Hutt ValleyLocations directory
The screen location of Te Mārua cliffs, where a river flows against vertical cliffs on the foothills of the Remutaka Range.

Dramatic geological cliffs rising vertically from the Hutt River near Upper Hutt.

Te Mārua Cliffs sit in the upper reaches of (Hutt River), 10 minutes from Upper Hutt centre. These dramatic geological formations rise several metres vertically from the water, displaying distinct sediment layers. The rural location at the foothills of the Remutaka Range provides a stunning backdrop for filming.

The cliffs offer authentic natural New Zealand landscapes with river access for swimming, fishing, and kayaking scenes. The nearby Hutt River Trail provides walking and cycling paths alongside the water. Stuart Macaskill water storage lakes sit just north, holding water supply for the Hutt Valley. 

Vehicle access to the cliffs is via Te Mārua Golf Club at 675 Main Road North, requiring permission from the club. Four-wheel-drive vehicles can also reach the cliff-top areas via private farm land.

Location details

Jurisdiction Upper Hutt City Council
Permits required Yes, apply for a permit
Location descriptors Scrub, mossy, foliage, serene, wilderness, remote, untamed, uninhabited, vast, uncharted, isolated, solitude, rugged, natural, expanse, crags, escarpment, scenic, steep, elevation, cliffs, breathtaking, rock formations, rivers, streams, coastal cliff.
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Patuna Chasm, a cave system in a gorge of a river cutting through limestone cliff.

Patuna Chasm

236 Haurangi Road, Ruakōkoputuna | 45Patuna Chasm is an ancient limestone gorge on remote, private farmland. Walk through native bush to get to the chasm which follows the riverbed.

The screen location of Seaview Marina, with hundreds of boats berthed in the seaport.

Seaview Marina

100 Port Road, Seaview, Lower Hutt | 57Seaview Marina in Lower Hutt is a new and fast-growing marina with some of the best boat maintenance facilities in the region.

The Taitā Rock swimming hole in Lower Hutt, with lush green bush surrounding a blue river and large pebbles on the shore.

Taitā Rock

High Street, Taitā, Lower Hutt | 90For decades, the Taitā rock area of Hutt River has been a popular swimming hole. It is only a short drive from Wellington city.

This clothing-optional beach is a good spot for scenic walks and wildlife spotting. At the western entrance of Wellington Harbour, picturesque Breaker Bay beach is part of the Oruaiti Reserve.

Breaker Bay

Seatoun, Wellington | 88Breaker Bay is a clothing-optional beach and a good spot for scenic walks and wildlife spotting for penguins, dolphins, and orcas.

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.

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.

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.

Worser Bay is a scenic inner-harbour beach popular with swimmers, dog walkers, and bridal couples. The large, sandy beach on the eastern side of Miramar Peninsula offers views of the Ororongorongo Range across the harbour, Steeple Rock, and Seatoun Beach.

Worser Bay

Marine Parade, Seatoun, Wellington | 82Worser Bay in Seatoun is a scenic inner-harbour sandy beach, which is popular with swimmers, dog walkers, and bridal couples.

The unusual rock formations of the Putangirua Pinnacles in the Wairarapa region.

Putangirua Pinnacles

1341 Cape Palliser Road, Wairarapa | 46The Putangirua Pinnacles are a spectacular earth pillar formation and a well-known filming location in a remote part of the Wairarapa region.

Long Gully Bush Reserve comprises 107 hectares of regenerating forest. It sits roughly 5 kilometres southwest of Wellington City, surrounded by the suburbs of Karori and Brooklyn.

Long Gully Station

Southernthread Road, Brooklyn, Wellington | 44Long Gully Bush Reserve is 107 hectares of regenerative native ecosystem on Wellington’s doorstep. The private property is in the hills of Brooklyn.