Houghton Bay

Houghton Bay / Valley

Houghton Bay Houghton Bay (New Zealand Wellington)
Basic information
Local authority	Wellington City
Facilities
Surrounds
North	Melrose
South	Cook Strait
West	Island Bay
Northwest	Southgate

Houghton Bay and Valley is one of the southern suburbs of Wellington, New Zealand.

Etymology

Houghton Bay was named after Captain Robert Houghton, who was the person responsible for the powder magazine on Matiu / Somes Island, and later the signal station at Mount Albert above Houghton Bay.^[1]

Location

It is between Island Bay and Lyall Bay, on the rocky shores of the Cook Strait. It has two beaches, Houghton Bay and Princess Bay, used by surfers, swimmers and divers.

Character

South Coast view to South Island

Houghton Bay and Valley is predominantly a residential area, but also contains the southern part of Wellington's Southern Walkway, the Buckley Road reserve, Houghton Valley School and the Southern Headlands Reserve. Along with other parts of Wellington's South Coast it is a popular recreational diving spot, within the Taputeranga Marine Reserve. In 2005 the decommissioned frigate HMNZS Wellington was sunk off Houghton Bay, and is now an artificial reef and dive location. Houghton Bay has a long history as a favourite surf spot of locals, and is smaller sister to neighbour and primary surfing locale Lyall Bay. On the hill overlooking the breakers is the legendary Wellington dance and dining venue, The Pines.

In the 19th century The Hermit of Island Bay lived in a nearby cave.

Transport

South Coast rocks

The primary residential and access streets are Hungerford Road, View Road and Houghton Bay Road.

Artists

Houghton Bay Panorama

Houghton Valley and Bay are home to musicians and artists, and to the Haewai Meadery and Wind Farm.

Aurora Australis

The Aurora Australis can be seen, as the light pollution is shielded to some degree by the range of hills along the coastline. Photos and reports are available online at Sharing Space. Aurora Report

A dark sky is necessary as most aurorae are weak and barely visible to the naked eye at this latitude.

References

↑ Reed, A. W. (2010). Peter Dowling, ed. Place Names of New Zealand. Rosedale, North Shore: Raupo. p. 173. ISBN 9780143204107.

External links

South Coast light pollution

Official suburbs of Wellington City, New Zealand

Northern Ward	Broadmeadows Churton Park Glenside Grenada Grenada North Horokiwi Johnsonville Khandallah Newlands Ohariu Paparangi Tawa Takapu Valley Woodridge

Onslow-Western Ward	Karori Northland Crofton Downs Kaiwharawhara Ngaio Ngauranga Makara Makara Beach Wadestown Wilton

Lambton Ward	Brooklyn Aro Valley Kelburn Wellington Central Mount Victoria Oriental Bay Te Aro Thorndon Highbury Pipitea

Southern Ward	Berhampore Island Bay Newtown Vogeltown Houghton Bay Kingston Mornington Mount Cook Owhiro Bay Southgate

Eastern Ward	Hataitai Lyall Bay Kilbirnie Miramar Seatoun Breaker Bay Karaka Bays Maupuia Melrose Moa Point Rongotai Roseneath Strathmore Park

Coordinates: 41°21′S 174°47′E / 41.350°S 174.783°E / -41.350; 174.783

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, September 21, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.