Transmission Gully facts for kids
Transmission Gully is a series of valleys with steep sides located in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. These valleys stretch from north to south, connecting the Kapiti Coast and Tawa, and pass through the hills east of Porirua.
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Why is it Called Transmission Gully?
The name "Transmission Gully" comes from a very powerful electricity line that used to run through the valleys. This line, built in 1924, carried 110,000 volts of electricity! It connected Wellington to the Mangahao hydroelectric power station near Shannon. Later, it became part of the bigger electricity network for the whole North Island.
What's it Like There?
Even though most of Transmission Gully is inside Porirua City, not many people live there. Most of the land is used for farming, or it's covered in forests and scrub. There are some areas where people have "lifestyle blocks," which are like small farms or large properties, especially near Pāuatahanui. Transmission Gully is also home to a fun place called Battle Hill Farm Forest Park, where you can explore nature.
The New Motorway
A big new road called the Transmission Gully Motorway opened in March 2022. This motorway goes right through the gully and is part of State Highway 1, which is a main road in New Zealand. It was built as part of a special project by the government from 2008 to 2017 to create important roads across the country.
However, the motorway doesn't have many exits that let you get into the gully itself. There's only one main exit between Pāuatahanui and Mackays Crossing that connects to Paekākāriki.
Other Ways to Get Around
Besides the new motorway, the only other road that goes through Transmission Gully is the Paekākāriki Hill Road. This road is narrow and winding. It starts at Paekākāriki and climbs up and over the western hills of Transmission Gully. Then, it slowly goes down the western side of the gully for most of its length, ending at Pāuatahanui.
