Hutt Valley, New Zealand

Hutt Valley is the name given to the large area of flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. The lower valley, known as Lower Hutt contains Hutt City, while the adjacent city of Upper Hutt lies about 20 km up river, above the Taita Gorge[?]. The area forms a major dormitory suburban area for Wellington City as well as being a location for manufacturing and heavy industry.

The Petone[?], at the mouth of the valley, was proposed as the initial site for the settlement of Wellington by the Wellington Company. However the chosen site was prone to river flooding and so early settlement was relocated to the present Wellington City. A small settlement remained at the Petone site as the whole valley was believed to be well suited as farm land. Almost the whole valley was subsequently clear felled and converted to pasture. A small remanant of the early podocarp forest is preserved in Bartons Bush[?] in Upper Hutt.