Wellington’s Unknown Underground

What is it about caves and tunnels?

They’re dark. There’s critters. They’re claustrophobic. They’re scary!

You don’t know what’s going to be in there but something inside you wants to find out. That means overcoming the monsters in your mind.

A tunnel says, adventure. It’s something primeval. Maybe it’s the ancestral cave-dweller in all of us. Maybe it’s the modern day urban explorer looking for something lost.

Wellington lives on top of rock known to mountaineers as ‘Weetbix’. Geologists call it Torlesse Greywacke. It’s structurally weak which means it’s not so good for creating caves but great for cave-ins!

Breaker Bay

There is a man-made cave at Breaker Bay.

It was chiseled into the rock at the water’s edge by retired bus driver, Ross Collins. In 2006, Ross was of no fixed address. A car was his bedroom. The cave was his living room.

The cave had a sitting room, a storage area and a mezzanine snoozing area. It took Ross a year and a half to build but he saved up enough money to buy a campervan and abandoned the cave. That was over a decade ago.

The cave’s interior was a shambles last time I was there. A lot of bugs and bird shit but it’s still a kooky place to check out.

The view from inside the cave is pretty spectacular.

Island Bay

There was a natural cave near Island Bay but it had to make way for what is now The Esplanade.

In the late 1800s, the cave’s inhabitant was a famous Hermit. Apparently he was quite a tourist attraction. Wellingtonians weren’t happy with his home having to make way for road construction. Read this letter to the editor in the Wellington Evening Post in 1894.

OK. Tunnel-time.

Where there’s hills, there’s tunnels.

Before writing this, I deliberated over how much detail to include. Too much and there’s no treasure hunt or adventure. Not enough and those that are keen may never find them. I won’t be telling you exactly where the lesser-known tunnels are, or what’s inside, but there will be enough clues for the curious.

I’m also not telling you what is legal and what is safe. Those assessments are up to you.

I’m going to order these underground locations by obscurity, starting with some you might know, then moving on to those you probably don’t.

Wrights Hill

The Wrights Hill Fortress tunnels are reasonably well known but they’re only open to the public 5 times per year. “Oh yeah. I really want to check them out but I always forget, or miss the Open Day” said most people I know. Put it in your diary, people!

Johnsonville.

This tunnel gets a mention on the official Skyline Walkway Map.

Head uphill from the end of Truscott Avenue in Johnsonvile. Keep your eyes open and you’ll find a tunnel built in 1912 as part of the Johnsonville Waterworks scheme. The entrance to this tunnel is lush and green.

The tunnel runs at least 50 metres but it’s straight so you never lose sight of the entrance. Good for scaredy cats.

Karori

The Morning Star Mine is at Zealandia.

Apparently, the mine is often open on weekends and public holidays but that is dependent on volunteer guides. No guides when I visited but it’s still possible to walk about 10 meters into the mine.

Percy Scenic Reserve

If you’re a bit apprehensive about plunging into dark underground confined spaces, the short tunnel at Percy Scenic Reserve is a good start. This photo was taken from the furthest point inside which is maybe 10 meters at best.

Apparently there are weta inside this tunnel but I can’t say I saw any.

Te Ahumairangi Hill

Thomas Tunnel is at the other end of the claustrophobia spectrum. The tunnel stretches for about 35 meters. The further you go in, the smaller the diameter of the tunnel gets before hitting a cramped dead-end. There’s a fair amount of dripping water.

Thomas Tunnel is at the old Te Ahumairangi Hill quarry site. it was a trial tunnel dug to prospect for gold and silver in 1906. I was glad to finally exit this one.

Trelissick Park

*UPDATE: The entrances to both Trelissick Park tunnels have been secured by Wellington Water. It is no longer possible to enter these tunnels. For serious safety reasons, entry should not be attempted under any circumstances.

I’ve explored two tunnels in Trelissick Park. The entrance to one is near the fish ladder. Google it. You’ll see a metal gate which looks locked* but it wasn’t when I was there last.

The gate at the other end is, though.

There are steps at the start then a roughly 100 meter curved tunnel.

