Te Raekaihau Point

Te Raekaihau Point is a rugged coastal landform in Wellington, New Zealand, adjacent to Princess Bay, between Houghton Bay to the west and Lyall Bay to the east on the south coast. One meaning of the name is "the headland that eats the wind". Te Raekaihau Point proceeds from the Southern Headlands Reserve and remains an undeveloped interface with the Cook Strait.

The site was the centre of recent controversy as a non-profit developer had proposed building an educational and tourist aquarium building on the site, which remains undeveloped.

Te Raekaihau

The point is geologically new, having been modified during the 1855 Wairarapa earthquake, in which land was uplifted by two to three metres. It can be reached through Island Bay, Houghton Bay via Melrose, or Lyall Bay. The point is used for diving, walking, scenic photography, relaxation, picnics, eco-tourism, nature study, and astronomy. The point is relatively free of light pollution, with little nearby population, no street lighting, and low adjacent population causing sky glow in the southern direction of Cook Strait. The lessened light pollution means that Aurora Australis displays are sometimes visible. It is one of the few undeveloped coastal places within Wellington city. Artists such as Bruce Stewart and Nick Dryden are inspired by this location.

The Wellington Marine Conservation Trust planned a three-storey educational and tourist complex and aquarium at Te Raekaihau Point [1], to be known as the Aquarium of New Zealand, unrelated to the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier, Hawkes Bay. To showcase the "unique marine environment of the Wellington region and New Zealand," the Trust endeavoured to develop the point and surrounding coastal area to service thousands of aquarium customers each week. It aimed to also provide education programmes about conserving the unique coastal features of New Zealand, partner with organisations for marine research and tourism purposes, and provide a base for "long term protection and enjoyment" of Wellington's marine resources and parking for over 100 vehicles [2]. Wellington City Council provided backing for the concept in the form of substantial interest-free loans and grants for resource consent applications.

...
Wikipedia