WellingtonLocations directory
The former Mount Victoria Quarry site sits at the base of Wellington’s Town Belt and has views of the city. The Anne Frank memorial of three chairs is placed on the grass.

A former quarry site perched on Wellington’s Mount Victoria has many advantages as a film location.

The former quarry sits on the edge of Wellington’s Town Belt. The public reserve features 520 hectares of ridgelines and native bush-clad hills. It separates the city centre and surrounding suburbs.

The old quarry site boasts a scenic backdrop with views across the city.

Accessible from the end of Ellice Street, it became a filming site for ‘The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’. The area was the high camp at Dunharrow where the Rohirrim gathered before riding to Gondor.

The disused rock quarry is now a dog exercise area, though the flat land bound by cliff faces also lends itself to outdoor gigs and events.

The site is home to a thought-provoking commemoration of Anne Frank and the 1.5 million children killed during the holocaust.

The memorial has three chairs, installed in 2021 and the first of its kind in New Zealand. Two face each other while the third faces away, as a representation of discrimination and prejudice. Behind the memorial are 15 kōwhai trees, planted two years earlier.

Location details

Jurisdiction Wellington City Council
Permits required Yes, apply for a permit
Location descriptors Parks, forest parks, monuments, communal spaces, picnic areas,  exercise areas, city views, trees, walking tracks.
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Camp Wainuiomata screen location. Has several buildings and is surrounded by forest and bush.

Camp Wainuiomata

203 Coast Road, Wainuiomata, Wellington | 12Camp Wainuiomata spans 240 hectares and offers a range of accommodation options in a stunning setting not far from Wellington city.

The screen location of Mount Victoria Town Belt, with lush green native bush and panoramic views across Wellington.

Mount Victoria Town Belt

Alexandra Road, Mount Victoria, Wellington | 20Mount Victoria Town Belt is an extensive green space with views across Wellington city and the harbour. You’ll find a key location from Lord of the Rings here.

The Percy Scenic Reserve, features walking tracks, lawns, native bushes, gardens, and a large waterfall.

Percy Scenic Reserve

5 Dowse Drive, Maungaraki, Lower Hutt | 33Percy Scenic Reserve is 10 hectares of park and gardens offering an easy escape from the city. You’ll find a duck pond and a waterfall.

Ataturk Memorial Park

Ataturk Memorial Park

166 Breaker Bay Road, Breaker Bay, Wellington | 34Ataturk Memorial Park in Breaker Bay, Wellington has a moving memorial with excellent views of the harbour and open sea.

The green native bush of Belmont Regional Park, with streams and hills.

Belmont Regional Park

Maungaraki, Lower Hutt | 36Belmont Regional Park is a popular and extensive setting for recreational activities and protection of the natural environment.

A well-equipped and popular outdoor space for families in Upper Hutt. On the edge of Te Awa Kairangi, Hutt River, Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt is a 40-minute drive north of Wellington.

Harcourt Park

Akatarawa Road, Birchville, Upper Hutt | 38Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt is a well-equipped and popular outdoor space for families. There are plenty of walking tracks and picnic areas.

The Wrights Hill Fortress screen location, located in Karori overlooking Wellington from an old gun emplacement. The location includes historic monuments, underground landmarks, and tunnels.

Wrights Hill Fortress — gun emplacement

Wrights Hill Road, Karori, Wellington | 64Wrights Hill Fortress in Karori is a mostly underground fortress built in the 1940s, during the Second World War to protect Wellington.

An expansive, coastal area of park and wilderness just north of the capital. With 180 hectares of open space and pockets of native bush, Whitireia Park is where people in Porirua come to roam on foot, bike, or hoof.

Whitireia Park

Whitireia Road, Tītahi Bay, Porirua | 83Whitireia Park is an expansive, coastal area of park and wilderness just north of Wellington. It is 180 hectares of open space and native bush.

A site of significant conservation value, the estuary is easily accessible in Porirua. A 30-minute drive from the capital, the Pāuatahanui Inlet is a large estuary surrounded by a wildlife reserve.

Pāuatahanui Inlet

Pāuatahanui, Porirua | 85Pāuatahanui Inlet is a site of significant conservation value, the large estuary is surrounded by a wildlife reserve and is easily accessible in Porirua.