Looking back: A brief history of Courtenay Place

Before Courtenay Place and Taranaki Street there was Te Aro Pā, a large two-and-a-half-hectare settlement built by Māori who had migrated from Taranaki to Wellington around 1820.

The people in the settlement lived off the land, with an abundance of eels, birds, seaweeds and shellfish from the wetlands, rivers and streams that flowed through the area. The surrounding bush provided trees to collect timber for houses and firewood, and there was plenty of harakeke (flax) for weaving.

When boatloads of European settlers started arriving around 1840, they began trying to trade with the people of the pā but soon began to clear the bush for roads and buildings at a rapid rate. The area that had provided a food source was suddenly reduced, and land purchases meant many Māori were forced from the pā, causing unrest for those who called it home.

These changes came about through the New Zealand Company, who had plans to make the area the centre of the city, naming it Courtenay Place after the company’s director, Lord Courtenay. 

Within 40 years of the plans being drawn, Courtenay Place became more of an industrial area, with the northern side occupied by timber yards and gasworks. The southern side included a coach building yard and another section of the gasworks. Around and between these large industrial spots were wooden houses and shops. 

In 1855 a massive earthquake struck, causing the low-lying land to be raised. This drained the wetlands and pushed the harbour shore further away from the pā, causing Māori to lose their food source and economic trading base. 

The population of Te Aro Pā began to dwindle when most of the remaining land was sold to extend Taranaki Street down to the waterfront.

By the 1870s, most Māori had left the city to return to Taranaki or were living in vacant land or the hills. This began the development of tram lines across the city.  

The first route to Newtown opened in 1878, which passed areas such as Cuba and Vivian Streets. In 1881, a line was extended along Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace. This created a loop line around the central city to Newtown. 

The trams made it easier for people to get into the city, especially when electric trams replaced the steam trams. 

All trams that came into the central city went through Courtenay Place, turning it into one of the busiest places in Wellington. 

Around this time, the Harbour Board, which oversaw the reclamation of Lambton Harbour, also played an active role in the creation of new commercial properties. Its most extensive development was the creation of a warehouse and market district in Allen and Blair Streets between 1898 and 1904, where the Harbourside Market began. This market was formerly known as the Wellington Produce Market or the Waitangi Park Market and Chaffers Market. This brought a new energy to the area. People would flock to the Harbourside Market for fresh produce every weekend.

At the turn of the 20th century, iconic buildings and areas that are still around today were opened.

In 1912, the highlight of the year was the construction and the opening of the St James Theatre, then called His Majesty’s Theatre or Fullers. The St James Theatre has played a significant role in the social and cultural lives of Wellingtonians as a leading venue for theatre, film, music, and ballet, making it one of the treasures of Wellington city.

In 1924 the Embassy Theatre, which was originally known as the De Luxe Cinema, was opened. Now over 100 years old, the Embassy has significant heritage value and is one of the few large-screen venues to have remained in near-constant use since its construction. It is an important landmark for Wellington, and it is one of the key heritage buildings in the Courtenay Place heritage area.

By this point in the 1920s, the area started to change into what was originally envisioned in the town plan. 

With two-storey buildings and modest wooden shops now across the area, it was a scene of bustling activity filled with horse-drawn carts, carriages and electric trams. 

This was the start of the development of Courtenay Place to be what it’s known for today - its nightlife, entertainment and social spaces.

Wellington City Council will revitalise Courtenay Place as part of the Golden Mile. The project will connect people across the central city with a reliable transport system and generous spaces to shop, work and play. View the design through this flythrough video.

To this day, the area is still integral to the daily lives of many Wellingtonians. 

Read more about the history of Courtenay Place on Wellington City Heritage.