Wilton, New Zealand facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Wilton
|
|
|---|---|
|
Suburb
|
|
Playing cricket in Wilton
|
|
 Wilton
Location in New Zealand
|
|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Local authority | Wellington City |
| Electoral ward |
|
| Area | |
| • Land | 126 ha (311 acre) |
| Population
(June 2023)
|
|
| • Total | 2,200 |
| Postcode(s) |
6012
|
  Wilton, New Zealand  |
||
Wilton is a small suburb located in Wellington, New Zealand. It is most famous for Otari-Wilton's Bush, a large nature reserve found right in the suburb. This special place is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand that focuses only on native plants. It has 14 kilometers of walking paths and a cool 'canopy walkway'. This walkway is raised high above the ground, giving you an amazing view of the tops of trees like tawa, rewarewa, and hinau.
History of Wilton
Wilton was named after Job Wilton, who was a sheep farmer. In 1861, he had 165 sheep on his farm. He divided his land into smaller pieces in 1915. For a long time, until the 1930s, Wilton was mostly countryside with very few houses. Most building happened after World War II.
In the past, if you wanted to visit Wilton's Bush or Chapman's Gardens (which is now the Otari Plant Museum), you had to walk from the Wadestown tram stop. Later, starting in 1944, a bus service helped people get there. A school was opened in Wilton in 1956. Wilton House, a notable building in Blackbridge Road, was built in 1925.
People of Wilton
Wilton covers an area of about 1.26 square kilometers. As of 2023, it has an estimated population of 2,200 people.
According to the 2018 New Zealand census, Wilton had 2,205 residents. This was an increase of 156 people since the 2013 census. There were 876 households in the area. The average age of people in Wilton was 38.5 years old. About 17.6% of the residents were under 15 years old.
Wilton is a diverse suburb. The census showed that about 83.9% of people were of European background (Pākehā). Other groups included Māori (9.8%), Pasifika (5.0%), and Asian (9.3%). Many people in Wilton have also been born overseas, showing its mix of cultures.
Education in Wilton
Wilton has good access to schools for all ages.
School Zones
Students living in Wilton can attend several well-known schools. These include Wellington College for boys, Wellington Girls' College for girls, and Wellington High School and Onslow College which are co-educational. Students can also attend St Oran's College and the Otari School.
Primary Schools
Wilton is home to two primary schools:
- Otari School (Te Kura o Otari): This is a state-funded school for all primary years, located right next to the Otari-Wilton's Bush. It offers three different ways of learning: Montessori, Māori Immersion, and the standard New Zealand curriculum. As of February 2024. , it has 193 students.
- Cardinal McKeefry Catholic Primary School: This school opened in 1970, but its history goes back to 1876. It is a primary school for students from Year 1 to Year 8 (ages 5 to 13). As of February 2024. , it has 51 students.
