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), a 10-minute drive 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 Ranges provide 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 farmland.

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 | 45An ancient limestone gorge on remote, private farmland.

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

Seaview Marina

100 Port Road, Seaview, Lower Hutt | 57With some of the best boat maintenance facilities in the region, Seaview Marina is the newest and fastest-growing marina.

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 as been a popular swimming hole.

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 | 88This clothing-optional beach is a good spot for scenic walks and wildlife spotting.

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 | 86This inner-city beach is one of the capital’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 | 85A site of significant conservation value, the estuary 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 | 83An expansive, coastal area of park and wilderness just north of the capital.

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 | 82This scenic inner-harbour beach 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 | 46Epic rock formations 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

Southernthread Road, Brooklyn, Wellington | 44A private, regenerative native ecosystem on the city’s doorstep.