The other tunnel at Trelissick Park is my favourite for four reasons: It’s the tunnel where I had to battle my mind the most. What’s that sound? What’s that smell? What’s that slime?! I imagined things far worse than are probably in there. Probably. It’s one of the few tunnels where I can walk upright without bumping my head. It’s the tunnel with the most mysteries to discover. The fourth reason is big — GLOW WORMS!

Access this Trelissick Park tunnel from the Ngaio Gorge track which starts from Kaiwharrawharra Road and runs beside Kaiwharrawharra Stream. You’ll see a large locked* gate at the entrance. It gets dark but about three-quarters of the way in, turn off your torch and you will see the glow worms. Then spend 20 minutes unsuccessfully trying to photograph glow worms. This was the best I could do.

Although I don’t know how long this tunnel is, it’s the longest one I’ve walked and the longest on this list. It takes between 10 and 15 minutes to carefully walk to the end. The ground is uneven and the further you go, the deeper the water gets. You can avoid wet feet by rock hopping or some creative side-stepping but if you’ve got waterproof boots, you should be all good. There’s no way out but walking to the end is worth it.

I’ve avoided telling you too much about what you’ll find inside these tunnels but you’ve got to see this work of art now. It might not be there if you visit*.

Miramar

There was a lake in Miramar prior to 1846. The land was owned by James Coutts Crawford. He wanted to free up more land for cattle farming so he drained the lake into Evans Bay by tunnelling through Rongotai Ridge near where the ‘Wellington’ sign is. These underground rooms are part of that drainage system. You’ll find them near the start of Shelly Bay Road.

Sadly, their current use is as a random rubbish dump. The first one is quite small and you’re not missing much by not going inside — except maybe tetanus.

The second entrance takes you into a larger space with a couple of big rooms. Far more exploring and photo opportunities in here.

Location X

I was contacted by Wellington Water and asked not to encourage the exploration of this tunnel. I have removed any reference to its location. It should also be noted that exploring any underground tunnels — particularly those containing water, comes with dangers you may not be aware of. Do not enter such tunnels.

Both ends of this tunnel are in close proximity to private property and dwellings so respect that. Once you enter, you’re about 250 metres from the other end. This tunnel has a few twists and turns so you will be in complete darkness for at least half its length.

Eastbourne

The last tunnel is a wildcard! A boy started digging it at age 11. Now it’s a network of tunnels leading to a central cave and spiral staircase. It even has electricity! This is on private property in Eastbourne so your chances of seeing it are slim. I took a sneaky look during a home-open when the property was for sale. The tunnel network and cave was technically off-limits during the viewing. These are the best photos and blurry video I could get.

Bunkers

Half-way between cave and tunnel is bunker. Check out Tim Dorian’s guide to exploring Wellington’s historic bunkers. Tim mentions the bunkers you can easily enter but there are some other interesting ones worth a look, and the adventure of locating them.

Khandallah

The most accessible of these is hidden in plain sight next to Khandallah Pool.

It’s been bricked up for years but you can still peek through a slot in the wall.

Botanic Gardens

There’s a bunker under the Dominion Observatory in the Botanic Gardens behind this red door.

‘Gardens Battery’ was built in 1896 as a response to the ‘Russian Scare‘. The naval forces of Russia were considered to be a real threat to New Zealand. There’s nothing inside now but its former military purpose is evident.

Gardens Bunker is rarely accessible to the public. Your best chance of seeing inside is by keeping an eye on Heritage Week events.

Maupuia

Of all the sites mentioned in this list, another military installation built to fight the Russians is the hardest to locate. After it was decommissioned, it was buried!

It’s on the Miramar Peninsula. I could give you the map coordinates but then you’d miss the fun and detective work of finding it for yourself.

There’s evidence at the site, and online, that people have been inside in the not-too-distant past but now there’s a solid metal door preventing entry. You can still see inside.

I recommend going with a buddy. The structural integrity of the dug-out entrance is questionable.

Before anyone gets all dictionary definitions on me, I know, some of these tunnels are technically culverts. Culverts carry creeks, streams and rivers under roads and buildings. Wellington is crisscrossed by streams you never see. More about Wellington’s secret streams in a future post.

There’s more to explore on my Wellington underground to-do list. Maybe you know some places I don’t. If so, let me know.