WairarapaLocations directory
Masterton Town Hall is an old stone building.

Founded in 1854, Masterton is the largest town in the Wairarapa region, servicing the surrounding farmland.

Masterton has more of a city feel with many chain shops and places to eat located in the centre of the town.

There are still many historic buildings dotted around, including the Town Hall (1918), the Wairarapa Times-Age building (1938), and the Public Trust Office (1920s).

Located 100 kilometres away from Wellington, it is an easy two-hour drive, passing by smaller towns: Featherston, Greytown, and Carterton. Masterton sits between the Ruamahunga and Waingawa Rivers, with the end of the Waipoua River skirting the northern end of the town.

A key feature of Masterton is Queen Elizabeth Park, which spans over 20 hectares and has giant sequoia trees and a miniature railway. Next to Queen Elizabeth Park is Henley Lake Park, covering 43 hectares of wetland and native plants. With many trails, it’s a popular spot for walkers, runners, and cyclists.

Masterton hosts the International Shearing and Woolhandling Championships — the Golden Shears — every year.

The town is often touted as the “Best Little City” and was even named New Zealand’s most beautiful city in 2017.

Location details

Jurisdiction Masterton District Council
Permits required Yes, apply for a permit
Location descriptors City, downtown, parks, gardens, roads, shops, suburban, town squares, towns, urban, buildings, streets, civic buildings, historical architecture, bridges, streams.
Explore more

Looking for more?

At start of items
The screen location of Tākina, the large convention centre with unique designs and large open industrial feeling spaces.

Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre

50 Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington | 71Inspired by the city’s dramatic landscape and environment, Wellington’s purpose-built convention centre is a blank canvas for filming.

Ngauranga train station

Ngauranga Train Station

Hutt Road, Ngauranga, Wellington | 51A single island train platform for commuter rail, sitting north of Wellington city on the edge of the rugged coastline.

The screen location of Whiitemans Valley, nestled among trees and hills, old buildings have been built to mimic an old town.

Whitemans Valley Village

Whitemans Valley Village, Upper Hutt | 10Whitemans Valley is a historical film set, surrounded by a rural backdrop. It has been used in TV series such as Country GP and Wellington Paranormal.

Exterior of Wellington Railway Station, a brick building, at dusk.

Wellington Railway Station

Bunny Street, Pipitea, Wellington | 61The Wellington Railway Station is one of the country’s most architecturally impressive 20th-century buildings, inspired by Penn Station in New York.

The screen location of Oriental Bay, wth pastel-coloured, Art Deco apartments, brightly-painted boat sheds, and the golden beach.

Oriental Bay

Oriental Bay, Wellington | 86Oriental Bay is an inner-city beach and is one of Wellington’s best features, sitting along the Wellington waterfront.

People walking down Cuba Street, past the Bucket Fountain, an iconic kinetic sculpture.

Cuba Street

Te Aro, Wellington | 313Cuba Street is one of the best-known streets in Wellington. The vibrant street has many heritage buildings, with shops and hospitality.

The mix of modern and old buildings along Lambton Quay, including the old supreme court, and old bank.

Lambton Quay

Lambton Quay, Wellington | 315Lambton Quay is the heart of the central business district of Wellington, with many offices and shops lining the street.

The screen location of Greytown, a historic small town featuring Victorian buildings, stables, colonial cottages, and rural landscapes surrounding.

Greytown

Greytown, Wairarapa | 309Greytown is a historic small town in the Wairarapa region. It has Victorian buildings lining the main street and was once named the most beautiful town.

The small, charming town of Featherston for a screen location. With the backdrop of the Remutaka Range and 19th-century buildings.

Featherston

Featherston, Wairarapa | 307Featherston is a small town in the Wairarapa region. The Remutaka Range creates a lush backdrop for the town, which sits in the foothills.