Wilton, New Zealand

Wilton is a small suburb in Wellington. It is best known for Otari-Wilton's Bush, a large reserve that is situated in the suburb. Otari-Wilton's bush is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to native plants. It features 14 km of walking tracks and a 'canopy walkway'. The canopy walkway is a raised walkway that provides a unique chance to view life in, and from, the top level of trees such as mature tawa, rewarewa and hinau.

Wilton
Suburb
Wilton Wilton
Coordinates: 41°16′05″S 174°45′25″E
Country	New Zealand
Local authority	Wellington City
Area [1]
• Land	246 ha (608 acres)
Population  (2013)[1]
• Total	2,052
Postcode(s)	6012

	Crofton Downs
	Wilton	Wadestown, Thorndon
	Karori

Education

School enrollment zone

Wilton is within the enrollment zones for Wellington College, Wellington Girls' College, Wellington High School, Onslow College, St Oran's College and the Otari School.[2]

Primary schools

Otari School (Te Kura o Otari) is a decile 10[3] state-funded full-primary school nestled next to the Otari-Wilton's Bush. The school encompass's three teaching styles. Montessori, Maori Immersion and the standard New Zealand curriculum. In 2014 it had a roll of 211.[4]

Cardinal McKeefry Catholic Primary School (which opened in 1970, but has origins back to 1876) is a decile 10[3] co-educational primary school for Year 1 to Year 8 (5 to 13 years old). In 2014 it had a roll of 100.[4]

History

Job Wilton was a sheep farmer; in 1861 he had a flock of 165 sheep, to be washed in the Kaiwharawhara Stream before shearing.[5] He subdivided his farm in 1915, but Wilton was semi-rural to the 1930s with little housing development until after World War II. A Sunday trip to Wilton's Bush and Chapman's Gardens (now the Otari Plant Museum) required walking from the Wadestown tram terminus. From 1944 a feeder bus ran from the terminus. A school opened in 1956. Wilton House in Blackbridge Road was built for Courtenay Place chemist Mr O'Connor and his sister in 1925.[6]

Further reading

• Bremner, Julie (1983). Wellington’s Northern Suburbs 1840-1918. Wellington: Millwood Press. ISBN 0-908582-59-5.
• Bremner, Julie (1987). Wellington’s Northern Suburbs 1919-1945. Wellington: Millwood Press. ISBN 0-908582-80-3.

References

1. "Community Profile: Wilton". Wellington City Council.
2. "eLearning Schools Search". Ministry of Education.
3. "Decile Change 2014 to 2015 for State & State Integrated Schools". Ministry of Education. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
4. "Ministry of Education School Rolls". Ministry of Education.
5. Bremner 1983, p. 28.
6. Bremner 1987, pp. 22,36,67.