Many people in Kelson have no religious affiliation, while a significant number identify as Christian. Other religions like Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist are also present.

Many adults in Kelson have a bachelor's degree or higher. Most people aged 15 and over are employed full-time.

Education in Kelson

Kelson has good options for young learners.

Kelson Kindergarten

Kelson Kindergarten is on Taieri Crescent. It provides education and care for children aged two to five years. The kindergarten can have up to 45 children at a time. A local committee started in 1973 to create a kindergarten in the area. Work began quickly, and the location on Taieri Crescent was chosen. The kindergarten was ready for use by 1975. In 1982, it was expanded to include an area for activities during wet weather. This expansion was paid for entirely by fundraising efforts.

Kelson School

Also on Taieri Crescent is Kelson School. This is a primary school for both boys and girls. It opened on May 22, 1978, with 113 students. Today, it has 248 students as of February 2024. .

Public Services

A community recycling station at the bottom of Kelson Hill used to be very popular. However, it closed in 2021. This happened because the Hutt City Council started giving recycling and waste bins directly to every household.